Wing Ding 30 Official Program - Wing World Magazine Archives

The Reason All GWRRA “Acts ofKindness” ExistEarly in March, I was slated to attempt the100CCC (Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast in 100hours) in association with the Iron ButtAssociation, riding my trusty 2000GL1500SE. I had already completed the50CC (coast-to-coast in 50 hours) in 2005 andhave many long-distance rides under my belt,so this ride wasn’t going to be any more challengingthan other rides I have done.I was blessed by riding with two other riderswhom I have ridden with before (similarriding styles) and felt good with their company.We left Jacksonville Beach, Florida, on aMonday, and arrived at Ozona, Texas, around12:30 (CST) that night (1,300 miles and onlyfor 4.5 hours of rest).The three of us arose to a brisk and coldmorning as the temperature tickled the 20degree F mark. We arrived at San Diego,California, around 8:30 p.m. (PST), completingthe first leg of the ride in 42 hours. Thenwe hit the motel for seven hours sleep beforeheading back to Jacksonville Beach.At 4:30 a.m. (PST), we gathered up theneeded receipt and headed east. But crossinginto Arizona and running at posted speeds andon cruise, my bike “stumbled”, like I hadsomething briefly run through the carbs. Thenit picked up speed once again.I was baffled, but since the bike waspurring along I didn’t think it was much of anissue. It was only 20 miles later though when,once again, it felt like the fuel was shut off tothe carbs and the bike was struggling to maintainspeed—to the extent that it died right thereon the interstate.I coasted to the side of the road, scratchedmy head, tweaked this and that, and fired thebike. To my amazement, it fired right off andpurred like a kitten. (Keep in mind that wewere on the clock; that we had only 50 hours toget back to Jacksonville Beach, so I was morefocused on getting back up to speed rather thanspending a lot of time diagnosing the problem,especially when the bike was running.)Anyway, by the time we stopped in VanHorn, Texas, for another 10 gallons of fuel(aux fuel cell), it had been almost 450 milessince the bike had shown any sign of a problem.So naturally I was thinking the issue hadtrash passed through the carbs and I was homefree.But as we rode into the night through FortStockton toward Ozona, the bike began to havethe same problem. The “stumble” was gettingworse now, and we were in no-mans landwhere civilization was scarce and help evenscarcer. So even though the issue persisted, tocounter the stumble, I would drop a gear, keepingthe RPMs up until the “blockage” wouldpass and the bike would level out.Well, we managed to pass through Ozonaand headed to Sonora, Texas, only now hopingto make it to San Antonio, where I might haveto consider pulling into a dealer for a quickrepair. But I never made San Antonio.We stopped for fuel in Sonora and, by thistime, I wasn’t able to make more the 55 mphwithout the bike starving for gas. Knowing allthree of us were on the clock, I implored mycomrades to continue on to JacksonvilleBeach, that I would be okay.Now for the fun part…I just happened toreceive the 2008 Gold Book just the weekbefore I had left home. I regularly replace thebook in my trunk each year, but I had neverhad to even steal a glance at the book in thefour years I have been a GWRRA Member.But that morning, at 7 a.m. no less, Iopened the Gold Book, thinking I neededsomeone with a trailer (since I was sure it wasthe fuel pump). After several calls, I reachedJohn Haifley of TX-K2. He said he didn’t havea trailer and was heading out of town that verymorning. Regardless of his plans, though, hetook the time to give me the name of fourMembers of the TX-K2 Chapter in Kerrville(50 miles one-way from Sonora) who mighthave trailers.On the second call, Lee Adams (GWRRA#40777) answered. I quickly told him I was astranded stranger in Sonora and was lookingfor a trailer because of a fuel pump problem.He asked what the problem was and I, makingsounds to describe it that would embarrassmost folks, explained the issue. Without hesitation,he told me, “fuel filter”.I was stunned because he didn’t even give ita thought; Lee didn’t even ask follow-up questions!I admit I was leery, so I asked Lee howhe knew it was the filter and not the pump. Hetold me it had happened to him more thanonce. “Oh” was the only “educated” response Icould muster. And before I could follow up, hesaid “I have a spare fuel filter and tools andwe’ll be there in four hours; get some breakfast,go back to sleep and we’ll see you around11 a.m.I checked out of my hotel and moved thebike under the portacache of the BestWestern’s lobby since it was raining and thetemperature was hovering near 40 degrees F.Lee and Jim Green (GWRRA #224380)showed up earlier than expected, around 10:15a.m., bearing gifts, smiles and a gracious willingnessto get me on the road again.Lee and Jim jumped right in, and togetherwe changed the filter out despite the freezingcold and wet conditions. After we finished, Leeand Jim said they were ready for lunch and thatthere was a great place to eat just 60 milesdown the road.With hail and rain pelting down on us, wetested the bike (still not certain it was the fuelfilter) and it ran like a charm, just like Jim andLee said it would! Since it was already mathematicallyimpossible for me to finish the ridewithin the allotted time, I settled for a greatlunch instead, and we left each other’s companywith me having only 300 miles to get home.Now here’s what I want to say.It is not necessarily a rare thing to find peoplewilling to offer a helping hand to someonein need that they know.It’s a much rarer thing when people reachout to help a stranger, investing their time,money and labor all for the person needing thehelp and NOT for their gain.Though I wasn’t able to finish my ridewithin the specified time frame that day, Ireceived a great deal more from Lee and Jim.And I learned that the Members of GWRRAreally do help each other out.So for those in TX-K2 who help foster thisculture of that we are riders first—and that riderstake care of riders as a fundamentalbelief—I give many thanks.Tom AtkinsonGWRRA #221620Tomball, Texas ●16 Wing World