FRIDAY MAY 24
Big Red and me rolled down the road about 8. We had been visiting Mom for a few days and now where continuing down hill to home in St. Pete. I had been able to get over to Angie's Restaurant for one more heart clogging breakfast before we left. Angie is one of those small town success stories. A waitress all her life someone gave her a chance to run her own restaurant and it is a huge success. It was a beautiful day for riding, temperatures in the 70's and dry air. Travelling through Fayetteville was easy as all the lights were well timed and light traffic. Well, except for all the drivers texting and driving all over the road. Seemed to be more here than other places and all where adults.
I stopped outside Raeford to visit with cousin James. We sat on the front porch of his home that used to be his mothers home. She was my favorite Aunt as whenever I visited her, if just for a few hours, she made biscuits from scratch just for me. I probably could have sat there in the country all day but Red and I had to make some headway towards home. We passed through all the old towns, Laurinburg, McColl, Bennettsville, Society Hill. These towns have old big mansions. Some in great repair and some about to fall down.
It is now after 4 p.m. and no tow truck. They are going to take me to Charlotte NC, the nearest Vespa dealer. The problem is that it closes at 5:30 p.m. being a holiday weekend and it is more than 100 miles to the dealer. When Cox towing showed up, he had been told 5 miles north of Hartsville instead of south, we had to figure out what we were going to do. He and Progressive insurance decided that Cox would store it over the holiday and then take it to Charlotte on Tuesday. Paul had left, but I thanked Robert for his kindness and climbed into cab of the tow truck and we headed down the road. I hope to pass this way again.
Shelton, proprietor of Cox towing, took me to Florence to find a hotel and then some type of transportation out of town. Courtney had tried to talk to me on the phone but has laryngitis and said to just ask for her when I got to the hotel. She gave me a nice quite room and when I asked her about a place to eat and get a beer she had to resort to hand gestures and notes. This note says I have to cross the highway and "be very careful". I thought that was a very kind gesture.
After a cold beer and some food I now had to work on plan B. I was afraid getting out of Florence was going to be a big pain in the ass. I fly for free but it is bad enough on a regular days getting on a airplane on standby and a holiday just makes it harder. I called Avis about a one way rental to Jacksonville, FL. One way rentals to another state are usually ridiculously expensive and I was expecting some cost prohibiting number, but I was amazed at the $51 price they gave to drop it in Jacksonville, FL where Vicki is for the weekend. So, tomorrow I am in the car and on my way. I hope that some time next week I can recover Big Red and finish the journey.
I will keep you posted.
Big Red and me rolled down the road about 8. We had been visiting Mom for a few days and now where continuing down hill to home in St. Pete. I had been able to get over to Angie's Restaurant for one more heart clogging breakfast before we left. Angie is one of those small town success stories. A waitress all her life someone gave her a chance to run her own restaurant and it is a huge success. It was a beautiful day for riding, temperatures in the 70's and dry air. Travelling through Fayetteville was easy as all the lights were well timed and light traffic. Well, except for all the drivers texting and driving all over the road. Seemed to be more here than other places and all where adults.
I stopped outside Raeford to visit with cousin James. We sat on the front porch of his home that used to be his mothers home. She was my favorite Aunt as whenever I visited her, if just for a few hours, she made biscuits from scratch just for me. I probably could have sat there in the country all day but Red and I had to make some headway towards home. We passed through all the old towns, Laurinburg, McColl, Bennettsville, Society Hill. These towns have old big mansions. Some in great repair and some about to fall down.
this one was in bad shape. the picture does not show it well but everything was falling down including the balcony over the front door and someone is still living in it. see the lamp on just to the right of the front door?
volunteers collecting for the fire department
It was a great riding day and even took a few detours just to get away from the "painted highways".
In Hartsville, SC we stopped to have a Gucci coffee. It was a nice break and good coffee. Back on the road, I was thinking of a fine dinner at one of the two great restaurants in downtown Statesboro, our planned over night, when Big Red ran out of down hill steam. He just quit. I coasted off the road in front a boiled peanut stand. I took a few minutes to think about and walk around looking at him. I finally dove in to the problem. I tired all the known problems, spark plug wire, kill switch, fuses, gas, etc. There is not a whole lot you can do on the side of the road in the middle of know where. If you do find a problem then what do you do. I walked around again and attacked the problem again to no avail. Finally, I threw in the towel and called for a tow. This process took almost two hours. Meanwhile I got to know Robert, the owner of the peanut and fruit stand, and his buddy Paul, well. They are just good nice people. They collect old coins and showed me some of the ones they had with them. Robert said he closes his stand at 7 and offered to do anything for me after that. Load the scooter on his trailer and take it anywhere I wanted or drive me anywhere. Paul wanted to go too, but his wife was having minor surgery late in the day. The boys just wanted a excuse for a road trip. But I told them the tow truck would take care of it. I felt a little quality declining their offer as they were both so egar to help.
It is now after 4 p.m. and no tow truck. They are going to take me to Charlotte NC, the nearest Vespa dealer. The problem is that it closes at 5:30 p.m. being a holiday weekend and it is more than 100 miles to the dealer. When Cox towing showed up, he had been told 5 miles north of Hartsville instead of south, we had to figure out what we were going to do. He and Progressive insurance decided that Cox would store it over the holiday and then take it to Charlotte on Tuesday. Paul had left, but I thanked Robert for his kindness and climbed into cab of the tow truck and we headed down the road. I hope to pass this way again.
there was nothing in either direction on US15 so i was really, really lucky to roll to a halt at robert's (on the table) peanut stand. i can not thank these guys enough. they offered me everything from boiled peanuts to tomatoe sandwich to drinks to rides. robert is just one great guy and i will be go by to see him again in the future.
Shelton, proprietor of Cox towing, took me to Florence to find a hotel and then some type of transportation out of town. Courtney had tried to talk to me on the phone but has laryngitis and said to just ask for her when I got to the hotel. She gave me a nice quite room and when I asked her about a place to eat and get a beer she had to resort to hand gestures and notes. This note says I have to cross the highway and "be very careful". I thought that was a very kind gesture.
After a cold beer and some food I now had to work on plan B. I was afraid getting out of Florence was going to be a big pain in the ass. I fly for free but it is bad enough on a regular days getting on a airplane on standby and a holiday just makes it harder. I called Avis about a one way rental to Jacksonville, FL. One way rentals to another state are usually ridiculously expensive and I was expecting some cost prohibiting number, but I was amazed at the $51 price they gave to drop it in Jacksonville, FL where Vicki is for the weekend. So, tomorrow I am in the car and on my way. I hope that some time next week I can recover Big Red and finish the journey.
I will keep you posted.
