A story of a re-entry ride

[rjamesohio]

Rounded, it's been about 8 years since I took a flyer due to a car turning left in front of me. Had many thoughts about riding, a couple of short rides on borrowed bikes during that time, and missed motorcycling a wee bit but wasn't quite 'ready' to return. Can't explain these things.

Sometime during that span - I had a dream that I was riding on a nice sunny day, and amazingly enough in that dream I distinctly was riding a Guzzi. How do I know? - the Guzzi heartbeat and I glanced down at the knee warmers. Sure enough - it was a Moto Guzzi. I also remember smelling the air, and the warm sunlight. The stuff many people take for granted but the things that make motorcycling special as opposed to riding in a car.

Never lost site of motorcycling and stayed in touch with my friends, and through doing occasional  paint jobs. Bought a Guzzi basket case to build that long-envisioned cafe, and felt like I still had a connection.

Even though I have a couple of other passions, I never found anything to plug the hole. There is NOTHING like motorcycling on a fine day, especially when you are headed to a Rally to meet up with Guzzi folk, who are the best in all of motorcycling because - well that is a different topic.

About a month ago - I suddenly felt READY and decided to ride - this summer. No more waiting. It might be different in many ways, but I could deal with the negatives (people in cars not paying attention chief amongst them) and certainly had enough miles under my old belt.

The bike - found right here on Wild Guzzi. 1996 California 1100i. Just like my buddy Terry Whitaker's, which bike I had worked on over the years. My SEVENTH Moto Guzzi. And the RIGHT one for me at this time and place. Something that I could load my camping gear on, have some luggage capacity, and had enough modern amenities to work well. I ended up with a very clean unit from IL, which I bought from the original owner's son. He showed up at delivery with the Original Bill of Sale (nice touch!) and the machine even has a nice cloisonne badge from Ned's Cycle. I have bought parts from Jim there for years, GREAT people. So the Karma was working. Green and Black BTW - wasn't looking for any particular color but I love this combination!

Here in Ohio it's still early season, but yesterday the weather broke enough that a mid-day ride was fine, so lunch was on. Departed the garage on the humble but beautiful steed when the temp topped 40, sunshine warming everything. Topped up with gas.

My plan initially was to stay out of the high traffic areas, and to go easy. I found myself maybe TOO aware of the car traffic - and knowing that you cannot ride when you are paranoid wondered if I was indeed ready. Arrived at Terry's and we left there shortly for an impromptu Guzzi Gathering with another Guzzisti, my friend Terry Barnes.

I NEVER liked following before, but seeing that familiar Goose in front of me was awesome. A compass if you will. We had lunch, then climbed back on and went through a variety of nice country roads with a variety of conditions including loose gravel and tight turns. All was well. Learning the new machine and getting my sea legs. Like the heel/toe shifter, and loved the Suwanee fairing as much as I though I would.

On the way home, I decided to round out the day with a brief jaunt on the Interstate to cover all the different roads and conditions. On the way to the interchange, we were headed down a nice road lined with trees on each side, and around a bend comes a pickup clearly out of control. Heading for our side of the road, tires screeching for traction. The pickup was sideways, and physics were in motion that were outweighing either an impaired driver, a foolish one, or ????? The truck suddenly swung back toward the other side of the road and I was wondering if he would careen into the ditch. Or switch direction again. As quickly as he appeared - he was behind us, still with tires squalling but thankfully BEHIND us. Apparently, my return was intended to more than one day.

In spite of that late day drama, it was GREAT to be with friends and sharing that thing that we all share on Moto Guzzis. The usual comments about 'Never heard of one of those' but 'Beautiful' resonated, and as I rode home on the Interstate I noted a car passenger fixated on the bike as they slowly passed me on the left. No doubt thinking about that glorious sound, and wishing they were one of us.

It's great to be back.

[blackbuell]

Welcome back!

