Riding Unprotected...

[DDT (12)]

Holy crap! I just got a start that's shaken me to my very core... I was standing outside my motel room just now, eye-balling our girl as I so often do. I was thinking to myself that it was time to cover her up and put her to bed... and then it happened!

I don't know why I did it... it isn't like I do it often or anything, but for some mysterious reason I glanced down at her Gremlin bell... or at least where that talisman should have been... but it wasn't! It was missing!!! How long have we been riding this way? What happened to it? Should I leave her parked until I can find a replacement...? Are we doomed now if we move from this spot?

No need for me to go looking for one, because I understand they have to be a gift in order to properly protect the rider and ride... As usual, I'm traveling solo, so that's not even an option... Now what? This is harder than Chinese arithmetic! And nerve-wracking like you wouldn't believe!

I guess I'll just have to cast caution to the wind and roll the dice... Maybe one will turn up down the road before catastrophe strikes... Please keep a good thought for us... I feel so exposed... and so very vulnerable... but there is more...

Those things, like so many on our girl, are also memory joggers... Reminders of some person, place, and time... The bell can always be replaced (provided it happens in time!), but the sentimental value has been dealt a blow... I won't forget that bell and the memory associated with it, just like I won't forget the one before it and the memory that went along with it either... Perhaps this is just a step towards creating another memory?

Yeah, that's what I'm going to assume here... It ain't a loss, it's just a prelude to something else. Something that will be good, and in time I'll be happy this happened... a future memory in the making. No sir, my glass ain't half full, it's dang near overflowing!!!

DDT

[The emperor has no clothes]

What a good outlook  I never believed in such stuff. Never had one until a couple years ago. I bought a trailer hitch off my buddy Hook. It came with a gremlin bell attached. It seemed downright foolish to remove it. It's protected me ever since.  I've gifted a couple and your story reminds me I need to get a couple more spares. 

[eric in md]

Bruce,     Listen up you ride real careful for a few weeks I will bring you one to the Veterans Day ride and mount it on Ali. To keep ya safe ,  see ya in 2weeks

[cookiedough]

I rode the Valk today and took off prior my stuffed animal on back the Tazmanian devil and nothing bad happened to me on the road today.  His tongue flaps in the wind:  https://www.google.com/search?q=tasmanian+devil+stuffed+animal&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS545US559&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=809&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwic_aHUmvfPAhWE34MKHcVXA8QQ7AkIoAE#imgrc=dIY-PPKnxLV9qM%3A

silly superstitions....

I did though prior also check my tire pressure from sitting in the 30 degree cold temp nights and luckily aired up both tires yet again.  The rear tire from sitting on cold concrete was down to 34 psi is all so bumped back up to 44 psi.    Front tire was 36 put back to 40 psi.

[Misfit]

We are in the same boat Bruce. I noticed that my bell was missing just the other day. It's been missing the clanker for some time now but the bell it's self lasted three or four years longer. I will pick one up for you and we can swap bells next time we meet. That will give us a chance to meet up and it will make the grilling thing official.I will forever carry the challenge coin that you bought for me after I gave my original to my buddy Scott Oaks. Thanks again for the kind gesture.  

[Hooter]

I have bells on all my bikes. I also had one on my bike when I got whacked. But the bell was on the front and I got hit in the rear. It couldn't  do its job that way.

[DDT (12)]

I've never seen it before that I know of... in fact, I've never even heard of it, but... I see no reason to doubt there could possibly be anything wrong with doing it. I no sooner got this ditty posted, it seemed, before a PM showed up... Roger, RDAbull, asked me for an address where he could FedX one to me tomorrow! WOW!

Then at least two more offers popped right up... Eric and Damon. Well, I'd already sent an address to Roger, so... I hesitated to say anything about that, then I reconsidered... Heck, I think having three of those things would be a magnificent thing! And, it would likely be a very safety conscious thing, too.

Anyway, I would welcome those others that have been offered, but if anybody wants to back out, that would be fine, too... Only a sentimental person would think anything of going through with this anyhow... About that...

