May16, 2012
Just got back from the dentist. Got beat up pretty bad (both in my mouth and about my head by the dental hygienist Delea).
My daughter is marrying a guy who loves Triumph motorcycles (I probably don't need to tell you he gets major points for this). Last week Deena and Mike asked me to draw a picture of the two of them riding away on a Tiger 500 to place on a map that will be sent out to show where the wedding is. Here's my rough sketch:
Obviously they need to be doing a wheelie and the two need a little bit more facial recognition, but, other than that, I know my bikes! Why? I owned several Triumphs, both a Tiger (500cc) and a Bonneville (650cc). Both were stripped down for TT racing. Here's a picture from 1968 of me on a Honda:
This is near Tri-Onda (they sell Triumphs AND Hondas. Get it?) in Tucson where I worked for several years after college. I went through a major motorcycle phase, racing on the weekends and overhauling bikes on the living room floor. I was living, eating and sleeping bikes. Then one day in the parts department of Tri-Onda, a customer came in being pushed in a wheel chair. He was in a big, body cast and he wanted to know the status of his ride. I walked back to the mechanic area and asked about the bike. The mechanics laughed and pointed to the corner where a crumpled up bike, lay in a twisted mass of metal, with the front wheel wrapped under the the engine. He got hit in the parking lot of a grocery store. Some woman didn't see him and pulled out, clipping him good. Long story short, sold my bikes, quit the job and didn't let my son have a motorcycle or even a quad or anything with an engine and two wheels.
I know it sounds rash, but it was like a light bulb went out. Not on, off. Still, as harsh as that sounds, I still love Triumph bikes. Love the sound, love the look, love the tradition.
"Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash."
—George S. Patton
