June, 22 - Honda Hoot - 3rd Day

Then we headed out into the country to ride to a company named Bushtec, which makes motorcycle trailers.  This company was hosting people at the rally, first for lunch and then for a guided tour of their manufacturing facility.  Bushtec is the "Cadillac" of the motorcycle trailer industry.  Their process was very impressive, and now we know why motorcycle trailers cost quite a bit.  There is a lot of hand work in making the fiberglass body, and sanding, painting, sanding and painting again.  Clearly they take a lot of pride in turning out a first class trailer.

Now for a "Small World" story.  When Deane was selling his red Gold Wing 1500 to buy his new blue Gold Wing 1800, he had it on consignment  through an Albuquerque motorcycle accessory and sales business, the "Accessory Pit".  In turn they advertised it through the Internet, as well as locally.  After some bites from Florida and Massachusetts over the Internet, a couple from Michigan was interested, called to find out about its condition, accessories, etc., and wound up buying it over the phone.  It was to be a new bike for the wife, Kim, and the husband Ernie flew to Albuquerque and rode the Gold Wing 1500 back to Michigan.  Deane met Ernie for just a few minutes as he was getting ready to leave Albuquerque for Michigan.

Well, when we turned into the parking lot of Bushtec in Tennessee, Kim and Ernie were there with her "new" red Gold Wing 1500, that used to be Deane's!   We spent a little while comparing notes, and went away musing "What a small world!"

Then Norm, Kay, and I went on to the next Honda Hoot sponsored activity, a visit and dinner at the "Museum of Appalachia", which is a gathering of historic buildings, furniture, and tools.  By this time it had started to rain lightly, and we rode the 20 miles or so to the Museum.  We were directed to parking in a grass pasture, and that concerned Norm and I, about how it would be to get out.  Several hundred other motorcyclists parked their bikes there also.  As we walked into the museum building area, it just poured!  After waiting a while till it let up a little, we decided to just get on the bikes and get those big Gold Wings out of there, before the other 600 or so motorcycles turned that pasture into mud.  We got out all right, but not without some slipping and sliding.  In returning to our motel, we rode through lessening rain and made it OK.  Then it rained hard again.  That's where they get all that greenery!

All in all, it was a good day despite the rain.  We were prepared for it, with good rain clothes, and by taking it easy riding we fared all right. 

No pictures today, because of the rain.

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