so I took a ride the other day...

For the next installment, I'll keep the humor lite. Cause I was really tired and kinda in a rush. As I rolled onto Ocracoke Island I kinda made a dash for town to see what I could see. I was starving, needed a place to stay, and it was getting on in the day.

Jason's Restaurant, great place with a great sandwich called the "Uncle Bunkle." Its a fried chicken breast, sliced ham, grilled onions, on sourdough I think. Either way its good. Paired with a Guinness, just about heaven.

I CANNOT believe you didn't post a photo of the pretty girl with crabs!!!

From now on I expect all good looking women you come across to be photographed, and properly documented.

Mr_Dunev said:

I CANNOT believe you didn't post a photo of the pretty girl with crabs!!!

From now on I expect all good looking women you come across to be photographed, and properly documented.

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Deal ;-)

But to make sure the record is straight, I dont know if she had crabs, but as far as I know if a pretty girl sleeps in the sand with crabs long enough, she's probably gonna get crabs in her britches at some point.

You do make a valid point tho. My only regret is that I didnt take nearly enough pics of the memories and memorable people I met. But the rest of Ocracoke and the next location contain some good parts.

greg2005 said:

The way you have that machine loaded down, I know you get a running start from the back and frog leap into the saddle like the Lone Ranger. Just don't scream hi ho silver please. Or maybe do, might get rid of the Ducati that's been tailing you.

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See, I would love to do that and take video, the thought of it sounds irresistibly ridiculous. But the $50 chinese gopro I tried to buy on ebay turned out to be a small vial of what looked like tiny pink muppet pubes. So the video portion of th trip is a little hairy at best.

You shouldve bought a gopro from me.....it wouldve been a box of beer cans and spent rubbers

bradj said:

You shouldve bought a gopro from me.....it wouldve been a box of beer cans and spent rubbers

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Id have had more fun with that. Hmm, gives me an idea for the next bonus item to include in the next box I send to you

Where you iz? Still got lights?

LOL E, this is awsome, I need to document my crazy rides to and from the GTG, except they are almost always boring freeway at 85 mph to get to the fun, then the same to get home. I need to get more days off to do the rides like this!

I should back up a few moments in this story so I can get all organic and shit. When I set out, I told myself that I would do several things.

#1. Use only a map (and compass, because I always have one with me) no gps whatsoever.

#2 talk to people I dont know. How else would I really get to see the real America?

#3 eat only at local places. No chains, fast food, etc.

So, back at the coffee shop is where I actually stsrted to make myself talk to locals. In between there and here, my most memorable conversation was with a park employee at bodie that acted put out that I wouldn't buy a ticket to climb a bunch of stairs. This is contrasted by the elderly park employee at Hatteras who was more than happy to suggest all the free things I could do on the grounds and even thanked me for riding all this way just to see the dusty past of this state. So when I arrived on Ocracoke, it was about 6PM. I was low on fuel, low on energy, and had no idea what to do about lodging. Anyone who has been there knows that rooms are typically booked months in advance, and the two campgrounds are usually both full and offer very little. You're lucky to get a tree. So, I did not know the next ferry schedule, did not have the energy for several more hours of riding, etc. I began going form motel to hotel looking for anything down to a utility room to snooze in for a few hours.

I didnt find any. Nowhere. So I pulled into a gas station that had info for the campground out back and asked if there were any spots available. Nope. Wait, well, lemme check. We might have something. While im waiting to find out my fate for the evening, the girl at the counter asks my plight. So I explained my unprepared situation and she seemed to want to come up with something better than me asking for a picnic table to sleep under.

Her name was Mona, and she said she would like to offer her porch to me if only she knew me better. Just then the call came back that a spot could be given to me at a lower rate than normal at the campground. She told me that I may want to wait a little while and see if anything else popped up, otherwise call her and see what can be worked out. So I go to Jason's restaurant and have the amazing sandwich, and got a motel directory from the waitress and went down the list. Nothing. Then I noticed the ferry schedule posted had rhe last one of the day leaving right at that moment. Shit. Oh well. Camping it is I guess. Coffee girl's suggestion of dune sleeping cam back to mind. So I called Mona back and told her id take the campground spot. But she said she was waiting to hear back from her landlord about letting me stay there instead. long and short of it, he said she could let me stay, and I spent the next 2 hours in a bar listening to a funny hybrid of Matt Murphy and Carlos Santana (who was kinda good actually, and talking to a Hispanic guy I could not understand at all but he kept smiling and saying something about motorcycles.

Creepy.

