Today was one of those days...

Today was one of those days where we learn something,
  Today was one of those days where we remember something,
Today was a day where a truism was proven,
  Today was one of the days we see how friends are,
and today was one of those days where we see how strangers can be.

I had an issue today with my bike, I won't go into specifics because that would make me look stupid.

Let's just say that I spent longer parked in the sun than I was planning on, and longer in Colchester than I thought I would. 

The bike had an issue which required a roadside disassembly, and as always everything went smoothly expect for the one bolt, it's always one bolt. (Truism)

The people I was riding with went above and beyond, they acted as brothers should, one went cruising all over town from store to store locating the tools needed to get back on the road. The other kept a brother company and offered if the need arose a means to get the bike home.

The repair started with my two compatriots taking off to go looking for what we needed as I stayed to take the cover off. There was a five bolt cover, this cover is fastened in place by five Star head bolts, each of the first four made a snapping noise as each broke free, the fifth was not the same. It decided to be so dedicated to it's job of fastening that it stripped a tooth off the star driver. So as I was sitting in the sun a pickup pulled up, a man got out wearing a Harley Hat and asked if I had the tools required, I told him that the tool I was using had stripped. He went to his truck and pulled out a large supply of tools and brought them over. His wife said that she always wondered why he carried his tools everywhere. I looked through his supply and said, no, I need a star driver, He looked down hearted and replied, "Star Driver?" Looked at the tools he had offered then looked at me and said, "You're Fucked." We had a good laugh at this, I thought it was a great gesture of someone nowadays to stop and see if they could help.

 Soon my two compatriots returned and one tried to break the last bolt loose with no luck, He got back on his bike and took off to find an impact driver, the other and I noticing how sunburned my head was headed for the shade of the building. It finally dawned on me that standing outside in the shade was rather stupid since the Dunkin was Air conditioned and had something to drink. 

Unable to locate an impact tool the other was riding from place to place trying to find something, but being Sunday most were closed. He came back with a star driver, a pair of vise grips and a ball peen hammer. After driving the handle all the way down the shaft until the hammer was actually striking the star shaft the bolt broke loose. We did the necessary repair and headed home with them trailing and running at a reduced speed sticking to back roads. Both stayed with me all the way to the house.

What I learned today had to do with the bike and the way it is designed, and I learned that just because something seems straight forward and easy doesn't mean it is so.

While one of the bikes was getting gas in Montville the other rider told me that an instructor had told him something, Before doing any work on anything "RTCTM", Remember to check the manual.

This brought back a memory from around 2009, Steve Malzone was the Club VP, and he offered me some great advise, if your bike needs something done to it, and you really feel the need to work on something, buy an erector set. Play with it and let those who know repair.