Frank Gaylor Rides the TAT 2016

Today was an uneventful day as TAT days go…didn’t get on the trail at all.  I needed to effect some  repairs from yesterday’s excursions in Valley of Mud Snot – that’s what I’m going to refer to it…cuz, it was slicker than snot on a doorknob – that should give you all a good visual…and we all want to avoid snotty door knobs, unless you’re a kid, and you create snotty door knobs, but I digress.

So today I got up, separated out necessities and camping gear.  I’ve decided in my advanced years (I am 62 ya know), sleeping on the ground after spending half the day getting thrown off the bike, crawling in the mud to unpack it, l and having to pick it up by myself, well, I deserve to be pampered. So I’m hoteling it the whole trip – I can, I deserve it…I’ve earned it…ok, so I’m a wuss…but a comfortable wuss…damn that went down the rabbit hole.

Ok, so I separated stuff out…went to a UPS store 40+ miles away, and shipped back 26.9 lbs of camping gear and other items I felt I wouldn’t need. Then unpacked the backpack and everything that was in it is now in the grey dry bag safe and sound.  The ONLY thing in the backpack now is my 3 liter Hydrapak…and I’ve got room!!!! Yeah, I’m not locked into one position.  I can now stand up on the pegs if I need to…I can also scoot back on the passenger seat!!!! Oh, how comfortable was that. 

Now off to the big-box store Home Depot to buy some metal strapping and metal shears so I can repair some broken mounts. Home Depot was nice enough to let me pull the bike into the shade of the building while I worked on the bike – their parking lot had NO trees, and it was hot. 

That repair done, I’m off to find a replacement mirror for the broken one I threw in the trash this morning at the hotel.  Oh, that was a mistake…the first motorcycle shop I stopped at had a full machine shop and he ask me where my broken mirror was…I said I threw it away – too bad he says, I could have re-threaded it for you…would have been a couple inches shorter, but I don’t have any 8mm threaded mirrors. Doh!!!! Ok, memo to self – don’t be so quick to throw things away, they may be able to be salvaged.

By this time, it’s mid-afternoon, and too late to get on the TAT, so I head to Tellico Plains to stay at Tellico Lodge – if you’re ever in the area – this is the place to stay…The owner is very gracious and knows a bit of useful information on the TAT and the 3 water-crossings I’ll be doing tomorrow – even showed me some videos of the proper path through the water crossings, while I patted his 10yr old boxer Rambo on the head – sweet dog. Tomorrow, we’ll see how I handle the crossings. I’ll probably unload the bike and walk my gear across, then ride the bike across – there are certain things that I can’t afford to end up in the water even though they are in dry bags.

The cabin I’m staying in is quite spacious and nice – well worth the price of admission.

So as I’m unloading the bike, this rather distinguished gentleman walks up and inquires if I’m from Tampa as he saw the Eurocycles sticker on the frame and the BMW Riders of Tampa Bay sticker on the cowling above the gas tank. So I strike up a conversation with Wes and his lovely wife Nancy.  I said I was from St. Pete…he tells me how he’s a tugboat engineer delivering barges of 100,000 barrels of gasoline from Houston to Tampa weekly…I thanked him for the gas…eventually we got around to talking about past experiences – he’s an ex-Coastie and was on the Valiant out of Galveston where the Blackthorn was homeported and he knew a bunch of guys on the Blackthorn – small world as I was involved in the recovery of Blackthorn.  Then he tells me he was at CG Radio Station New Orleans 1980 – 1983…I was stationed in New Orleans at the time and knew he CO.  So we swapped lies and sea-stories…I tell ya, what are the odds that you run into someone that you have so much in common with not only from 36 yrs ago, but today we both ride motorcycles (I did back then), and he has a beautiful Harley Davidson Electra Glide that they rode from Anniston, AL, where they now live. Really great people - but aren't all Coasties - especially Engineering Coasties...

At this point in my travels, I’m not sure which I’m enjoying the most, the solitude of riding the backroads and trails, or the people I’ve met. Contrary to popular belief, I really am a people person – they don’t know that side of me at work – I tend to keep a lot of my co-workers at arm’s length, but when I’m out on the road…Oh, how much I need this trip...

An uneventful day as TAT days go, but a wonderful day none-the-less.  Everyone has been so helpful and accommodating and friendly along the way.  I hope to stay in touch will all of the people I’ve met along the way, Bob & Martin in Andrews, and Wes & Nancy here in Telico Plains.

Not sure I will be able to complete the TAT all the way to Oregon, that’s my plan, but as things break and have to be repaired along the way, and I get delayed due to weather or breakdown, I’m meeting some wonderful people and having a wonderful time.

That’s all for now, wanna call home and talk to my 3 lovely daughters (I spoke to my wife before starting this diatribe…)