Picture: Shredded trailer tire
So what does a shredded tire have to do with riding motorcycle? It is more like what it has to do with "not riding motorcycles". The reason I haven't ridden in a few days is because I have been in Olathe helping Julie move. The trailer was borrowed from a friend to help with the move. Since she is downsizing we had to bring home a few items she didn't need. The trailer was loaded with a washer and dryer, a nine foot step ladder and a couple of other miscellaneous items. My little 4 banger S-10 had a mower, some boxes of stuff, etc. I am sure we were quite a sight going down I-70. About half way between Topeka and Junction City the driver's side trailer tire shredded. No problem, there is a spare. I pulled way over in the break down lane and got out to survey the damage. Let me tell you when an 18 wheeler goes by at 70 plus just 8 feet away it is scary. I pulled the jack and lug wrench out of the S-10, neither one fit. The lug wrench was too small and the jack has this hump on it that fits into a special hole in the S-10 but makes it dangerous to try and jack up the round axle of the trailer. Lucky for me I watched all those MacGyver shows. I took out my trusty Swiss Army knife, found a piece of board in the back of the truck and whittled out a hole so the board would level out the hump on the jack. The lugs on the tire were no match for my 12 inch Crescent turned sideways and levered with the truck's lug wrench. It took a while and the spare was a different size than the other side but I "got her done". The rest of the trip was max 55. Surprising how easy that little truck pulled the load, only had to down shift on the longest hills.
Back to riding tomorrow. The ROMEO group is going to Marquette for lunch and the weather sounds OK.
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