Ohio has lots of farms. We may have seen a good percentage of County Roads A through Z….most straight with some so smooth you felt like flying! (Of course, some were so bumpy that a lot of nuts and bolts had to get tightened). The higher temperatures and additional 240 miles were hard on some bikes and the sweep trucks had two trailers full by the end of the day.
Two first-Cannonball riders suffered injuries over a 24 hour period, both are doing OK. One had a leg fracture and underwent quick surgical repair. The other freak accident reinforces the value of a good helmet. Apparently the throttle stuck wide open while the Indian was in a gas station parking area. Unable to get it out of gear, the bike plowed into metal poles and the rider went between the poles which were the same width as his helmet. Head was protected! Bike is out of commission for this year:
The main reception at the end of the day was at the Rip Rap Roadhouse outside of Dayton. It’s great reputation as a gathering spot is well deserved. Nice grounds, outdoor stages for music, big covered decks and a stone-walled bar room. Even better, the bar has an Indian Scout right in it’s center. Outside was filled with hundreds of well wishers and motorcycles. The support and applause as riders crossed the finish line is so much appreciated! Thanks to the owner and staff of Rip Rap for doing such a great welcome. http://www.ripraproadhouse.com
Nightly maintenance includes a thorough once over of the bike, checking nuts and bolts, wiring, oil, air, chain, brakes, etc. Today while riding I noticed a more prominent vibration between 40-48 mph. Consultation with the experts:
We found a number of loose bolts including the 4 large ones that hold the crankcase against the lower frame tubing…that may be the vibration source. We torqued them down so the next Stage will tell. My only loss today was trivial…the heel to my right boot! The good news is that I have another pair of boots and don’t have to walk with the nails pressing into my heel. We are off to West Virginia and will report back tomorrow.