MOTORCYCLE DIARIES pt. 3

Its not an adventure if you know what happens next.

Blazing down the hot windy BC roads we start to see the indications of electrical gremlins. Then the voltage fluctuates and drops, yikes charging issue. The next morning I see 12 v, so put on the tiny charger, pump to 13 and head to the nearest Harley dealer, Calgary.

The voltage stays just under 12v, then drops fast as we climb up into the Rockies, just before the peak the bike starts to bend to the hot temps and run poorly, overheating.  This bike has a secondary cooling system relying on two large fans which when enacted dropped the voltage and stopping running. We sputter to a near buy truck break test pull over.  No cell service here, so I walk over the crest and get a glimpse of service. Not knowing my tow truck options I call 911, they pass me to the RCMP who are glad to help and say they will send a tow truck. The first call is at 12:42, again at 1:48. Donna suggests I call the mechanic we had been talking to, he connects to a tow truck company and the very friendly lady sends a truck, 2:03.

We sit and chat with the various truck drivers stopping by the pull over/break check area we push the bike to. A couple of dutiful motorcycle riders see my helmet on the ground, an indication of distress, and stop by. Knowing they really cannot help, I pick up the helmet. We had a nice chat with one of the riders who was working on his Iron Butt medal. He gave us a couple water bottles. A lady tour bus operator also gave us water and cookies.

The first tow truck arrives at 3:29 and a remarkably honest driver tells us he is the 911 call and has to charge an extremely high rate. At his advice we wait for the second truck which arrives shortly after. We now meet Kevin, a  Harley rider himself, load the bike, hop in the truck and off to Calgary. Donna gets her first ride in a big truck!

Kevin proves to be a gem of a guy. Knowing we cannot make the HD dealer before closing, he arranges a hotel room near their impound lot, no easy trick as it is Calgary Stampede week. He drops us off, take the bike to their secure area with the plan to pick us up in the morning.

Up early after a really nice Chinese dinner, Kevin arrives right on time. We pick up the bike and arrive at Calgary Harley Davidson, just as the open. We are greeted by Emily in the service department who was already aware of our problems. They wheeled us into the service area and sent us to their comfy waiting lounge.

I had already done my internet search and found the likely culprit was the stator, the alternator of a motorcycle. Within a short time, Emily comes to give me the bad news, like a doctor telling a patient. The voltage regulator had failed, and they don’t have one in stock, it will take 3-4 days to get one. Now this is the Stampede week, no rooms anywhere, and if there were they start at $400 a night, gotta gouge those rodeo fans. I laughingly ask her where we can pitch our tent in their yard. Donna starts seeking a plan B, rent a car and go camping.

I see about 50 used Harleys in the yard. In the off chance, i ask if we can simply take the VR from one of them and replace it with the ordered part, which I would pay for. Emily had already crossed that idea with the boss’s, who agreed!

All the time in Canada I had thought about visiting my dear old friend Terry, a stroke victim living in an assisted living facility in Calgary. We really had not planned on going that far or to a big city, but the guiding Angel seemed to have other ideas, maybe the broke down bike was part of a larger plan??

We Uber’d  a ride and off we went, Terry was thrilled to receive visitors. It is tragic what a stroke does, this was once a super vibrant active guy, he had taken Donna on a tandem sky dive and was my scuba diving and old time AA buddy. As challenging as it is, Terry has kept up spirits, organized AA meetings in the facility and had all the staff chuckling when, as we left, I said “make sure he does not get into any trouble, he does that you know” .

We returned to the Harley dealer, bike already, even washed that roadside dust away, and off we road back into the grandeur of the Canadian Rock Mountains. One of the reasons I went with a Harley, their support system is remarkable and wide ranging. You always know you will get extraordinary service, quality work and ya, a fat bill, but worth it. Far better than experimenting in a strange country. In this case they went over and above to help me, Emily and the crew have my eternal thanks.

So once again our guiding Angel had a different plan, and watched over us. What could have been a true disaster; stuck in the bear infested Rocky Mountains, no cell phone, no food or water, miles from anywhere. Ah but what happened was we met some fantastic people, saw human kindness and generosity, got so see an old friend, and ended the day riding off into the sunset for the next adventure.