We had planned a trip to the shore for the last good weekend before the winter season started. I got off work at 3:30 Friday afternoon, as usual. Bob was working at the cycle shop till 8:00 Friday night. We planned to leave after Bob got his things, and we were ready to leave at about nine o'clock. The last adventure of the summer! We were ready to have a good time, as usual.
As we passed familiar territory the miles sped by. We were free for two days. Adventure and good times called our names. We were taking our hard earned reward for being good working class guys. We had earned this and were determined to enjoy it.
Nothing would stand in the way of us enjoying ourselves. As the miles racked up we came into a small town, and slowed down to watch for cops and speed traps. As we entered a curve in the road in the middle of town, a beat up old car approached that was smoking so bad I had to slam on the brakes as it was so cloudy I could hardly see the road! So began the first of many adventures we would remember forever.
A couple miles down I had to stop at a red light to cross a six lane highway that would be etched in our memory on the way home. Leaving the towns I could pick up the pace to make up lost time. We were at our height of enjoyment of the open road again. The wind in our faces, because when I was young I did not believe in windscreens.
We changed places at the two hour mark and I was getting tired. Bob was a good rider too, I trusted him so I got some sleep. Laying back against the sissy bar I felt safe catching some ZZZZ's. I don't remember how long I was asleep, but Bob yelled. We were losing air pressure in the rear tire and he was slowing down. We put my bike up on the center stand so the tire was off the ground and proceeded to take the wheel off.
About a mile or two back was a get station. We started walking hoping it was open all night. It was, and we fixed the tube and got ready to walk back. A cop had stopped in and we asked him for a lift back to my bike. He said he was not going that way. We left. About half way back he went past us and blew the horn so we would see it was him. I yelled at him and gave him the finger. Which I would regret.
We made it back to my bike, installed the now inflated tire, and proceeded down to the shore with Bob in the front again. We rode a while, I was asleep again and I heard a siren in the background that woke me up. Bob was slowing down and pulling off the road. I got off the back of the bike still groggy from being asleep.
The one cop came walking over to us. Because Bob was in front they figured it was his bike. The officer says, "License please". So I stepped back and reached in my jacket for my license. In a cycle jacket you have a pocked about the same place as a breast pocket on a shirt. The officer thought I was reaching for a gun, and grabbed me by the neck and threw me on the hood of his patrol car. He had his gun out in no time. All that ran through my mind was. Please don't end my life, it was just starting! He stuck his hand in my coat looking for my gun while pointing his gun at Bob.
About a mile or two back was a get station. We started walking hoping it was open all night. It was, and we fixed the tube and got ready to walk back. A cop had stopped in and we asked him for a lift back to my bike. He said he was not going that way. We left. About half way back he went past us and blew the horn so we would see it was him. I yelled at him and gave him the finger. Which I would regret.
We made it back to my bike, installed the now inflated tire, and proceeded down to the shore with Bob in the front again. We rode a while, I was asleep again and I heard a siren in the background that woke me up. Bob was slowing down and pulling off the road. I got off the back of the bike still groggy from being asleep.
The one cop came walking over to us. Because Bob was in front they figured it was his bike. The officer says, "License please". So I stepped back and reached in my jacket for my license. In a cycle jacket you have a pocked about the same place as a breast pocket on a shirt. The officer thought I was reaching for a gun, and grabbed me by the neck and threw me on the hood of his patrol car. He had his gun out in no time. All that ran through my mind was. Please don't end my life, it was just starting! He stuck his hand in my coat looking for my gun while pointing his gun at Bob.
He says, "Christ, son! Never do that to an officer in the early morning on a lonely road", when he finally figured we had no guns. We explained what happened with the local policeman and the state officer said they had trouble with the local officer calling them to report trouble before and found it was nothing but revenge on the local officer's part. He checked everything and let us go.
I thought I needed to change my shorts, but I was O.K. I'd like to say I drove the rest of the way the speed limit! But I kept the speed down for about ten miles to make sure the State Policeman was not following us. Then I sped up, to make up for lost time. Like I said at that age you think you can do anything and not get hurt.
I thought I needed to change my shorts, but I was O.K. I'd like to say I drove the rest of the way the speed limit! But I kept the speed down for about ten miles to make sure the State Policeman was not following us. Then I sped up, to make up for lost time. Like I said at that age you think you can do anything and not get hurt.
We made it to the beach without further incident and crawled under the boardwalk to sleep for a couple hours. It was already late and the places we could afford to get a room were closed for the night. You will learn about the rest of the weekend in Part Two. It gets better as we go along. Well not really good for us, but interesting.
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