| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
Chuck and the Superglide Chuck was a friend I’d met when he took a trip to Colorado from his home in Kentucky back in 1975. Sue had met him at a laundromat, and invited him over; as we were having an impromptu neighborhood cookout and there was plenty of food. He wound up staying with us for a couple of weeks. I was unemployed at the time, and I took him to a number of interesting places over beautiful roads with spectacular scenery. When I rode to Daytona in 1976, I stayed with him and his brother in Louisville for a couple of days. After Sue and I split up in ’77, I wound up staying with chuck and his family for a couple of weeks before I moved in with Rebel and Nancy. Chuck and I became pretty good friends. He has a ’67 Shoveled that he’d built, and it was a beautiful bike. It was a rider and not a show bike. It looked like a Superglide that had been customized, but Chuck had lovingly built the whole bike. It was what he envisioned a motorcycle should look like. I remember the day he finally put it on the road. He was on a pink cloud and his smile just beamed with pride. In ’78, Chuck met Leah. She was really bad for him and took him for a ride like nobody should ever have to take. Chuck was working as a deckhand on a Tow Boat, and she took all his paychecks and had a good time partying while he was on the River. When Chuck took his time off, he discovered that not only did she not pay the rent, she hadn’t bought the washer and dryer and had also been unfaithful. It really hurt him badly. For some reason, he associated Leah with his Shovelhead and sold the bike for about 1/4 of it’s market value to someone who lived in Missouri, so he’d never have to see it again. I guess that’s what he had to do to get over her, but still, it was a shame. In 1979, I was in Louisville. I was just stopping there for a couple of days to visit with some friends and to see the 1/2 Mile race on my way to Colorado, where I was planning to find a job as a miner. I was staying at his brother Crow’s (Marty’s) house, and was getting ready to head out when Chuck called. He had just gotten off the boat and was on his way in. So I delayed my departure. Chuck hadn’t ridden a motorcycle in almost a year, and he was definitely someone who belonged on one. When he got to Crow’s house, I handed him the key to my Guzzi and told him to take it out. He did, but it didn’t excite him. I figured that I’d tried, but he just wasn’t ready to get back on a bike, yet. That night, we went by our favorite bar, and David Kaelin was there. David was a friend of Chuck’s who I hadn’t met who also worked on the River. David was also a true Tramp, but I didn’t know that. We would become really good friends as the summer progressed, but at the time, he was just a friend of Chuck’s. David pulled out the key to his ’77 Superglide and handed it to Chuck saying, “Only for you, Brother”. Chuck took David’s bike out for about 15 minutes and when he got back, he had that light in his eyes. The fire had been rekindled. The next day, David, Chuck and I went over to the Harley Dealer in Jeffersonville, Indiana which is just across the Ohio River from Louisville. David needed a battery for his bike. It was a small shop, and the dealer was the salesman, parts man and probably turned wrenches in the back, as well. While David ordered and paid for his battery, Chuck and I were looking at the bikes on the floor and discussing the merits of the different models. The dealer brought out David’s battery and asked if there was anything else he wanted. David replied, “Not for me; but I think he wants to buy that bike.” The dealer couldn’t finish up his business with David fast enough, and was over talking to Chuck before the bell on the cash register stopped ringing. Chuck signed some papers and the dealer told him the bike would be ready the next day. Chuck spent the day doing the necessary things; lining up Insurance and registering the bike, etc. and the next day, he was the proud owner of a 1979 Harley - Davidson FXEF Superglide. He rode around town all night to break in the bike, then, once it had 50 miles on it, he changed the oil and we went on a 1000 mile ride to the Smoky Mountains. The last time I saw Chuck, he still had that bike. I hope he still has it now. | ||
| Ourdee |
Crud, I got something in my eye. I know better than to wear the safety glasses on top of my head when I'm reading. |
