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Heading back over causeway back to main main land and home. Rough road again and shaky video.

 

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Just got home from day 2 at the Lone Star Rally.. Wife and I left the house around 11am and arrived in Galveston at 1pm. It's only 90 miles but traffic once we got close was terrible. Weather was great, 50 when left the house and 65 in Galveston. Bevo, remember the Strand yesterday? Thought it was bad? Here's what the crowd looked like today:

For those thinking that's not too bad, it was like that for blocks and blocks in several directions. Now for the good part, great day with wife. We had been looking online for her a leather riding jacket that wasn't your typical looking motorcycle jacket. She has been layering up to try to stay warm and didn't like all the bulk. Leather jackets are expensive, at least for us. Here's the one she had seen and was going to be a Christmas present.

Well Milwaukee Leather had a booth there, being last day they were offering discounts. She tried it on and loved it. Has zip out hoodie liner and is pretty thick soft leather. We asked how much and the sales guy sticker price, $249.99 minus 10%. I was pleased with that. So I popped back, "let me do some math, so that will be $200 out the door, right?" He said yeah, that sounds right. Walking over to the cash register Carla sees matching gloves. She tries them on and a good fit. So I ask the guy, " these go with the jacket, right" He said yes. Now he rings up jacket and gloves and says that will be $268.80. I asked for what. He says jacket and gloves. I tell him I had asked if gloves came with the jacket and you said yes. He replied he thought I was talking about the color. There are at least 20 people in line. Many are listening to our conversation. I calmly state the he had said $200 total out the door for jacket and the gloves went with them. His frustration was starting to set in. He mumbles and then said it will be $216.50. I again remind him when I asked him the total out the door and you had said $200 was right. He then replied that the tax is $16.50. I came back to the total out the door price he had quoted. He was now really getting frustrated. By now about half the people behind me are laughing and cheering every time I reply. This one guy has several hundred dollars of stuff in his arms and states that if the guy doesn't give me what was quoted that he is putting his stuff down and not buying it. About 5 other people chime in and say the same thing. At the end I got the jacket and gloves for an even $200. Sure was a fun transaction. Here's what we got, wanted wife to model but she declined due to her helmet hair.

My wife wanted to see the Charlie Daniels Band but the crowds were bad and no seating. We decided to call it a day and head back. The traffic getting off the island was really bad. The video below shows how some were cutting people off and unsafe. With patients we made it back home safe and sound.

 

[bevo1981]

we traveled all the way south down the coast for about 50 minutes before heading back north and were passing tons of bikers heading towards galveston probably 100 miles away yesterday afternoon. we thought the train of 15 or so spec'd out and lighted up slingshots were neat to see the night before but we passed about 50 in a row down the coast heading towards the rally.

too bad the bike show was either moved or rescheduled. it was not where the rally site said it would be and not where one employee said it would be. glad we got out before it got really crowded.

it was great meeting Les after all these years. i kept thinking i was hanging out with former defense secretary John Bolton.

 

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The finalist for the bike show were on the Strand today across from the stage. When we got there today most of the show bikes were heading out. Was pretty cool watching them drive down the Strand. Some were walked out but most ridden. Several of the bikes wouldn't stay running, some had suicide clutches and kept stalling. Some with the big front tires with stretched front ends couldn't turn, at one place people were picking up the front of bike and pointing them in right direction. But sure was nice bike eye candy. Yes, there were a lot of slingshots, as in hundreds of them today. I've never seen that many in one place. Hopefully the John Bolton reference was for mustache and not political view, or lack of, but I would like his 7 figure book signing deal.