Trace

LOL!

Officer Brown, after I showed him my license and gun permit: "I don't need to see that. I think every citizen should carry a weapon. You gonna shoot me?"

Me. "Not very likely sir, but I just didn't want you thinking I was an asshole for NOT mentioning that I was armed, should you decide to look in my tailbag for marijuana and find my gun."

Officer Brown: You carrying marijuana?

Me: No, just a handgun. And heroin.

That 30 minute encounter had so many memorable quotes that I can't even think of many more. The cop was really decent and gave us a "no points" speeding ticket, told us all sorts of interesting cop stories, and we all generally had a good time with him.

But later that evening, Oyama says to me "Could you understaaaaand him with his theeeek Georgia akkcent? I couldn't."

Me: "Believe me, he couldn't understand you, either."

Me: "Matt, when you get to a GIANT pile of rocks in the middle of a "Y" intersection, go right. And there's also a sign there that points to Suches and Morgantown, which is were we're going. You can't miss it."

Me riding sweep (meaning everyone else followed Matt to the left), yelling to Earthshake Bill via our Sena headseat: "Bill, he went the wrong damn way!"

Matt, much later when we managed to regroup: "Trace is giving me the stinkeye."

Me: "You fuuuuuuuking deserve it!"

And yeah, the 50 mile slab ride to Joe's BBQ in Blue Ridge that resulted from having Helen Keller leading the group wasn't good. More stinkeye was to follow...

Hahaha....I'd forgotten about that "nine thousand dollar" complaint of mine.

Inside story? Every carbon fiber and titanium factory accessory in the Duc catalog is about "nine thousand dollars".

Regarding my de-Dumboing by using a seat cowl: That was necessary because it has been proven here time and time again that matching the 2000's yellow paint is simply impossible. Longtime members might remember Teleskier blocking his Dumbo holes with proper bodywork and enlisting a bodyshop to repaint the fairing using Honda paint. Didn't work, after many tries at getting a match. The difference between the front and side fairings was huge. HUGE. I forget if he ended up painting the whole bike/gas tank to get it right, and then procure decals, etc. Pain in the ass. Anyway, there's no matching the Y2K yellow....

Costs more.

Well yeah, I guess if there's an annual inspection, there's a problem with de-Dumboing. I'm not at all adverse to having mirror-mounted signals and maybe small running lights there, too. That's the best place for them for sure. I just wouldn't actually use them.

Yeah, I'd say it was pretty obvious from the photos that I murdered a seat cowl in the process.

I just sent a detailed "how to" to deltabox....he's free to post it here if he wants to, plus include his own experience once he's done.

No signals. I never signal on a motorcycle. I don't want cars to do my "thinking" for me and assume I'm turning. There's no earthly reason to let a car ahead of you (regardless of their direction of travel) know that you're changing directions. Your job is to not let a car hit you, period.

The rears work just fine so I can let riders behind me know of an upcoming turn, or to let an encroaching car that might be close behind me know that I'll be slowing. Other than that, I never touch the signals. Plus, I'll probably forget to turn it off and look like the dork who forgot to turn off his signal.

de-Dumboed

Doug From Indy: Urrrrrrrrk!

Thanks again, BR, for a great event. We know that you WANT to do it, but we also know how hard you have to work and plan and worry to MAKE it a great event. I can think of 70+ people who think it's worth it!

Doug From Indy: "Hey, Trace, what'd you think of that?"

Mrs. Thecop is very supportive.

Hahaha....that's hilarious!!

He's was hoping you would take him for a ride so he wouldn't have to cut his wrist.

Hahahah....that's pretty funny, and possibly true for a brief "getaway" on his part. But I gotta say, he was part of the American Dream. Nice, happy wife, four cool daughters that were totally mesmerized by the "guy in the black leathers". It all started when one of the little sweeties asked me--all on her own before any chat with her parents--"Is it hot in that costume?" I took my helmet off so I looked mostly human and said "Yeah." Imagine....she said "costume", and maybe she's right.

And when we went to leave, I duckwalked the RC around to get pointed outwards. I didn't quite realize that I had the exhausts pointed right at the "gang of four" gals sitting on the bench out front. Matt (also known as White Knight) said they jumped about a foot when I fired the thing, and then they were all smiles.

That whole episode made me pretty happy that there are normal guys (unlike myself) who don't consider a wife and four kids a burden. Unlike me...who refuses to even say the word "girlfriend" in regards to a galpal that I've been dating for a year or two....or three. Call me "noncommittal" to the nth degree!!

From a real nice guy at the Wolf Pen Gap store during a gas stop as he was looking over my bike and talking with me, on vacation with his sweet wife and FOUR lovely daughters (ages about 7 to 12): "I've been watching you sportbikers for several days racing around and having fun. But if you think THAT'S hard work flying around these mountain roads, try poking along in a minivan with my gang for a week!"

I was so tickled by that line that I had to get off the bike and high-five the guy!

Found ourselves on a jeep trail up the side of the mountain. I was thinking the whole time, Trace would hate this!

You got that right. I was freaking out about the gravely road on that damn Joyce Kilmer between the bottom of the Cherohala and 129/Robbinsville when the LifeFlight copter blocked our normal path into town. RCs don't much like gravely roads.....nor do their finicky, panic-y owners.

Don't think I've ever been, but know someone who has!

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That can't be me. I don't eat mexican food.

The bourbon has clearly slowed my trigger finger.

Hahahaha......good one!! I'm just about to join you for about five fingers and a leeetle ice. Mmmmmm....

I think it is El Rio. At the corner of 68/60 and Grand Street in Copperhill.

Dupe.

That's right, on the state line. Copper Town & ???

Actually a block north into TN side.

Copperhill.

2. What is the name of the 2-story Mexican joint on 68(?) in TN/GA(?) ??

El Rio, on the main drag.

75 !

Don't forget Donis, who probably won't register even tho we just got done loading the bikes into the trailer. I got on his ass about $$$ for the dinner. He said he'd pay directly to you, but I stayed on his ass so he said he'd register when he got home. But don't count on it.....

Have a map of US and Canada with tacks (displayed in a common area) where everyone puts a tack where they are from.

Outstanding idea!

And I think we'll find that a lot of attendees are not much farther than 150 miles from Franklin. Lots of tacks will be concentrated around there, so get small ones!

Vette's are the bomb for sure

Well, there are other bombs out there, but I think we agree that the Chevy's "bang for the buck" is hard to beat.

After years of building NHRA gasser and pro-stock style engines, I don't do NUTTIN' to my Vettes except change the dang oil. I know all about the heads and cams and headers and etc available that make more power, but why mess with a perfectly engineered, bulletproof powerplant? One that gets 26 mpg on the highway, no less!

In fact, I have a little joke that most people don't get: When they ask about any mods I've done, I tell them "Nope, can't do that. I've welded the hood shut with a fiberglass welding rod.....".

Size does matter but top end the vette would eat my lunch.

Sounds like your car is quite righteous at that power/weight ratio. Interesting bit of mods, there!

But the bottom end power on my Chevrolet ain't bad, either. It simply annihilates the tires at any RPM in first or second, and spins them plenty in a hard shift to third. But last November when it had about 1000 miles on it, BaileyRock was with me when we cleared 140 pretty quickly...and then hammered the brakes and let the ABS do its thing, launching ol' BR into the seatbelt with his arms dangling out in front of him!

Here's the dang tire: