Welcome to the Borderlands
- Chapter 37 -
Katana Anna Foe Fanna
“When I die I want to meet God and say, what the Hell were you thinking…like what were you thinking?” -Indian Larry from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“I see the angel in the marble and carve until I set him free…Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” -Michelangelo
“I get some ideas of kind of what I want to do then whatever it takes to see it through; that’s the way I do it. I treat it like sculpture. I like to see the frame up there and then let it flow; let it happen, whatever comes natural. When you hear the bike breathe its first breath that’s probably the biggest reward…every bike is like a child or work of art, like a creation that goes from dream to reality.” -Kendall Johnson of KENDALL JOHNSON CUSTOMS from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“Roll with the mystery; life’s uncertain. Just be comfortable with that…why fight it?” -Indian Larry from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“I have more faith in you than you have in you.” -Paul Cox to Robert Pradke from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF and MATTHEW 14:31
“Trust in God…Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord…No Fear…” -TATTOOED ‘backwards’ on Indian Larry’s neck so he could read it in the mirror.
“I see the angel in the marble and carve until I set him free…Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” -Michelangelo
“I get some ideas of kind of what I want to do then whatever it takes to see it through; that’s the way I do it. I treat it like sculpture. I like to see the frame up there and then let it flow; let it happen, whatever comes natural. When you hear the bike breathe its first breath that’s probably the biggest reward…every bike is like a child or work of art, like a creation that goes from dream to reality.” -Kendall Johnson of KENDALL JOHNSON CUSTOMS from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“Roll with the mystery; life’s uncertain. Just be comfortable with that…why fight it?” -Indian Larry from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF
“I have more faith in you than you have in you.” -Paul Cox to Robert Pradke from an episode of Discovery Channel’s television series THE GREAT BIKER BUILD-OFF and MATTHEW 14:31
“Trust in God…Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord…No Fear…” -TATTOOED ‘backwards’ on Indian Larry’s neck so he could read it in the mirror.
Larry was riding in front of me; no one else was on the road. The Old Coastal Inn was a few miles ahead. To take our minds off the past days we agreed to limit talks on our ear phones to small talk like the weather and what were our favorite motorcycles…nothing seriously serious.
“V-twin choppers,” Larry answered, “will always be my favorite of favorites but I must confess I recently became a fan of the Suzuki Katana.”
Knowing Larry was a fan of v-twins and not inclined to favor inline fours I was surprised at his answer.
“What made you a fan of the Katana? It’s the poster child for plastic and aluminum off-the-rack liter bikes.”
“I owe my escape from Hell to one. It corners like it was on rails and it had enough grunt to get me over the bridge that crosses the river Styx and out of the Ninth Level.”
“But what,” I asked, “about the potato-potato rumble?”
“I like potatoes too just not sliced and diced. V-twin RUMBLE and a dime won’t buy you the speed you need to outrun a demon chasing you in a Corvette with knives on its wheels like the knives on the wheels of the chariot that chased Charlton Heston in the movie Ben Hur. It was the YOWL, not the rumble, of the Katana’s 140 plus horsepower inline four that paid the toll to cross that bridge.”
“Since you’ve said,” I added, “you’re a fan of the Suzuki Katana I must say I’m a fan of the Kawasaki Z900. Though not a true duel sport it’s proven it has the wheelbase and clearance needed to navigate most hard packed dirt roads.
“And as you’ve also admitted choppers are your favorite of favorites I have to admit the Victory Vegas 8-Ball is mine. Not because it’s the fastest, because it isn’t, but because it combined the best features of all the bikes I’ve ridden…And were you reeleeee chased by a demon driving a Corvette with knives on its wheels like the chariot in Ben Hur?”
Larry ignored my ‘Corvette with knives on its wheels’ question and asked, “What do you mean by the best?”
“I mean it’s as if the 8-Ball had been designed for ME.”
“V-twin choppers,” Larry answered, “will always be my favorite of favorites but I must confess I recently became a fan of the Suzuki Katana.”
Knowing Larry was a fan of v-twins and not inclined to favor inline fours I was surprised at his answer.
“What made you a fan of the Katana? It’s the poster child for plastic and aluminum off-the-rack liter bikes.”
“I owe my escape from Hell to one. It corners like it was on rails and it had enough grunt to get me over the bridge that crosses the river Styx and out of the Ninth Level.”
“But what,” I asked, “about the potato-potato rumble?”