So im doing my part to drink them out of People's Porter until Mona got off work, and eventually went outside. Turns out I parked next to a van with lots of um, herbs and spices. So I talked to the man with the van and sampled some herbs and spices. Then Mona got off work and we walked to her place (very close) wouldn't ya know it, she had lots of herbs and spices too!

In all, I was just very grateful that I was able to come to this place with no plan whatsoever, and a pretty, kindhearted girl offered to take me in for the night and I even got a pillow on the couch! Score. we talked for a little bit and then she went to bed. I layed on the couch and listened to drunks outside and a car alarm, cats, and a rooster. It was heaven. It reminded me of my reckless youth in Key West, but a lot more friendly this time around.

The next morning i had to make the 7:30 ferry for Cedar Island. So I got up early and dragged myself to the port. Vending machine and the office coffee pot was to be my breakfast today unfortunately. So goodbye pretty girl from Ocracoke, thanks for the kindness. Next stop, Harker's Island.

If that's what totes ya goats, take some time off and be homeless. One of my favorite past times.

A wonderful semi-unplanned rambling adventure. What better to restore your faith in people. I gotta figure out how I can take a trip like this soon.

So, on to Harker's Island. I managed to dodge raindrops all the way out there while threading down Cedar Island through a few very small towns and fire districts. Once on the island, everything seemed slower, layed back, simple. No chains of anything that i could see (unless you count the national park service). Just a couple grills and a few fishing companies. And the decoy carving guild. Seriously, Duck Dynasty is amature compared to this place. Its been THE way of life here for centuries. That, and fowling boat building. There's a museum on the island that chronicles the rich past of the people here, and it is one of the nicest ive ever seen. I was the only visitor tho. Kinda sad too. The roof had storm damage and there were notes posted around town asking for help to fund the museum because it is struggling to keep going. Each community in the area had a section in the museum to show their past. An incredible amount of men from here joined/fought during ww2. One of the coolest things here is that the residents speak English with a heavy cockney/irish/carolina lowlands mix. Thats because they've been their own little world until just last century when a bridge was built. If you really want to see/experience a different view of America, go here.

The fresh fish served at the Fish Hook grill was great too and the service couldn't have been friendlier. Most residents here seem to either fish, carve duck decoys/calls, or other small town functions. Very little tourism focus here, and thats both a blessing and a curse. While the money could help this poor area, it would also permanently change the face of this great place.

Oh yeah, where was I? Just in case anyone is still read in this nonsense I'll finish it all just for the sake of actually finish in something for once in my life. (Note, this does not imply the trip was successfully finished, that would be a spoiler.)

So, with a full belly and souvenirs from the museum gift shop, I left Harker's Island and returned to the America we know (I knew I had returned because I was promptly cut off while merging back onto the highway and given the finger for obeying traffic laws). My suspicions where further confirmed by meeting an suv with fogged up windows in a rainstorm, going the wrong way on a one way street in Beaufort. Yep, I'm back.

Beaufort is a cool little town that is older than dirt. It also has a cemetery that is the stuff 50's/60's monster movies are made of. It also includes the grave of a british loyalist who was buried standing up and facing England, and a poor soul in a pickle barrel. Yep. I didnt stop because of the rain, and ive been thru here once or three times before.

I moved on to Emerald isle, and saw many tourists and assholes. I encountered a few friendly faces and was given a thumbs up a few times by ppl who saw me riding in the rain. Then the rain got turned off and it got nasty hot.

i pulled over for a break in a little shaded lot with a water tower. I used the facilities on a city trash can and took off the rain gear. Time to climb back on the death machine and press on.



How'd that get there?

So I kept moving towards Wilmington. Along the way I realized I had a charging problem. My electric leg no longer worked. Shit. So I pulled over in a gas station and started checking everything. Corroded battery post. Guess rain and salt will do that. Poured a coke on it and scrubbed a little. Kicked it over and suited up again. 40 more miles to Wilmington.



I made it! I still have a charging issue tho. Dammit. This is the Battleship North Carolina. Id have loved to tour it, but have been here before and it was getting on in the day. For any history buffs, this is a great tour. I love seeing these old ships. So I kicked it off again and headed out. My favorite pub is just across the river so ill try to make it there to sort out my issues.

TUNE IN NEXT TIME TO HEAR "Holla, like for realz bestie"

Right after these messages from Brawndo!

Hydration! Gotta have it. What better to fill this old surplus canteen with than Brawndo?! Its got electrolytes AND its what plants crave.

Seriously folks, I did want to mention that staying hydrated out there on a long ride will make or break the trip. And, it'll help you stay alert. Long distances of my trip crossed sand and sun and water on both sides of the road. With very little traffic. i know its the beach, but proper riding gear is still a must, so it was leathers and boots the whole time, and that fets HOT. Its a slice of heaven unless id have crashed or something, cause in that event me, and bike would likely disappear and no one but the gps tracker my wife used would have known. So stay hydrated, and stay sharp.

