FIrst Weeks in the USA
Saturday, 08 May 2010 20:11
For the last week and a half, I’ve been readjusting to life in the USA. For example, when I was waiting for my bike to be released from customs, some guy walked by and said "Hi," I instantly responded with "Hola." When finishing up in the bathroom, I start to deposit the used toilet paper in the trash. If I flush it, I somehow feel that I need to leave without anyone knowing, like I’m doing something I shouldn’t. I keep getting annoyed by all the traffic on the roads. And what's up with the flagger for a simple 50 feet of road construction? Why does the waitress keep coming over and asking if everything is OK? All right, I can understand that one, if you saw me eating, you might ask that too. But seriously, I can call her over if I need something. Why does all the traffic stop when you step into a street to cross? What’s up with all the cop cars? I’ve seen more of them in the past 6 days than I’ve seen in the past six months; and they always seem to be giving someone a ticket. Oh yeah, the other day I had a car pull out in front of me for the first time in years. The driver just looked at me with this, "I didn’t see you", expression. Most people look surprised when you say "Good Morning" (at least I’ve stopped saying "Buenos Dias!")
After getting my tires mounted, I was off to Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
This museum is huge
There are something like 5 floors filled with motorcycles, with more lining the walls and resting on multi layer display stands. The bikes range from current year to 1902. I didn’t count them, but there are around 1200 bikes on display.
A line of old Indians
1929 Harley Davidson Peashooter
1925 Henderson De-Luse
1926 Royal Enfield
I had one of these – BSA 650 Lightning
1910 Sears Auto Cycle
An early relative of the Beast
Then it was off to the BMW Georgia Mountain Rally for a weekend of more bikes and riding in the hills of northern Georgia.
And some of the first twisties I’ve seen in weeks
After the rally, I spent four days visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Beaufort, South Carolina, before heading north.