Here it is – late September. It is time to go far a fast ride to Creston and back in two days.
I am going to see Fred and Jaye’s new farm before they go to Europe. The weather is good leaving Osoyoos and variable in The Kootenays. It rains hard from Salmo to Creston. Very Hard. It did make it.
The next day we closed up the renovations early in morning and were back home for lunch. I loaded up Big White and off we went. Getting near Grand Forks the rear brake felt different. There was more travel in the pedal. I did a visual inspection and noting seemed amiss except the amount of pedal travel,
Two miles further I stopped at “Lost Gypsies” (7375 – 2nd ave) near closing time. I picked up a sign made of rope that read “beach.” I love the sign. Stanley and Summer were holding it for me until I could get there. They have a great curio shoppe.
Off I went to check tire pressure and remedy my brake issue. As I pulled out onto Hwy#3 I felt a very small fishtail in the rear. Odd and out of place it was. I rode 3 blocks to an air compressor to find tires and pressures were good. I kept looking. It took me an hour to find the issue. Ahaa! A wheel bearing’s imminent failure was the culprit. I called “Tire Bud)” (Zak) and told him my challenge. I could leave it at his place until I returned for it. I made it to Zak’s and we found a safe haven for it.
Cobbler Bud has a mobile tire shop and on the side he repairs all kinds of shoes. I found him a month earlier and left two pairs of M/C boots and one hiking boot with him for rebuild. He gave me a tour of his shop that included several antique shoe repair machines. It was the highlight of that day. All three jobs were superb. I highly recommend him. His shop is on Central Ave (Hwy#3).
Challenge #2. Do I hitchhike or call for a ride? One failed attempt at a ride – time to phone a friend. Cindy and Ruby to my rescue. They came all the way from Oliver the rescue “The Stranded Biker.”
Two days later, “The Rescue.” I am looking at U-hauls to get my bike home. In steps George. We have Dear mutual friends and I have met him a few times. Within minutes of hearing the challenge of getting my Baby Dragon home George has a solution! We hitch up his covered landscape/motorcycle trailer, clean it out of lawn mowers, rakes etc and off we go! Up over the mountains to Grand Forks we go. We never ran out of stuff to chat about. George has several bikes. Two hours and we roll into Grand Forks. He wheels his truck around and backs it in all in the first shot. “The Pro.” I start my bike and ride it in to the trailer. George and I strap it in securely (it is my babe)! I have a quick chat with Zak and give him his new “BEACH” sign. He loves it. He has an in-ground pool for him, his family and now complete with a with a Beach. I had been wondering just what/who the sign was for. Off we go – over the mountains returning to Osoyoos. We unload it, I turn out the lights, close and lock the door. The whole expedition was less than 5 hours. Thank You George. George is my Hero.
