NO it was not what you think! Kathy waited outside her parents house near one of the main cross roads of the Loop Route, for me to stop and pick her up on my bike most nights. Across the street was Speed's sub shop, a main hangout for Looper's! Kathy liked the excitement of riding with me. I did a lot of wheelies.
One time I was in my car and saw a buddy wheeling like I did. Wheelies are all balance. On my Honda 90, I could wheelie for a whole block. My buddy was beside me, and stood the front wheel about three feet off the road. He looked over at me for the thumbs up. I gave it to him, we both laughed. I looked front, the light changed to red. I hit the brakes.
He kept watching Kathy and me. Yes, his front wheel hit the trunk lid of the stopped car. I was pointing front, but he did not stop. He fell off the bike, he stood up, I yelled, "You OK?" He put the thumbs up this time. Kathy and I had a good laugh.
One time I was in my car and saw a buddy wheeling like I did. Wheelies are all balance. On my Honda 90, I could wheelie for a whole block. My buddy was beside me, and stood the front wheel about three feet off the road. He looked over at me for the thumbs up. I gave it to him, we both laughed. I looked front, the light changed to red. I hit the brakes.
He kept watching Kathy and me. Yes, his front wheel hit the trunk lid of the stopped car. I was pointing front, but he did not stop. He fell off the bike, he stood up, I yelled, "You OK?" He put the thumbs up this time. Kathy and I had a good laugh.
Another night I picked Kathy up on my bike. We made about 12 runs of the loop. Out to McDonalds several times to ride thru the Golden Arches, then back to town. We were headed on the northbound leg of the loop. Turned left in the alley. Stopped at stop sign 10 seconds where sissy bar broke and Kathy slid down to road.
Turning left at south bound leg of loop there was a left hand road coming up with a car stopped at the stop sign. In 1966, no turn signals on bikes yet. I was in left lane, with my left arm giving my signal and started my turn. The driver was not looking at us. He started pulling out.
Someone in the car yelled. All I could do while leaning over for my turn was to hit the rear brake hard enough to slide the back wheel out of the path of the turning car. We went down. I told Kathy when she started riding with me, when we go down, on the ground side put your foot down, and on the side that's in the air, jerk your leg up high so it does not get hung up on the bike. With the back wheel sliding Kathy listened, good girl, she just stepped off standing up.
Me on the other hand, because I saved us hitting the car bumper by holding my right foot on the rear brake I was caught in the parts of the bike that were sticking out. My left leg was caught between the bike and the road. My left knee and ankle were bleeding a lot. We got up and hopped on my bike.
The idiot took off. Kathy said, "My sister lives close, we will go there and patch you up".
Barb was in the kitchen, Kathy ran in first to get the first aid kit and tell Barb what happened. This was first time I met her sister Barb and husband Butch. Kathy told them I was an intense biker! The girls directed me into the living room. Barb and Kathy yelled to me, "Take your pants off!"
Butch laughed, "ALL RIGHT!!" It took a lot of patching, but finally the bleeding stopped. Yes, it was my left knee, the one I would damage bad in another bout with the road, again not my fault, and Titanium knee installed. So much for meeting Kathy's family. When I met Kathy's mom and sister Jane, things were very calm!!
Turning left at south bound leg of loop there was a left hand road coming up with a car stopped at the stop sign. In 1966, no turn signals on bikes yet. I was in left lane, with my left arm giving my signal and started my turn. The driver was not looking at us. He started pulling out.
Someone in the car yelled. All I could do while leaning over for my turn was to hit the rear brake hard enough to slide the back wheel out of the path of the turning car. We went down. I told Kathy when she started riding with me, when we go down, on the ground side put your foot down, and on the side that's in the air, jerk your leg up high so it does not get hung up on the bike. With the back wheel sliding Kathy listened, good girl, she just stepped off standing up.
Me on the other hand, because I saved us hitting the car bumper by holding my right foot on the rear brake I was caught in the parts of the bike that were sticking out. My left leg was caught between the bike and the road. My left knee and ankle were bleeding a lot. We got up and hopped on my bike.
The idiot took off. Kathy said, "My sister lives close, we will go there and patch you up".
Barb was in the kitchen, Kathy ran in first to get the first aid kit and tell Barb what happened. This was first time I met her sister Barb and husband Butch. Kathy told them I was an intense biker! The girls directed me into the living room. Barb and Kathy yelled to me, "Take your pants off!"
Butch laughed, "ALL RIGHT!!" It took a lot of patching, but finally the bleeding stopped. Yes, it was my left knee, the one I would damage bad in another bout with the road, again not my fault, and Titanium knee installed. So much for meeting Kathy's family. When I met Kathy's mom and sister Jane, things were very calm!!
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