Subject: New Eldo - long
Author: Ian Adkins
Date: Jun 2, 2003, 5:37 AM
Post ID: 1713226542
Hi All,
Well....840 miles later I am back with my new Eldo....number 52048.
Ed and I started out journey at 930pm on Friday night. Of course we had to
deal with I75 construction traffic south of Atlanta but after a 30 minute
delay we were back under way cruising southward to Florida. When we arrived
in Gaineville about 330 am we filled the car with gas, took a break and
chatted with a couple of high school girls that were cleaning puke from
their car (why are these high school girls not at home and in bed at 330am?)
The plan was to meet a fellow Loop rider Ray Hale in Gainsville. Since we
had a couple of hours we decided to crash in a Shoney's parking lot. Up at
615am we woke up Ray who met us for breakfast at McDonalds. Had we been in
Canada the meeting would have taken place at Tim Horton's, of course (an
inside Canadian thing), but McD's would suffice.
Metting Ray was great. Any chance we Loopers can touch base with our
brethren is a good thing.
Twenty miles south and we arrived at our final destination. My new Eldo was
sitting out...almost ready to take back to her new home. Battery was charged
and installed, fluids checked, tire pressures adjusted. Everything looked
good. I was told that the bike hadn't been started in quite some time and I
was wondering if I was going to see the gremlins make a showing but my
apprehension disappeared when the bike fired up after half a turn. Gotta
love these bikes.
Hands were shaken, goodbyes were said and we were off at 10am. A quick stop
at a corner gas station to fill the old girl up and we were headed back
north. The bike ran beautifully up the I75. Other than it being extremely
gusty and one idiot cage driver almost taking me out, when she decided to
changed lanes as I was beside her, the trip home went well. I arrived home
at 615pm.
Ed and I took shifts on the bike. I rode the first 110 miles....Ed the next
180...and I took the old girl the last 120 miles home.
Total trip...840 miles....round trip of 20 hrs 45 mins. Bike ran
well....only problem is a very sticky cluth when the bike gets warm. All in
all a good day's fun :-)