“I like potatoes too just not sliced and diced. V-twin RUMBLE and a dime won’t buy you the speed you need to outrun a demon chasing you in a Corvette with knives on its wheels like the knives on the wheels of the chariot that chased Charlton Heston in the movie Ben Hur. It was the YOWL, not the rumble, of the Katana’s 140 plus horsepower inline four that paid the toll to cross that bridge.”
“Since you’ve said,” I added, “you’re a fan of the Suzuki Katana I must say I’m a fan of the Kawasaki Z900. Though not a true duel sport it’s proven it has the wheelbase and clearance needed to navigate most hard packed dirt roads.
“And as you’ve also admitted choppers are your favorite of favorites I have to admit the Victory Vegas 8-Ball is mine. Not because it’s the fastest, because it isn’t, but because it combined the best features of all the bikes I’ve ridden…And were you reeleeee chased by a demon driving a Corvette with knives on its wheels like the chariot in Ben Hur?”
Larry ignored my ‘Corvette with knives on its wheels’ question and asked, “What do you mean by the best?”
“I mean it’s as if the 8-Ball had been designed for ME.”
“It’s as if the 8-Ball had been designed with ME in mind.”
Larry laughed, “I never thought the old saying ‘if you can’t be with the one you love; then love the one you’re with’ would apply to favorite motorcycles?”
We were both smiling when we arrived at the inn.
At the bottom of the steps leading into the inn was a head high sign. Parked next to the sign was Charon’s car. Its engine was cool to the touch. There were no other cars in sight.
“The sign reads,” I’d stopped smiling, “CLOSED FOR THE SEASON and judging by the amount of pealing it was painted quite a few seasons ago. Soooo maybe rather than just walking up to an old and from its looks closed for more than one season inn, we should maybe throw pebbles at the door and see if Charon comes out…just saying.”
At the same time I was cautioning we stand back and throw pebbles at the door I was ignoring my own advice and following Larry up the steps.
At the top of the steps we could hear a couple of voices coming from inside asking someone further inside to make sure there were enough eggs, toast and coffee for late comers. The voices sounded familiar.
“Kendall!!!,” Larry called out when he opened the door, “Charon!!!...is that you?”
Instead of Kendall or Charon answering I heard Medea answer from the kitchen, “That’s a yes and a yes…YES there’s enough food and YES it’s just the three of us and you two late comers better get in here and get some breakfast.”
“How did you,” Larry said as he walked into the kitchen, “get inside the inn? The place looks closed.”
“Hilts left it unlocked,” Medea said over a skillet of scrambled eggs. “And you’re right the place is closed.”
Medea wouldn’t sit down until she’d herded Kendall and Charon into the kitchen to join us. She then divided the contents of the skillet between everyone at the table.
After we were all seated and all the gratuitous ‘Good to see ya’ had been said; we ate in silence until the eggs and toast were gone and second cups of coffee were served.
We were both smiling when we arrived at the inn.
At the bottom of the steps leading into the inn was a head high sign. Parked next to the sign was Charon’s car. Its engine was cool to the touch. There were no other cars in sight.
“The sign reads,” I’d stopped smiling, “CLOSED FOR THE SEASON and judging by the amount of pealing it was painted quite a few seasons ago. Soooo maybe rather than just walking up to an old and from its looks closed for more than one season inn, we should maybe throw pebbles at the door and see if Charon comes out…just saying.”
At the same time I was cautioning we stand back and throw pebbles at the door I was ignoring my own advice and following Larry up the steps.
At the top of the steps we could hear a couple of voices coming from inside asking someone further inside to make sure there were enough eggs, toast and coffee for late comers. The voices sounded familiar.
“Kendall!!!,” Larry called out when he opened the door, “Charon!!!...is that you?”
Instead of Kendall or Charon answering I heard Medea answer from the kitchen, “That’s a yes and a yes…YES there’s enough food and YES it’s just the three of us and you two late comers better get in here and get some breakfast.”
“How did you,” Larry said as he walked into the kitchen, “get inside the inn? The place looks closed.”
“Hilts left it unlocked,” Medea said over a skillet of scrambled eggs. “And you’re right the place is closed.”
Medea wouldn’t sit down until she’d herded Kendall and Charon into the kitchen to join us. She then divided the contents of the skillet between everyone at the table.
After we were all seated and all the gratuitous ‘Good to see ya’ had been said; we ate in silence until the eggs and toast were gone and second cups of coffee were served.
Parked next to the sign was Charon’s car. It had been there awhile because its engine was cool to the touch.