Jon

[oldbike54]

 

 Dusty

[rjamesohio]

Oh yeah - almost forgot. We were talking about the light on the tach not working so nite visibility might not be great. Terry said "Don't work, eventually the tach itself won't work - they all stop before long"

45 minutes later, my once working Veglia electronic tach told me I was clocking 7500 RPM. And when I stopped at the light, the revs on the tach stayed there. Fortunately, not the engine, which was idling quite nicely.

HAHAHA - yep, I will fix it. Someday. For now - I just listen to the engine.

[Guzzi Gal]

:1: A well-written tale of a long in the making return.   

BTW, we love

[Sheepdog]

Welcome back!

[Mr Pootle]

Good to here you’re back on two wheels.

[twowings]

Well-written! 

[Lannis]

Great to have you back.   Hey, maybe someday we can have an April "Appalachian Rally" again, those were always fun!

I was in my big Ram 1500 Dodge truck, towing a utility trailer full of furniture last week, approaching a blind right-hand bend on top of a hill.  About 100 feet from the top, an old blue Ford pickup comes hurtling over the hill on MY side of the road, and stayed there.  There was no room between me and the tall bank on my side to get COMPLETELY out of the way, but at least I could turn a potential head-on into a side-swipe.

I could see the Farmer Brown-style fedora-hatted old man driving, he was looking DOWN on the seat next to him as he crested that blind hill, playing with a computer, I'll wager anything.   As I put the trailer wheel onto the bank, he looked up at the LAST second and swerved to his right, missed my headlight by about 2 feet.

Luckily my load was lashed down good and even though the trailer went a couple feet airborne, it all stayed together.

Two things:

1) If I'd been on a bike, I MIGHT HAVE had room to get over without going all the way into the ditch.   I could accept an indirect collision in the truck, but not on the bike so I MIGHT have had to move farther over on the bike, and I'd have been in the ditch.    I was happy with my reaction time and direction, though.

2) After I got it back on the road and processed what happened, for about 2 minutes until Fay calmed me down I would have been perfectly capable (through the Red Mist generated by adrenalin and testosterone) of dragging the guy out of the truck and beating him senseless bare handed.   I'm glad I didn't have to make the decision, because in the "my word against his" world, it wouldn't have ended well.

It's good that you had a similar scary situation on your "Return of the Guzzi" ride, got through it, and are ready for the next ride!!

Lannis

[Lannis]

45 minutes later, my once working Veglia electronic tach told me I was clocking 7500 RPM. And when I stopped at the light, the revs on the tach stayed there. Fortunately, not the engine, which was idling quite nicely.

HAHAHA - yep, I will fix it. Someday. For now - I just listen to the engine.

Just think of it as a reversion to the Old Days, when Guzzis just came with that pretty Art Deco speedometer and no tach.   We don't need no steenking tach!

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

The Guzzi Gods were just testing you, Ron.. and found you worthy.  There *is* something special about these bikes.. and the people that love them. <shrug> Mmmmm, black and green, a great color combination.

[Shorty]

I'm glad you are enjoying riding again.  I remember very well having the "jitters" after my bad bike wreck in '78. Every car that wove a little, or pulled up to a side road stop too fast was terrifying. And, that caution has remained with me. The point is that I now ride in a completely different way than before the trouble. I will not be hurried, and I turn down joint rides with those who I know love a "spirited ride."   If my gut tells me to stay home, I do it. I still get tremendous pleasure out of owning and riding motorcycles. I simply do it to a level that I'm comfy with. Welcome back! Enjoy that Buckeye springtime!

[rjamesohio]

 Chuck - you mean the test with the tach or the out of control pickup truck? Or both? Lol. You are absolutely correct “Guzzi people” are the best. Which is why when it came time for a new to me bike [emoji965] it had to be a Goose from the shores  of lake Como.


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[rjamesohio]

I'm glad you are enjoying riding again.  I remember very well having the "jitters" after my bad bike wreck in '78. Every car that wove a little, or pulled up to a side road stop too fast was terrifying. And, that caution has remained with me. The point is that I now ride in a completely different way than before the trouble. I will not be hurried, and I turn down joint rides with those who I know love a "spirited ride."   If my gut tells me to stay home, I do it. I still get tremendous pleasure out of owning and riding motorcycles. I simply do it to a level that I'm comfy with. Welcome back! Enjoy that Buckeye springtime!

