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Published: June 11th 2013
After breakfast and a long chat with Kimberley at the Lodge we set off for Lake Tahoe. It was another blistering hot day and more lovely treelined, shady roads. We stopped briefly in Quincy for a drink and another quick look for leads for the GoPro, with no success and headed out of town. Jim seemed to be taking it very steady, and stopped and asked if I agreed that it was a particularly bad road surface. I didn't! He checked both tyres were ok and set off again for a brief 2 minutes before stopping again. The bike was broken!! Same rear drive gearbox had failed. Jim had noticed that we had passed a bike shop coming out of town, so I sat in the shade while he took my bike and disappeared off. 20 minutes later he returned with Andy, the owner of the shop, in a pick up and trailer. I was told to jump in the cab to cool down while the boys loaded (once again) the bike onto the trailer and we were taken back to the bike shop, which turns out is the only one for about 80 miles in all directions.
Andy checked out the bike. The weld had held, but the other metal work had suffered from the heat of the weld and it had broken, we had managed around 1000 miles with it mended, but that was it, no getting around the fact that the pricey new assembly is needed. After checking various other options, like dismantlers,with no joy, a new part was ordered, but delivery is not due to Wednesday (today being Saturday), and the assembly is around $1000 and that's without any labour or breakdown charges. The only bright side was that we were with someone who was looking after us and doing all he could to get us back on the road, including putting us at the top of his very busy work schedule. The other up side was that Jim was approached by a regular in there offering us a possible place to stay. After confirmation that this was indeed a serious offer, we accepted gratefully, we drove (Andy had lent us his pickup to use) to Hal and Virginia's house a mile or so away from the shop. A delightful place overlooking fields, with a large plot of land full of interesting bikes, pickups, outbuidings, mobile home etc etc. We've really landed on our feet here, and been given the spare bedroom and treated like old friends. They've fed us, given us drinks and we've become those old friends already.
Hal and Virginia had a 'wake' to go to the next day, and persuaded us that it would be fine for us to go with them. It was in memory of a good friend of their's mother who had passed away at the age of 93. It seemed a little strange, but we went with them, a couple of hours away down the canyon. We were assured that everyone would be friendly, and they were. After a while, we were talking to people who knew who we were already, a bit of a novelty I think, but all were so very pleasant, and we ate and drank with them all.
We're getting very settled here and enjoying the company. We went out on a bike ride this afternoon, Jim borrowed Hal's KTM, I was on my bike, and Hal on his 1150 BMW (which he did offer to swop with me if I wanted!). Up the windy roads and back, just a brief 2 hour trip, but it was fun. I cooked the evening meal (spag bol), it was my turn, Virginia has been doing all the food preparation so Jim and me provided supper, though I've just realized I forgot the pudding!! I think we're off on another trip tomorrow....
All would be great if it wasn't for the huge expense of fixing the bike, but Hal's convinced us that Andy is as good as they come, and we've already come to terms with having to fork out, so as Hal would say..we'll just have to suck it up!
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MaggieCrooke
non-member comment
Oh dear!
So sorry you had to fork out loads on the bike...I guess it did pretty well to date withe repair. You certainly fell into the lap of the Gods with the location of the fail and the wonderful folks taking care of you. Hope all plain sailing from here on in. Fingers FIRMLY crossed! Love mags and Jim