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| San Joaquin Valley, 1979 |
Later in the day we'd get popped by a nice CHP officer who took exception to us doing 80 mph on a winding country road on warm, wonderful day. After we stopped he looked us over and said "Looked to me like you were doing 65." "Yes sir" we replied, "We were doing 65, sir!" "I thought you'd see it my way" he said, and went on "You look like nice people, I don't want to take you to jail and spoil your day, but slow down." He wrote us up for 65 mph in a 50 mph zone and we gladly signed our tickets.
Oh yeah, someone stuck a WWII airplane in the roof of a gas station. Post WWII roadside marketing at it's best.
update: The airplane is still there.
6 comments:
Great stuff.
By now, the airplane has been pulled down and is either recycled into frying pans or has been restored.
What I like most about the bikes are the idea that in 1979, an 850 was considered a 'big' bike capable of touring and add-ons like a full Vetter and bags. These days, most people would consider an 850 a beginners bike and not capable of anything but around town use.
What's up with the totally matching bikes?
wow, im sure i visited this same spot yrs ago. great bikes, great plane, fun memory (and very cool that chp officer let you off easy), and excellent pic doug.
Jac, there were actually three matching bikes. I was telling my business partner Chris I was going to buy one when our friend Paul walked in. Paul decided he needed one too. Since I was the motorcycle guy they opted to just outfit the bikes pretty much as I did mine. We went down to the Suzuki dealer and ordered three identical bikes. He was a very happy dealer.
MQ, there was another plane out on Highway 99 that was stuck into the roof of a tavern. I saw that one many times as a kid driving by with my parents but didn't see the gas station version out near Hanford, I think, until the late '70s.
Doug:
I had a lot of Suzuki's around that time too. In 1981 I upgraded to the GS1100L but I have few photos back then. I'm making up for lost time now
Have a Happy New Year and keep the photos coming
bob
Wet Coast Scootin
Though I couldn't put a finger on what it is, there's something about that picture that really screams late 70's. It can't be the bikes because I don't know enough about 'em to recognize period differences, but it's a great shot all around of a time I often wish I could revisit.
Best wishes for a great New Year. Happy 2011!
- Joe at Scootin' da Valley
Well i would not like to spark on the planes but hey its the Suzuki 850s that's getting wonder. Nice to hear something that i was not even born, Nice ride (then) & nice story you got.
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