“For how long,” Larry finally broke the silence, “have you folks been here?”
“Since early this morning;” Medea seemed a wee bit miffed we were late, “Hilts told us you’d be here much earlier. We checked all the rooms; no one else is here. The place has been closed for awhile.”
“We ran into,” I didn’t mean to sound defensive, “some delays. Maybe if we’d been given more of a ‘heads-up’ on what we were getting ourselves into we could’ve (I couldn’t stop thinking of the loss of Augustin) gotten here earlier. Speaking of Hilts, he said he’d meet us here.”
“You need to,” Medea replied as if she’d read my mind, “lighten-up. Hilts wouldn’t have known what would happen to Augustin. No one can see the future.”
“What,” Had Medea really read my mind, “now…?”
“What we’re doing,” Kendall was holding a letter, “is following the directions Hilts left for us with the groceries.”
“We also found,” Charon interrupted Kendall by holding up a map, “this map with the letter. He tells us if he’s not back for breakfast NOT to wait for him.”
“So in summary;” Larry said in his best imitation of Sherlock Holmes, “Hilts got here last night, then left; leaving a map and letter with directions inside a bag of groceries. I should check outside; he could’ve left other clues that’ll help explain what’s going on?”
Larry wasn’t gone long before he called for us to come into the backyard. He was holding another letter and standing beside a motorcycle I’d seen only in magazines and recently heard Larry say helped him escape from Hell.
Medea, our resident mother hen, took charge, took the letter from Larry and began to read aloud: “I’ve returned too late to meet with you. I’ve only time to swap bikes. Larry, I took your XSR900; I need it for where I’ll be going. You once said the Katana was one of your favorites so I gave you mine. Follow the road to the town I’ve marked on the map! It’s paved. Avoid the shorter road it’s mostly dirt.” HILTS
“Since early this morning;” Medea seemed a wee bit miffed we were late, “Hilts told us you’d be here much earlier. We checked all the rooms; no one else is here. The place has been closed for awhile.”
“We ran into,” I didn’t mean to sound defensive, “some delays. Maybe if we’d been given more of a ‘heads-up’ on what we were getting ourselves into we could’ve (I couldn’t stop thinking of the loss of Augustin) gotten here earlier. Speaking of Hilts, he said he’d meet us here.”
“You need to,” Medea replied as if she’d read my mind, “lighten-up. Hilts wouldn’t have known what would happen to Augustin. No one can see the future.”
“What,” Had Medea really read my mind, “now…?”
“What we’re doing,” Kendall was holding a letter, “is following the directions Hilts left for us with the groceries.”
“We also found,” Charon interrupted Kendall by holding up a map, “this map with the letter. He tells us if he’s not back for breakfast NOT to wait for him.”
“So in summary;” Larry said in his best imitation of Sherlock Holmes, “Hilts got here last night, then left; leaving a map and letter with directions inside a bag of groceries. I should check outside; he could’ve left other clues that’ll help explain what’s going on?”
Larry wasn’t gone long before he called for us to come into the backyard. He was holding another letter and standing beside a motorcycle I’d seen only in magazines and recently heard Larry say helped him escape from Hell.
Medea, our resident mother hen, took charge, took the letter from Larry and began to read aloud: “I’ve returned too late to meet with you. I’ve only time to swap bikes. Larry, I took your XSR900; I need it for where I’ll be going. You once said the Katana was one of your favorites so I gave you mine. Follow the road to the town I’ve marked on the map! It’s paved. Avoid the shorter road it’s mostly dirt.” HILTS
“I’ve returned too late to meet with you. I’ve only time to swap bikes. Larry, I took your XSR900; I need it for where I’ll be going. You said the Katana was one of your favorites so I gave you mine in exchange. Follow the road to the town I’ve marked on the map! It’s paved. Avoid the shorter road it’s mostly dirt.” HILTS
Nothing else was said by the five of us until we’d gone back into the inn and sat down at the kitchen table. Medea then made a fresh pot of ‘I’ve gotta get a bigger bladder’ coffee. She then gathered up the map and the letters, moved to the end of the table and quietly studied them on her own.
“The letters and map,” Medea said at the end of her uninterrupted study session, “look straight forward. The road marked for us to take doesn’t look difficult. It simply runs over the hills to the town and is marked as fully paved.”
“Paved enough,” Charon sounded relieved, “for a car with lots of bottles of Styx river water and three people?”