Shorty, you and I belong to the survivors club and have earned the right to approach this however we feel is necessary to keep us in the game. Here’s to you, I and everyone who loves motorcycling enough that coming back is always only a matter of time. You stay safe my friend and hopefully see you down the road.

Btw - everything bad that ever happened to me on a motorcycle has been at night. So I’ve vowed to be in place at sundown unless there are severe extenuating circumstances.  And my gear is hi-vis. I wish the industry would outlaw “stylish black gear” but image is everything and newbs want to look badass. I once was one of them.

So if you guys see a green Cali with a hi-vis jacketed rider aboard - it’s prolly me [emoji6]

Hope everyone has a safe season, go enjoy a Guzzi rally!






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[Chuck in Indiana]

Chuck - you mean the test with the tach or the out of control pickup truck? Or both? Lol. You are absolutely correct �Guzzi people� are the best. Which is why when it came time for a new to me bike [emoji965] it had to be a Goose from the shores  of lake Como.


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Well, both of course.  Isn't that the blue Veglia? Normally they are pretty reliable. A broken spring would be my guess. Mark at MG Classics might have one.

[rodekyll]

 

[Zoom Zoom]

Congrats Ron! I'm glad you found a bike that fit the bill.

Now we need PICS!

John Henry

PS: I bet you're glad we got that chair back to you huh?

[guzzisteve]

I remember your wreck, glad you are back and on a Guzzi. There are so many that never return to riding.

[JJ]

Welcome back...CONGRATS on your latest Guzzi...and always remember: 

"Riding is living!"  :1:

[wheaties]

Welcome back!  I'm with John Henry on this, we need a picture of that bike!

Matt

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Thanks for the wonderful story. I'm glad that it has a happy ending.

Please put me in the "post pics" camp!

Mario

[drdwb]

Glad to here your back up and riding. I’ve never been down,but have several friend who have, we all know there are only 2 kinds of riders,those that have been down and those that will. Fortunately most of my friends have made it back, I’m gad to hear of another success story. Thanks

[rjamesohio]

Here is the Cali filling a spot that been empty for a few years...

I found the color really to my liking and it looks great out in the sun!


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[rjamesohio]

Welcome back!  I'm with John Henry on this, we need a picture of that bike!

Matt

Hopefully a better photo of the paint detail. This is original paint. PS I’m still futzing with getting my photos from iCloud to here, they downgrade for storage and I hope it’s not low res...


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[rjamesohio]

Hopefully a better photo of the paint detail. This is original paint. PS I’m still futzing with getting my photos from iCloud to here, they downgrade for storage and I hope it’s not low res...


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Some of you may know Jay Cappis from IL. Here’s the “handing the keys over” moment. Jay is on the left with the beautiful hand-tooled Guzzi jacket. That jacket was very impressive, a friend of his makes them.  Gorgeous.



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[Zoom Zoom]

Who is the guy with the beard?

John Henry

[rjamesohio]

Who is the guy with the beard?

John Henry

Another grizzled motorcyclist, known to have a rally chair that his dog chewed on.


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[lucian]

Nice story. Glad your whole again.   Beautiful bike  too.

[wheaties]

Hopefully a better photo of the paint detail. This is original paint. PS I�m still futzing with getting my photos from iCloud to here, they downgrade for storage and I hope it�s not low res...


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You're right, it is a great color combination!  I love the pinstripe and gold eagle---first class!!

Matt

[hidn45]

... and around a bend comes a pickup clearly out of control. Heading for our side of the road, tires screeching for traction. The pickup was sideways, and physics were in motion....

It's great to be back.

Maybe he was just excited to see you back on two wheels!  Reminds me of that old saying - "Eat a live frog first thing every morning & you can be pretty sure nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day...."

Glad to have you back in the fold....

randy