Today was a great (and pretty full) day. It started with an exciting trip to the Barber Motorsports Park with Bruce, Bev, and Leslie to watch the Indy Car Trials. Barber's is a fantastic venue with a world-class motorcycle museum and a track that rivals any on Earth. Hearing and seeing those cars fly by on the track in near-perfect weather was a great way to spend an afternoon. I also got to take a ride on my 1970 Triumph TR6R (pictured below). This bike exemplifies what a motorcycle should be. Brit bikes are known to be pretty quirky, but this is what I think of when I think classic motorcycle. Maybe I've watched The Great Escape or seen Evel Knievel jump the fountain at Caesar's Palace on YouTube too many times, but I think old Triumphs are cool.
In trying to side-step sounding too philosophical, the one concrete principle a vintage British motorcycle can and will teach a person is: "There are no big hammers." Patience, a parts manual, and WD-40 are the best friends an amateur can have in learning how to fix things. Oh, and it also teaches one that Lucas electronics are really that bad.
Preparations for Relay on the Ridge continued at the Thunderdome (my dad's garage), where The Bull got an oil change and the last of our gear got stowed. The Bull even acted like it wanted to fly...
Everything looks good for a Monday morning departure from Ekklesia Coffee House in Chelsea. Tomorrow should be a relaxing day since everything that can be done has been done. The toughest part now will be coming to grips with what John Steinbeck (yes, we like Steinbeck) wrote about trips: "A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike...We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us."
Donation Total Thus Far: $467.00
Thanks to Elizabeth Mayfield for her contribution.
The Bull is ready. Are you?
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