I am sooooo pleased about all of this! I'm delighted to have another bell, of course, but not because I'm superstitious... No, it's because I am sentimental in a major way, so this really means a lot to me! ALI is adorned with so many things that have come from other folks, and a great many of those were gifts.

I daily look at her, and something will always catch my eye and trigger a memory. Heck, her exterior is better than a desk top with sticky notes all over it or a refrigerator loaded with magnets holding up reminders! In case you're wondering, many of my friends have been immortalized in this way... and their faces are on prominent display in the 'great folks' trophy case of my 'wonderful memories' archive.

Imagine the  bragging rites I'll have with three Gremlin bells dangling on her... Somebody will sardonically observe that I must be a serious scaredy cat to want so many good luck charms... With deliberate coolness and calm demeanor, I can then proceed to give that smart-ass a figurative backhand across the chops when I fill him in on the rest of the story...

Hmmm, I may buy a several more myself and give those to my buds even though they probably already have one... We may be establishing a new trend here... See how awesome this club is? One sad tale becomes the nucleus of a great story of generosity and goodness. Dang, how can you not love being part of all of this?

DDT

[Hook#3287]

Bruce, you probably started something here where the end product will be Ali weighed down with a crap load of those things.

It's all good.

[Hook#3287]

Um...

What was that address?

[0leman]

I have two bells, one new one when I got my Valk  in 2008, the other one is from my shadow sold in 2010.  Do check them every so often to make sure they are they and doing their job.

Last week while gassing up my ole Lady, a guy comes up and ask if they are to let me know how far I am leaning over.  Just laughed at him.  He was a bicycle rider and out of state type.

[Wizzard]

Mine went missing on my Alaska trip. 

[Super Santa]

Bruce, I have never thought about one of those very long.  It seems I have never had one on this Valkyrie, and oops, Saturday my bike fell over.  And I was still on it, and it was still moving, and it was the gravel, and it was the left shoulder on a right hand curve.......   uh, ooops.

Trashed up my sweetie but I rode her home about 300 miles, thanks to friends patching a half inch hole in her right valve cover and a lot of duct tape holding the fairing together.

Lots of bumps, bruises and swelling on yours truly, but healing up nicely.  Sixteen xrays and CT scans on my head and liver but Super Santa rises from the ashes and rides again.

Surely gives one food for thought in the quiet moments.

[Gryphon Rider]

I have two bells, one new one when I got my Valk  in 2008, the other one is from my shadow sold in 2010.  Do check them every so often to make sure they are they and doing their job.

Last week while gassing up my ole Lady, a guy comes up and ask if they are to let me know how far I am leaning over.  Just laughed at him.  He was a bicycle rider and out of state type.

That's a reasonable question if you have them out near the ends of you crash bars.  Come top think of it, that might be the only reason I would have bells.

[Daniel Meyer]

Bruce, I have never thought about one of those very long.  It seems I have never had one on this Valkyrie, and oops, Saturday my bike fell over.  And I was still on it, and it was still moving, and it was the gravel, and it was the left shoulder on a right hand curve.......   uh, ooops.

Trashed up my sweetie but I rode her home about 300 miles, thanks to friends patching a half inch hole in her right valve cover and a lot of duct tape holding the fairing together.

Lots of bumps, bruises and swelling on yours truly, but healing up nicely.  Sixteen xrays and CT scans on my head and liver but Super Santa rises from the ashes and rides again.

Surely gives one food for thought in the quiet moments.

Yikes! Glad you're up and moving about!

PM me an address and I'll have ya a gremlin bell on the way likity split! (pretty sure "Super Santa, North Pole" ain't gonna cut it...too early in the season!)

You too Bruce!

[Daniel Meyer]

They get worn out too!

[DDT (12)]

Bruce, I have never thought about one of those very long.  It seems I have never had one on this Valkyrie, and oops, Saturday my bike fell over.  And I was still on it, and it was still moving, and it was the gravel, and it was the left shoulder on a right hand curve.......   uh, ooops.

Trashed up my sweetie but I rode her home about 300 miles, thanks to friends patching a half inch hole in her right valve cover and a lot of duct tape holding the fairing together.

