Cannonball Stage 8
Today my carb broke 3 miles from the start, I got lost and therefore saw a bonus 30 mile section of Arkansas, the bike ran out of gas twice and I missed a the best catered lunch of the rally thus far. It was a great day! The bike went the distance, with no trouble other than the roadside carby repair with a soldering torch. (thanks for the solder & flux Eric!). The roads are great, with some good twisties up and over Mt Magazine, 2 lane country roads from nowhere to nowhere, but always moving westward toward the Pacific.
We’ve been on the road long enough that I’ve lost track of what day it is, what the date is, or what town we are in or where we are going tomorrow. Not a single thought about work has crossed my mind in days. This is starting to become the cross country experience that I had expected.
Brown and Barlow float lid. Needle is activated by the bob weights, which are lifted by the float. New pins and safety wire did their job, but the solder failed this morning. Fixed on the side of the road.
Shinya with his leather helmet
Kris with ice to cool her head
Occhio Lungo 
Pete:
If you riders/handlers had been born sooner, electricity would have been discovered sooner. I’m amazed at the ingenuity you’ve all shown. For me the top dog would have to be Bill’s front brake. Close behind is Jon’s purloined fork lift con-rod. Third would be you attracting two cops in the dead of night while un-doing your engine in a parking lot, one of whom knows a machine shop owner. These plot lines just can’t be made up.
Thanks for your snaps and comments and thanks for even doing it at all! Jim A.
p.s. In the olden days, when my older brother road raced bicycles, that kind of helmet was called a wienie beanie. His looked funnier than Shinya’s and gave about the same protection. None.
Sept. 19, Sunday
Pete:
Don’t know your religious preference so today in church I said a little prayer for your loyal Premier. Hey, it can’t hurt!!! Jim A.
Sept. 20, Monday
Pete:
I hope you’re drinking plenty of water! One of my Ausie friends told me that to survive in the outback you need at least 11 qts of water per day. And that’s if you’re just sitting. Piloting one of your ancient steeds must double that number. By the time I’m writing this I hope you and most of the others have checked in with nobody falling down on the way. Hang in there and keep on truckin’! Also, keep going West. See you in Victorville. By the way, the VOCNA Summer Rally in Oregon is only 308 days away!
Jim A.
Sept. 21, Tuesday
Pete:
What has happened? I miscounted on days ’till the VOCNA Rally – 313 from today.
Best luck and keep on chuggin’.
Jim A.