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HARLEY-DAVIDSON VS. THE GREYHOUND BUS (Summer 1967)
I suppose I've put it off long enough. Carol sent
in a great Harley Story which I tagged "LODI". Now
its my turn to PUTT up. I warn you, this a LONG
Story. I have to set the Stage as the saying goes.
If you don't have cable or DSL you might want to
read it OFF LINE !!
-
I started riding Motorcycles in the beginning of 1966,
but it wasn't until the spring of 1967 that I bought
my first Harley-Davidson. (this was two years before
the Movie EASY RIDER came out)
It was a 1962 FLH 74 cubic inch swing arm Dresser
with the Standard "King of the Road" accessories, 2nd
edition fiber saddlebags - 2" 'Buddy' seat (with
rail pad) - split windshield - Fender trunk,& Crash
bars. This was TOP of the line in those years.
I paid an even one thousand dollars for it, which
was a huge pile of money back then. For reasons
I'll tell you in another story I named this Bike,
my "JOHN DEAR".
Like in the movie Easy Rider, I traveled with a
riding partner. His name was Ray and he had a 57 FL
Hardtail rigged almost like mine. We set off from
Dallas, Texas in the Summer of 67, for a 3 week
trip to L.A., the coast, and back to Dallas. It was
on the return trip that the incident with the
Greyhound bus occurred.
Everyone who knows anything about Harleys, knows how
balanced they are. We've all seen the clubs doing
handstands on their bikes at 20 mph. YOU DON'T need to
keep your hands on the handlebars at 15 or at 115 mph.
when you are riding a standard "Old panhead" Harley.
On those loooong... straight stretches of hi way in
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, I had gotten into the
habit of relaxing, by literally laying down on the
bike. I had my sleeping bag rolled up and strapped
to the top of the rear fender trunk, where it made
a perfect pillow. I would stretch out my YOUNG Lean
body along that Harley with my feet resting on top
of the Crash bars, my hands behind my head, with
the throttle set at about 85mph. while Ray rode
ahead, sitting ramrod straight, Policeman style.
We, topped a rise, and far ahead I saw the back of
a "Senic Cruiser" Greyhound Bus slowly pulling away
from us, Remember we were doing 85. When I saw it I
immediately thought of a stunt that would Flabber
ghast the passangers and driver of that Bus. I sat
up, sped up, and pulled even with Ray, signing
for him to fall in behind and Follow Me. -
I locked down the Fork dampener, and cranked the
Throttle up to 110mph.(max). As soon as I got JOHN
up to speed, I laid back down and roared on down the
road after that Greyhound, with Ramrod Straight Ray
right on my tail.
Now ladies and Gentlemen, Beggars and Thieves, Me
and Ray come up on that Bus like it were standing
still. As I got up to her rear, I just leaned a
little to the left, glided into the passing lane
and cruised by that bus all laid out on JOHN like
I was sound Asleep at 110+.
Them folks' EyeBalls was bigger than turkey eggs,
just poppin out of their heads, staring at me,as I
just went blowing on by.
After I got around the Bus, I waved, stood up on
the foot platforms, stretched,then got up on the
seat. I then stood up on it, spread my arms like an
eagle, and disappeared into the distance, with Ray
still sittin ramrod straight, and straight faced,
right on my tail..... Lord, Lord, them was the
days.
We then slowed on down to a respectable 75mph.,
and sure enough here came that Bus, cranked to
about 90. As that driver Passed us, all the
passangers were waving, hollering and clapping their
hands in every window of the bus. Of course there
was Ray as straight faced, and straight backed as
always, with me laid out like I was going to go
back to sleep.
I don't think I am that Daring or
Stupid anymore, but you never know for sure. When
that Rich Widow finds me and offers to buy me a
Harley to take her for the ride of her life, well
ya never know......
richard------------------------------(;-]>>>prs1737
Now watch: Someone out there will copy this story
for their group, and so on and so forth. It will
spread out all over the world.
Somewhere someone will read this and say: "Wow, I
was on that Bus, I saw him do it" or better yet,
Some Lady my age, will appear out of cyberspace and
snatch me up to take her around the Country on a
Harley. Thats what happens on the internet, Right?
Then I won't be eligible to be in this group any
more, and you won't have to listen to me go on and
on and on. I can't wait......(grin)
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