Lots of bumps, bruises and swelling on yours truly, but healing up nicely.  Sixteen xrays and CT scans on my head and liver but Super Santa rises from the ashes and rides again.

Surely gives one food for thought in the quiet moments.

Dang! Ray, I really hate to read about this... The first bell I'm gonna buy will be the one I plan to give to you the next time I see you... Hope you hair-up and heal-over real well and real soon, my friend. Dang, now I'm really kicking myself for not being there to keep an eye on you... I was just out there last year and again early this year, so I figured I could get away with missing another of y'all's rides... Sorry!

DDT

[DDT (12)]

They get worn out too!

Yeah, my first one went in stages, too... First the clanger inside disappeared. Someone even observed that I had become a ding-a-ling without a ding-dong... Then the bell part disappeared... Oh well, another friend remedied that deficiency and life was good for quite a few years afterward... until now. And now... a couple of bells at the same time! I'm gonna ponder on this some, you know, to see if there might be some way to extend the life-expectancy and all that...

DDT

[Super Santa]

Crazy times we living in now.

Was riding the Twisted Sisters and my lady decided she wanted to be on top for a change.

[Willow]

I ride with one of the decoration pieces on each of my bikes.  I'm not certain they do what people think they do. I lost two Interstates that were carrying them.  I spent some six weeks in the hospitals over those.  Maybe I need larger bells.

I have a couple of really nice bells if someone wants a gift.  One says JESUS; the other says Lady biker.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Crazy times we living in now.

Was riding the Twisted Sisters and my lady decided she wanted to be on top for a change.

it's always a woman bringing us down. 

[Rams]

I ride with one of the decoration pieces on each of my bikes.  I'm not certain they do what people think they do. I lost two Interstates that were carrying them.  I spent some six weeks in the hospitals over those.  Maybe I need larger bells.

The possibility exists that your hospital stays could have been longer had the bells not played a role, they may have facilitated your trip to the hospital versus the morgue.    Think'n I'd keep that Jesus Bell on your bike if I was you.    

As to whether or not you need larger bells, I wouldn't dream of discussing that issue.  

[The emperor has no clothes]

I ride with one of the decoration pieces on each of my bikes.  I'm not certain they do what people think they do. I lost two Interstates that were carrying them.  I spent some six weeks in the hospitals over those.  Maybe I need larger bells.

I have a couple of really nice bells if someone wants a gift.  One says JESUS; the other says Lady biker.

Even Ed McMahon didn't set them up that good. 

[0leman]

I have two bells, one new one when I got my Valk  in 2008, the other one is from my shadow sold in 2010.  Do check them every so often to make sure they are they and doing their job.

Last week while gassing up my ole Lady, a guy comes up and ask if they are to let me know how far I am leaning over.  Just laughed at him.  He was a bicycle rider and out of state type.

That's a reasonable question if you have them out near the ends of you crash bars.  Come top think of it, that might be the only reason I would have bells.

Didn't mean to highjack this post.  The bells are located close to the engine on the crash bars.  They couldn't hit the ground if I laid her down.  Just strange guy.

[DDT (12)]

The FedEx person came today... and dropped off a package. Yep, inside was a nice note and a really, really nice bell... Ol' Roger done sent me a 'Biker Grandpa Special' bell, and it's a nice 'un too. I'll be mounting it tomorrow and proudly showing it off thereafter. WOW!

Now when I depart this area and ride on to wherever I end up going after my visit here, I can do so with all of the confidence I used to enjoy when I was fully protected before... It sure is comforting to know that thing will be down there doing its important work keeping ALI and me safe... I get a warm fuzzy feeling just thinking about it... Thanks again, Roger... udaman!!!

DDT

P.S. I haven't found yours yet, Super Santa, but I'll be looking real hard...

[Mr Whiskey]

Bruce, this post made me go look,
apparently Little Sheperd Trail in Ky. jus got mine

[DirtyDan]

Keep going buddy

Dan

[RDAbull]

My pleasure Bruce.  Welcome to the official PaPa club of protected riders.

As the Man says:  See ya down the road.

Ride Far, Ride Safe.