On the Road Again, But...Jun 24, 2009
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Dr.Brian, the on-call surgeon
Don't want to climb this hill.
Myra on the Jerr-Dan Express [I never got your name - email...
Well, I sure spoke too soon.
Tuesday [6/23] Moe and I had a lazy day with the folks. Myra was supposed to be ready at the end of the day so we headed over at 5:00 PM [they close at 6]. Dave and Brian showed us all the little errors they found when they took the engine apart. The big deal was the incompletely formed piston that Dr. V-twin installed - part of the casting was missing from the underside on the piston. Ray-bo must have bought a cheapee piston and sold it to me as if it was stock. There were O-rings installed where they are not supposed to be, nicks in the lifter tubes, the list went on for 12 items. Last warning - don't take your bike to Dr. V-Twin. We just heard he may be opening again. Dave had some barely used stock pistons & jugs from a large bore conversion and I got them for half price. Brian put the engine back together, did a test ride, and then put in clean oil. Moe and I rolled north a little after 6. Thanks guys for getting me in and out in just 2 days.
Wed [6/24] Moe and I packed up, started the bikes, and took off- for about 20 feet. Then Myra died and that was that. I called the Black Widow Service Dept and Dave stepped me through some tests - the bike just wasn't getting any gas. So I called Harley Road Assistance [never leave home without it]. They got a tow truck to me in a half hour and we traveled 15 miles north and ended up at Old Town Harley-Davidson at Brandon. This dealer was just one block down the road from the hotel we stayed in last Thursday night. The same exit at I-75 where Moe lost her fanny pack.
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[add Twilight Zone music here].
This area is known as the "Tampa Triangle". Personal possessions mysteriously disappear, engines just quit for no reason. The Florida State Police have a travelers warning posted about this region. So far it hasn't claimed any motorists , yet. I ain't comin back.
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Terry, the service writer, discovered that there was an outstanding recall on the carb - needed to replace the jet needle. Long story short, Derick [the mechanic] had Myra on the lift quickly, replaced the jet needle and discovered that some debris had blocked the fuel petcock vacuum hose. So just like in the film "Bonnie & Clide", he just blow'd it out. The fix was covered by the recall so no bucks were needed from me. Yeah!, I bled pretty bad yesterday for the top end work.
We were back on the road by 1 PM. Since we were so far behind the day's agenda, we bagged the local roads, got on the interstate and headed for the East Coast.
Moe has been a good egg about all the sitting at dealers we have done. She encouraged me on a few occasions to shop for a new bike. I just can't part with Myra, my first ride. When we get to Tucson, I think I'll just have the local dealer send the engine off to be re-man'ed. Maybe add a six-speed trany and she'll be as good as new.
We stopped at Fort Matanzas NP between Daytona and Jacksonville. The internet said the park is open until 5:30 PM, the gate sign said the same BUT the Visitor Center closed at 4:30. We could see the park stamp through the window but can't get to it. NO STAMP! I just hate that. Ride you ass off just to see them close early. This sorta happened to me in Utah at Zion NP. I rode 700 miles that day through 3 time zone changes. I had no idea "what time is was" when I arrived. I was 15 minutes late and I caught the ranger just after he set the building alarm. No joy but it wasn't their fault.
Hot and sweaty, we headed up to Jacksonville and got a hotel. We will catch a park here tomorrow morning and then on the Georgia. [I hope!]
