At 1442 hrs I pulled out of my driveway. Cindy asked me if I checked my tires. I told her I would on my first stop. I always do a tire check before I ride.
I made it through Houston ahead of the evening rush, and pulled in fornt of Royers Round Top Cafe at 1700. I eased the bike back into a spot directly in front of the establishment. While putting down the kick-stand, I slid on some gravel and dropped her onto her side (gently). The good news is that I righted her quickly. Anytime a BMW is on her side, a small amount of engine oil accumulates around the spark plug, and when the bike is started, a huge plume of smoke is emitted from the exhaust. The bad news is that I parked the bike with the exhaust aimed at Royers front door.
After a few deep breaths, I entered the restaurant and ordered an iced tea and a menu. It all looked good, but I settled on an appetizer of grilled quail followed by a 10 ounce cut of beef tenderloin cooked perfectly rare. Two good choices. Forget about chasing hamburgers.
While paying for my meal, I mentioned to the cashier that she would see a bunch of smoke coming from my bike. She told me not to worry about it, so I didn't.
As I approached my bike, I noticed a spot on my rear tire. Upon closer examination, I realized that not only did I have a bald spot on the tire, steel cord was exposed and fraying. Not good. I needed a new tire, and I was running out of daylight. A quick sort through the decision making process and I new San Marcos was out of the question. The real questions were 1. where to find a tire and 2. could I find a spot to get off of the road before dark? In an instant, I decided to go to Lone Start Cycles (BMW & Triumph) in Austin. Off to the races....
...but before I close this post... I did wait until a few ladies who were heading to the cafe entered the building and closed the door before I made contact with the starter. Now off to the races in a cloud of blue smoke....
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