For sure, not enough hydration leads to sore muscles and cramps and headaches and all kinds of other nasty stuff. A good trick is to drink a good amount of water but to also pour water on your gear to wet it so you don't have to sweat to cool off.

camelback as well i never ride without it

Ok, since I got long winded and nostalgic and all that nonsense. Ill wrap this up as straightforward as I can. I left the battleship and crossed the river. The Harp was just on the other side and I know this area fairly well so I rolled up and went inside. In the past this has been a great place to grab a beer and a Reuben, bangers and mash, shepards pie, etc. So I get there, get a beer



And order the shepards pie. Shortly, two girls walked in and sat down one seat over from me at the bar. They arent really the type that catch my attention. That is, stick thin, too much makeup, waving their e-cigs aroubd where everyone MUST take notice, bragging about being 21, dressed identically, and the combined iq of the potato being carved up in the back for my pie. I take that back, I shouldnt insult the potato.

They introduced themselves to me after noticing that I had a helmet and jacket, and one of them said motorcycles are sexy. I was mildly impressed that they deduced my transportation choice without needing any more clues. There was also a sleek speed triple parked outside, they kept looking at it. I noticed and said, oh thats not my bike, I rode the antique covered in wet socks out there. That was enough to throw them off for a few minutes. My food arrived and I ate a small bit in peace while they messed on their phones. Then I got up to go to the bathroom. Upon returning I noticed the girls had attracted flies. Two guys about the same age were there, one was in my chair. You know, with my helmet, my jacket, my shepards pie, my beer. I walked up and said "hey kid you're in my seat ya know" he said "oh sorry I didnt know anyone wants sitting here." And then flew off to buzz around the poo seated close by. The girls were named twiddle dumber and twiddle dumbest, well I think. I cant remember what they were actually named. So eventually I paid and left. They bartender was cool tho. She rode her harley to asheville the previous weekend and organizes a lot of local poker runs and charity events.

so I went on to find a motel near an auto store. Done. I pulled the ailing battery and hiked on to the auto store to get it tested. It was fine, just really low on juice. So I got a small battery tender and put it on charge for the night



Found the problem! No, just the asshole ducati.

So I set out looking for any unplugged wires or burned bits. Couldn't find any. Oh well. Worst case ill run back without a headlight tomorrow. In the words of my son: "night night zoom zoom."

Redliner said:

If that's what totes ya goats, take some time off and be homeless. One of my favorite past times.

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Much as id love to take off for a month or two and live off the bike and ppl's good graces, my job and family would suffer a bit.

Oh don't you worry, baybeh! It's even more fun when you bring the family along

Ok, here's the anti-climatic ending for my story.

I set off from the motel in Wilmington after consuming a balanced breakfast of waffles, coffee, and a jelly donut.

My battery wasn't fully charged, but my body actually was. My dash up to Raleigh was to take about 2.5hr, and the forecast was for sun. Perfect!

So off I go, and I had a great hour up the road. Ppl were giving thumbs up, all my favorite songs were on my playlist, no clouds. Then my bike gave that "you should have topped me off" sound. I flipped to reserve and started looking for a gas station. I found one in Faison, NC. Faison is a sleepy little town fullof strawberry fields, tobacco fields, cotton fields, and dusty fields full of rocks and dead farm equipment. So I found the only gas station/parent-child custody exchange point in town, and set about my 7th ritual for filling up. Bungy cord, bungy cord, net, map, canteen, hat, ahhh there's the gas cap. So I finished and rolled over to the old pay phones to let another car use the pump.


For a good time, call Cleveland Moto.

So I put my plugs in, jacket on, tunes on, jacket zipped, helmet on, gloves on, bike on, kickstand up, whats that? No I can't hear you. Why of course, I dont mind stopping to remove half my kit so i can hear you and then answer the harley question after you've watched me put all this on and start to pull off. No, its a honda. Yes it says so on the tank. Oh it runs great. Yes I do consider it a real bike, yes ive been to myrtle beach. Ok, you have a good day too.

Rain. Barely 10 minutes into my trip. Lots of rain. Lots of wind too. This is starting to feel like the start of the trip too.

Eventually I arrived back at Scot and Robin's. So that means this trip was coming to an end. With the tired bike loaded up and some fried chicken in my belly, I departed to my side of the state (boring).

This trip ended one week ago today. It was a blast overall. Despite the torrential rain, minor electrical issues, and sore ass from riding something cool rather than comfy. It was a few days of really living and lots of solitude. My biggest dilemma now is, where to go next?