Erik on the Cannonball

[jeanne z]

If you are interested in following along, here is the link for Erik Bahl's page on the day to day cannonball.

http://www.smokymountainamca.org/202...cle-cannonball

[HSV-Phil]

Thanks for sharing Erik's on-going story Jeanne! It sounds more challenging than what we're doing. Rode from Albany, NY to Lebanon, NH today [much rain & awfully slow drivers in the rain!]
Cheers, P&K

A view of the Saratoga Battlefield from the closed Visitors' Center...
K-Saratoga.jpg.jpeg

[Vance]

Looks like Erik is hanging in really well. I am amazed at what it takes to make these runs. Our own John and Jeanne Z know all too well! Good luck Erik and thanks for letting us ride along...virtually (seems like we have used that word a lot lately aye?)

[jeanne z]

Today's leg of the Cannonball has been called due to the amt of rainfall and flooded roads en route. The riders will get to the stop in Trussville by their support vehicle.

[jdubeemer]

Today's leg of the Cannonball has been called due to the amt of rainfall and flooded roads en route. The riders will get to the stop in Trussville by their support vehicle.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[jdubeemer]

Did anyone see or hear from Erik or find out where they spent the night in BHM?

[jeanne z]

Eriks friend Les Willey from up on Monte Sano met him and was there for the departure in Birmingham. Les is a long time club member and vintage Beemer guy who has worked with Erik on a lot of things with his bikes over the years. The Cannonall videographer actually did a very short not quite interview with Erick in the parking lot before they left the hotel.

[jeanne z]

Erik is out. Something made him stop. "rough road" Almost decided to limp in the last 20ish miles. So glad he didn't. This was posted on the AMCA Smokey Mountain Chapter FB page. Bummer but Wow.

[jdubeemer]

Thankful he wasn't in a wreck!!!

[jdubeemer]

Well congrats Erik for limping it across the finish line. Will you be able to find the original parts to fix it or can it just be welded back together?

[beemererik]

Howdy All!

Thanks Jeanne for posting a bit about my latest endeavor. I am back in Huntsville with a slightly damaged 106 year old Harley. This route was the most challenging out of my four runs. The roads were very rough for the ~3800 mile journey. Many bikes suffered frame and fork cracking even though we were doing ~45mph... We had a handful of people end up in the hospital (I think at least two broken legs), and there were probably 10+ bike pile up at different times in a tunnel on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Jeanne and John showed up on our rest day in Murfreesboro (day of work and continuous light rain). On these events I always regret not having more time to socialize with all of my long term friends, but the truth is I am struggling to keep my bike on the road and hold my position in the meet. I had an angel on my shoulder (not the first time as some of you know) when my front forks collapsed with ~two full riding days left. I bolted them together to ride across the start and finish on the final day. Keep in mind, even though I have drifted away from the BMW meets to these early bike events, I always have you guys and my earlier BMW riding/camping events in my mind when I am tearing across America with the throttle wide open at 47MPH (with a tail wind). As a lot of you know I have drifted into bikes built before BMW was building motorcycles, and that is why you have not seen much of me for better or worse?? So my current project is a 96 year old Henderson Deluxe - this is a four cylinder bike that was favored by the police. Here is a link to my lame attempt to document my recent Cannonball event.

http://www.smokymountainamca.org/202...cle-cannonball

[NickSaggy]

The gunners
just like Arsenal
Who else is a big fan?