So, I was all set to do a 3 hour drive to Cashmere Wa. to look at a cherry '80 FLHS. I had been talking to the owner through emails for 2 weeks and called Thursday evening to set up a time to come and look at/pick up the bike. The bike was well-cared for and tasteful. It was sound mechanically and had a ton of extras like fiberglass and leather saddle bags, extra primary belt, and the like...and for a really good price. I'm thinking it's karma finally rewarding me for the loss I took on the No Love Shovel (death to false bike builders!) and I concluded that all is right with the world.
I express my excitement and commitment to them about getting this bike (I even offered to send them a deposit to hold it), and I tell the guy and his wife that I'll see them early Saturday morning. Well, I'm stoked and I keep looking at the pictures like a thousand more times and in my head I've already made the bike mine with some personal touches and I lose a good night's sleep thinking of the all miles I'm going to put on her, and the runs I'm going to do, and what a great summer it is going to be.
Needless to say, there was a voice mail waiting for me when I got off of work Friday afternoon. The guy's wife was ballin' on the phone about how sorry she was but they sold the bike Thursday night. And after I had just talked to them on the phone, no less! Are you fucking kidding me!?
I was crushed. I sulked around the house Saturday and was a complete bastard to be around. Gail kept saying that I needed to get out there and focus on getting the '77 into work and look for a cheap bike to ride for a season or two. I was having none of that. I had no love for anyone and especially for anyone associated with bikes and they could all take a flying f'k for all I cared.
Well, the sky broke clear and bright this morning and so we headed up to Monroe for the Spring Swap Meet to look for some things for the '77. I picked up some baby apes and a very clean brake set-up, and I also picked up some very cool early '70's Custom Chopper magazines. I ran into some people that I only see at meets and it felt good to see them again. I was looking at some parts and Billy from Hellmutts recognized me from doing work on a helmet of mine and made a point to say hello (he does fantastic work by the way, and he's just a real nice guy).
But as cool as all that was, I have to say the highlight of the day was when Gail found a sweet-ass horseshoe oil tank. We got to talking to these two guys and it turns out, Andre, was none other than the Seattle-based Andre from the Church of Choppers site. He was great to talk to and the other guy there, Dennis (I believe was his name), was also very helpful and eager to share knowledge and advice. We ended up getting email addresses and phone numbers and as we were leaving, Andre went and pulled out an old copy of Cycle Headz magazine and gave to to me. He told me to keep the faith and that good people were still out there.
And so with that, I have to say thanks to Gail for getting me off my self-pitying ass and going to the swap meet with me, and to the guys I saw today who are still riding after all these years, and especially to Andre for taking time out to talk with us.
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