“Yes, it’s marked fully paved like Hilts said it would be. However, the map shows there’s another road that’s closer. It’s narrower and steeper but much shorter. I’m betting it’s the road Hilts took and the one he told us NOT to take.”
“Does the map,” Charon asked what we were all thinking of asking, “show if this other road is fully paved?”
“This symbol,” Medea was pointing at a symbol on the map, “shows the other road to be paved at the beginning but I don’t see the symbol shown anywhere else along the route. My guess is it’s almost all packed dirt like the packed dirt you’d find on fire roads. If we’re careful and if one of us scouts ahead; it’s probably passable. I won’t sugar coat it; it means we’d be taking a risk but we’d also be cutting in both time and distance our journey in half.”
“Speaking of risk,” said Larry, “I vote we not only take the risk of taking the shorter route but we make an effort to catch up with Hilts.”
“How much of a risk,” I asked, “is there if we take the shorter road?”
“Small,” Larry replied, “compared to what Hilts is taking. Conjuring the Katana made him vulnerable. Like Medea I feel we’ll be ok if we’re careful and one of us scouts ahead. Both bikes and Charon’s car have short wheelbases.”
“Then let’s go,” Kendall said with an ‘All-for-One’ Musketeer salute, “but carefully.”
“The letters and map,” Medea said at the end of her uninterrupted study session, “look straight forward. The road marked for us to take doesn’t look difficult. It simply runs over the hills to the town and is marked as fully paved.”
“Paved enough,” Charon sounded relieved, “for a car with lots of bottles of Styx river water and three people?”
“Yes, it’s marked fully paved like Hilts said it would be. However, the map shows there’s another road that’s closer. It’s narrower and steeper but much shorter. I’m betting it’s the road Hilts took and the one he told us NOT to take.”
“Does the map,” Charon asked what we were all thinking of asking, “show if this other road is fully paved?”
“This symbol,” Medea was pointing at a symbol on the map, “shows the other road to be paved at the beginning but I don’t see the symbol shown anywhere else along the route. My guess is it’s almost all packed dirt like the packed dirt you’d find on fire roads. If we’re careful and if one of us scouts ahead; it’s probably passable. I won’t sugar coat it; it means we’d be taking a risk but we’d also be cutting in both time and distance our journey in half.”
“Speaking of risk,” said Larry, “I vote we not only take the risk of taking the shorter route but we make an effort to catch up with Hilts.”
“How much of a risk,” I asked, “is there if we take the shorter road?”
“Small,” Larry replied, “compared to what Hilts is taking. Conjuring the Katana made him vulnerable. Like Medea I feel we’ll be ok if we’re careful and one of us scouts ahead. Both bikes and Charon’s car have short wheelbases.”
“Then let’s go,” Kendall said with an ‘All-for-One’ Musketeer salute, “but carefully.”
Larry’s choice for scouting ahead was the lighter Z900. He traded me his Katana for it. Charon, Kendall and Medea would follow in Charon’s car. I’d ride sweep.
Larry would lead, scouting ahead on the Z900 for any problems. I’d be riding sweep on the Katana following Charon’s car.
Together Medea and Larry carefully went over the map one more time pointing out obstacles, pointing out parts of the road that Charon’s car should avoid. The rest of us watched over their shoulders. Soon we were ready to go.
“There are bound to be problems,” Larry was giving the infamous pre-game pep talk. “Hopefully I’ll have scouted them out BEFORE they become OUR problems. If we’re careful we’ll be ok. The map shows the last half of the other road to be relatively straight. Taking it cuts hours off our journey and makes it possible to catch-up with Hilts. It’s important we’re with him if he runs into trouble.”
To underline how important it was to be with Hilts if he ran into trouble Larry told how he and I had almost been ambushed by the Golem and how lucky we were to have been able to count on one another for help.
No more questions and answers, the time for talking was over; our little caravan was leaving. All that was missing was Frankie Laine singing the Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ keep dem doggies movin’ theme song from the TV series Rawhide in the background to send us on our way.
Larry, we’d traded bikes, on the Z900 took the lead and then came Charon in his car with Medea and Kendall squeezed in beside him. Squeezed in behind them in back of the car’s seat were plastic bottles filled with water from the river Styx…and then came me bringing up the rear riding the Katana. “HEAD’EM UP…MOVE’EM…OUT…”
Larry and I were in communication with our ear phones. I’d keep Charon in sight and Charon would keep Larry in sight. We kept an easy sixty until we made the turnoff onto the road Hilts had taken. A few miles after the turnoff, Larry pulled to the side and waited for us to catch up.
