Monthly Archives: July 2006

Long trips

Where to next?

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Pressing matters of a personal nature took over finally, and I wasn’t able to remain in Sandusky for as long as I wished. I was headed for points farther east – a 400 mile ride to D.C. You might think that it’s a convoluted ride east, but thanks to the interstate highway system, it’s not.

The interstate highway system is a marvel when one wants to make time. Hook up with one of them, and no matter which direction you wish to travel, you’ll find an interstate to take you there in a hurry. It’s not the most exciting of highways to ride, but it enabled me to arrive long before dark.

With both a Tiffany’s and a Saks across the street from my abode for the night, I felt like a prince in pauper’s clothes. Well, okay, I was in biker’s clothes, but still. I crashed early, and the next day I was raring to go, so out the door I went in search of food. Much to my surprise, it was so humid that in no time even the backs of my hands were sweating. Nice. I found a deli and in I went to air conditioned bliss. After a quick bite I was back outside.

I was not impressed with the ambiance of the street on which I was walking. Women looked too good. Clothes looked expensive. Cars were too shiny. Money. Don’t get me wrong, for I’ve traveled in some strange circles from time to time, money being one of them, but old money is different, and this definitely smelled of old money. I knew right away that I didn’t fit in here, and after a quick walk on both sides of the street I wasted no time in turning tail back to the hotel.

Once there I hopped on the bike and took a short ride into D.C

Places to eat

Places to eat – Sandusky, Ohio

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East Side Café, 1319 1st Street, Sandusky, Ohio

It’s located just down the road from the Lyman Harbor.

Hours: Open 6 days a week. Breakfast Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Saturday 6 to 11.

Closing is flexible but varies from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. Closed Sunday.

There’s a daily lunch special. Eat lunch at the bar or at a table, and don’t forget to try the pool table salad bar. You can also play pool in this local watering hole, open for the past 45 years since 1961.

Drifting and dreaming, Long trips, On the road

Ohio

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Ohio
lyrics by Neil Young

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We’re finally on our own.

Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We’re finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

Long trips, On the road

Sandusky and the Tea House of the Dancing Lady

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I encountered a lot of rain yesterday, and it came down in great huge waves. Well, okay, maybe not waves, but it sure felt like it for a while. Rain. One of the joys of motorcycling. It either rains, or it pours. Yesterday it poured.

Tea House
Tea House of the Dancing Lady

Then I hit Detroit and the weather miraculously cleared, and I rode with the rising full moon all the way into Sandusky. The 94 around Detroit is a horrible road, with great huge cracks that allow one side to rise up to destroy tires, rims and shocks. I’m surprised that the residents put up with that kind of a bump on an interstate, where the speed is fast. In no time tires and shocks would be a mess.

I caught the 280 south through Toledo and pulled off at a Ho’s (Tim Horton’s coffee and donut shop) for soup and a sandwich in Ohio on U.S. 2. The girl who waited on me gave me the typical local’s lament: there’s not much in Ohio. Little does she yet know that there’s not much anywhere until you make a life of your own.

Liberty BelleI’m here in Sandusky to ride roller coasters at Cedar Point with some friends I met on the internet. I’m looking forward to meeting all of them. Eighteen are supposed to show up, a large enough group that we won’t tire of one another for the short span of two days that we’ll be here.

In the meantime, I’ve checked out the local peeler bar, the Tea House of the Dancing Lady: no cycles allowed. And a very good Thai restaurant in a small strip mall on Perkins. There’s a deli about a hundred feet past the motel that looks interesting also.

I’ll know more tomorrow.

Drifting and dreaming, Personal

Ghosts

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I always stop in to visit with old friends when I pass through, although it was difficult when I first started doing so. This time it’s been at least half a lifetime since I saw them last. We had great times together. One even saved my life on a bright sunny day years ago, so I have much to thank him for. That was my best friend. Others I was not so close to, but they were very good friends too.

We partied hard and fast and furious when we were growing up, to the dismay of some in our crowd of friends, and to the chagrin of some of the hometown girls we dated. We never listened, mostly going our own way and finally getting out of town and away from the madness of it all. It was hard keeping track after that, scattered as we were.

They’re not hard to find now, since I know the exact spot to ride to to see each one of them one more time. All of them came finally to rest in a quiet, green, treed cemetery just west of town. It overlooks a pretty green valley and the small factory town where we all grew up – although I must admit I was the newcomer, not having been born there.

Bob, Stan, Vern, Dale. One by aircraft, one by car, one by motorcycle, one by ill health. All taken over a short time span, some within a couple of days of each other.

I remember them as though it were yesterday, and I trust that I am not the only one to visit with old friends and reminisce. I’ll be returning this way later in the summer, but I’ll only ride by and wave for I fear that too much remembering is not good for one’s soul.