We are now one guy short on the “A team” as the Mexican spirits chose to once again intervene. Permit me to summarize. If you’re following the story you might recall yesterday’s dispatch as saying that my friend Dale helped a “not so fair” maiden in distress. Something similar to keeping a stray animal from getting run over. Don’t judge my harsh language!
There’s no doubt in anyone of our rider’s minds that without gringo intervention the street walker or in this case toll road purveyor of certain feminine products would’ve, could’ve who knows ; probably been hurt, seriously injured or possibly even gone missing. I can read the Mexican future about as great as I can read their driving intentions.
If you’re not yet caught up on the story go back now to Dispatches Day 1 and 2.
Just like in Mexican novelas, there’s always a tall dark and handsome hero. That be Dale. The guy to me resembles one of J Edgar Hoovers finest.
So, now we have a hero in the form of Dale. And now we need a villain; that be Dale’s Triumph Tiger motorcycle. That POS, let me not now judge. It’s just that I last year totaled one in Vermont. Another story to look forward to reading.
And so with those words above that you just read, could you, would you; look at it like I do; that no good deed ever goes unpunished or ?
Or you of more faith than I, or possibly of the opposite sex; do you look at what happened as the spirits once again intervening? They used to sacrifice virgins not 100 miles from here for lesser natural things that occurred in nature.
Definitely some thoughts to ponder and way more brain cells than this oracle signed up for. All I’m after is a decent ride story. To capture the very essence, if at all possible of riding with friends. And boy are these friends worthy of giving up a story.
And the novela continues…………..and just as Dale was a moment away from a quick Mexican roadway death or serious bodily injury for the good deed that he did yesterday; the spirits once again intervened.
Me, I don’t judge. I just tell the story and decent Mexican novella you come up with your own conclusions. Now if this was a good Hallmark story the hero would’ve possibly ditched this ride and runoff with……….once again, too much story for me this early.
What happened? This morning (our third day of riding) Dale was holding up the rear column of our A team; whilst traveling at around 70-90 mph. The A team consists of Joey, Todd, yours truly and Dale.
Joey recently paid our tollway toll and we were now traveling at a high rate of speed. The road drops down in elevation and began to take a slight turn and just then Dale; road the tail of a dragon!
As he did so, his motorbike experienced what one can safely call a total catastrophic failure. The end result was the entire whole rear wheel assembly of his 2022 Triumph 900 Rally Pro motorcycle self destructed.
Imagine Fred and Barnie Rubbell barreling down the road in Freds flint-mobile when suddenly the entire rear end falls off. Barney looks over at Fred and says; Uh hee hee hee… OK, Fred!” It now looks like we’re gonna die Fred!
Dale had no one to talk to because he was too busy trying to control that unwieldy beast. And I kept getting further and further away from him but, I did see what appeared to be headlights suddenly switch lanes to oncoming traffic. Little did I know.
That type of thing doesn’t happen to an almost brand new motorcycle. Which leads me back to something greater than ourselves reached out and touched Dale.
He was given safe passage across high speed incoming truck traffic and safely delivered to the opposite side.
The fact that he was able to stay on top of that British POS is IMO also a tremendous credit to his riding ability and the Mexican spirit’s that delivered him safely.
Joey as point man (plural point men) (military) was riding us hard but, not that hard. If he were in the military I would judge him to be a Marine. He’s always the lead Marine advancing us through sometimes hostile cartel lands or unsecured territory. And then there’s Todd. Definitely a US Navy Seal team 6 sort of guy. Mission first is his motto as he wanted to leave our fallen hero to wait for the tow truck. But, our marine said no, we wait. And so that waiting cost us two hours. Took me almost an hour just trying to arrange a tow in Spanish.
Now you decide? Did Dale’s good deed yesterday go unnoticed by the spirit world, who chose a perfect spot for him to end his ride. We were barely an hour away from our hotel and less than twenty miles from Mazatlan when the self destruct sequence of events occurred.
The motorcycles that we ride are the latest in human technological advances from the countries of Germany, Austria and Britain. Up until that moment Dale’s bike was performing admirably.
And I so Dale is now getting me fired up to ride. It’s cold outside. The B team boys are strategizing how to best take Mexico City and the horrendous traffic. I’m watching from a safe distance away. Thinking, you fools, only the Mexican spirits know for sure what’s in store for you.
End
Trawlercat Blog Dispatches 