“Sooo far sooo good,” Larry spoke loudly so everyone could hear. “The map’s been surprisingly accurate so far showing this first portion to be paved. Once we enter the dirt portion you gotta reeleee follow my lead. The map doesn’t show any surprises…but ya never know.”
“There are bound to be problems,” Larry was giving the infamous pre-game pep talk. “Hopefully I’ll have scouted them out BEFORE they become OUR problems. If we’re careful we’ll be ok. The map shows the last half of the other road to be relatively straight. Taking it cuts hours off our journey and makes it possible to catch-up with Hilts. It’s important we’re with him if he runs into trouble.”
To underline how important it was to be with Hilts if he ran into trouble Larry told how he and I had almost been ambushed by the Golem and how lucky we were to have been able to count on one another for help.
No more questions and answers, the time for talking was over; our little caravan was leaving. All that was missing was Frankie Laine singing the Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ keep dem doggies movin’ theme song from the TV series Rawhide in the background to send us on our way.
Larry, we’d traded bikes, on the Z900 took the lead and then came Charon in his car with Medea and Kendall squeezed in beside him. Squeezed in behind them in back of the car’s seat were plastic bottles filled with water from the river Styx…and then came me bringing up the rear riding the Katana. “HEAD’EM UP…MOVE’EM…OUT…”
Larry and I were in communication with our ear phones. I’d keep Charon in sight and Charon would keep Larry in sight. We kept an easy sixty until we made the turnoff onto the road Hilts had taken. A few miles after the turnoff, Larry pulled to the side and waited for us to catch up.
“Sooo far sooo good,” Larry spoke loudly so everyone could hear. “The map’s been surprisingly accurate so far showing this first portion to be paved. Once we enter the dirt portion you gotta reeleee follow my lead. The map doesn’t show any surprises…but ya never know.”
“Sooo far sooo good,” Larry spoke loudly so everyone could hear. “The map’s been surprisingly accurate so far showing this portion to be paved. Once we enter the packed dirt portion you gotta reeleee follow my lead. The map doesn’t show any surprises…but ya never know.”
“The map’s been accurate so far so we should be ok. It shows,” Larry was giving me an update, “the road being washed away only on the right side. I’m putting on my GREEN glasses just in case.”
I expected Larry to end his ‘sooo far sooo good’ speech by asking the rest of us if we had any questions; he instead promptly pulled onto the road motioning for us to follow. It wasn’t long before we hit the packed dirt portion.
Larry slowed when we went off pavement but not as much as I thought he would. The good news was the grade wasn’t that steep and the dirt was truly packed and without any breaks or ruts. Charon’s car and the Katana as well as the Z900 were doing well. I wasn’t surprised as all three had relatively short wheelbases and high clearances considering they’d been built to be used on paved streets.
“If the map’s correct and it’s been correct so far,” Larry was ahead and out of sight but talking directly to me over our ear phones, “the road becomes narrower after the next curve. It’s shown as being washed away from the stream next to it.”
“Will that be a problem for Charon?”
“The map’s been accurate so far so we should be ok. It shows the road being washed away only on the right side. I’m putting on my GREEN glasses just in case. They often reveal what may be hidden. ”
“Should we slow down?”
“No! It becomes steeper beginning with that section,” Larry answered. “If anything we need to increase our speed. The last thing we want is for any of us, especially Charon, to bog-down in the dirt. He needs to keep up his momentum. Actually we all should all begin to increase our speed.”
The sound over my ear phone of Larry downshifting and the increase in the Z900’s YOWL ended our conversation. I had Charon in sight. I couldn’t see Larry but I could see and hear Charon who had Larry in sight ALSO downshift and engage his engine’s supercharger. The game, apologies to Sherlock Holmes, I mean the hill climb was afoot.
It would be a question of traction and of keeping as much momentum as possible. Both bikes and Charon’s car had more than enough power. But would they be able to keep the traction and momentum?
“We’re in luck,” Larry’s voice was labored but coming in clear over my ear phone, “Both the middle and the sides of the road are solid enough for our tires to get a grip. Where it’s soft is where tires have worn through the hard pack. I’m taking the left shoulder and have so far had no problems. Remember to stay away from the wheel tracks; they’re like a deep talcum powder in places.”
Charon was following Larry. With his right wheels riding the center and his left wheels riding the left shoulder; his car was able to straddle the ruts of soft dirt on the left side of the road. Rooster tails of loose rock and earth shot upward behind him…but he was going to make it…he was making it…he made it up and over the top…now it was my turn.
“Charon,” it was Larry back on our ear phones encouraging me to go for it, “is with me. We’re all here at the top. The ride will loosen your fillings and you’ll have to throw away your underwear but you’ll make it. Remember to keep your speed up and to stay on the left shoulder.”
I was still wishing I had more time on the Katana, more time to learn its quirks good and bad when I hit the bottom of hill at nearly fifty and began my climb. Larry’s instructions to stay on the left shoulder were easier said than done. My wheels wanted to take the path of least resistance and drift down into the ruts of loose dirt.
I was already half way up the hill and still standing on the pegs. I shouldn’t have but I looked up and saw Medea’s face. Instead of distracting me it helped me focus.
“FOCUS,” it was Medea, “you’re almost here!”
I was nearly to the top, still riding the pegs. It was as if I was in the movie where Hilts was fleeing Germany riding across the fields on a Triumph 650. Could I channel his skill? The Katana, while a larger liter bike, was made of plastic and aluminum and nearly as light as the Triumph.
“Bounce, bounce,” it was Hilts in my head…
“BOUNCE,” it was Hilts and Medea standing at the top cheering me on, “BOUNCE!!!!”
Larry slowed when we went off pavement but not as much as I thought he would. The good news was the grade wasn’t that steep and the dirt was truly packed and without any breaks or ruts. Charon’s car and the Katana as well as the Z900 were doing well. I wasn’t surprised as all three had relatively short wheelbases and high clearances considering they’d been built to be used on paved streets.
“If the map’s correct and it’s been correct so far,” Larry was ahead and out of sight but talking directly to me over our ear phones, “the road becomes narrower after the next curve. It’s shown as being washed away from the stream next to it.”
“Will that be a problem for Charon?”
“The map’s been accurate so far so we should be ok. It shows the road being washed away only on the right side. I’m putting on my GREEN glasses just in case. They often reveal what may be hidden. ”
“Should we slow down?”
“No! It becomes steeper beginning with that section,” Larry answered. “If anything we need to increase our speed. The last thing we want is for any of us, especially Charon, to bog-down in the dirt. He needs to keep up his momentum. Actually we all should all begin to increase our speed.”
The sound over my ear phone of Larry downshifting and the increase in the Z900’s YOWL ended our conversation. I had Charon in sight. I couldn’t see Larry but I could see and hear Charon who had Larry in sight ALSO downshift and engage his engine’s supercharger. The game, apologies to Sherlock Holmes, I mean the hill climb was afoot.
It would be a question of traction and of keeping as much momentum as possible. Both bikes and Charon’s car had more than enough power. But would they be able to keep the traction and momentum?
“We’re in luck,” Larry’s voice was labored but coming in clear over my ear phone, “Both the middle and the sides of the road are solid enough for our tires to get a grip. Where it’s soft is where tires have worn through the hard pack. I’m taking the left shoulder and have so far had no problems. Remember to stay away from the wheel tracks; they’re like a deep talcum powder in places.”
Charon was following Larry. With his right wheels riding the center and his left wheels riding the left shoulder; his car was able to straddle the ruts of soft dirt on the left side of the road. Rooster tails of loose rock and earth shot upward behind him…but he was going to make it…he was making it…he made it up and over the top…now it was my turn.
“Charon,” it was Larry back on our ear phones encouraging me to go for it, “is with me. We’re all here at the top. The ride will loosen your fillings and you’ll have to throw away your underwear but you’ll make it. Remember to keep your speed up and to stay on the left shoulder.”
I was still wishing I had more time on the Katana, more time to learn its quirks good and bad when I hit the bottom of hill at nearly fifty and began my climb. Larry’s instructions to stay on the left shoulder were easier said than done. My wheels wanted to take the path of least resistance and drift down into the ruts of loose dirt.
I was already half way up the hill and still standing on the pegs. I shouldn’t have but I looked up and saw Medea’s face. Instead of distracting me it helped me focus.
“FOCUS,” it was Medea, “you’re almost here!”
I was nearly to the top, still riding the pegs. It was as if I was in the movie where Hilts was fleeing Germany riding across the fields on a Triumph 650. Could I channel his skill? The Katana, while a larger liter bike, was made of plastic and aluminum and nearly as light as the Triumph.
“Bounce, bounce,” it was Hilts in my head…
“BOUNCE,” it was Hilts and Medea standing at the top cheering me on, “BOUNCE!!!!”