Almost Time!

Only a few more days before I fly off to Florida and pick up the motorcycle. Sharon is still concerned about the security of buying a motorcycle via EBay. She keeps saying that the guys going to take my money and then my kidney. Silly girl. I'm not the least bit concerned...but we'll see.

Sometimes I do make mistakes trying to save a couple of bucks but when it's $2000-3000 bucks, it's worth the risk...although buying from a Platinum Dealer on EBay isn't much risk...I think it will be fine.

This weekend I will be trying to figure out what I can get into a bag I can carry on the airplane and still be able to secure it on the motorcycle. Fortunately, I don't think the temperature will be a factor except early in the mornings...when I'll wear a long sleeve t and maybe a light pullover. Of course, I need to take a rain suit. All this, plus a few necessities...shaving kit, book, computer, clean underwear, shirts, etc...will fit into a bag. My only question is will it fit into the overhead. After Sharon's bag got lost coming back from Miami, I'm a little leery to check it.

I'm also going to have a helmet bag. I figure I can stuff a few things inside the helmet, like gloves, maps, GPS...if I have one that works...and the like. Sharon said I can carry on two bags...one luggage and one personal. If the luggage bag fits into the overhead bin then I'm home free.

I hope to be able to take pictures and the computer and update the blog every night, but if space becomes a problem I may have to leave the computer at home and update the blog after I get home...that just won't be the same as making updates each evening but I guess I'll just have to wait and see when I start filling up the bag. I'm bad about stuffing the bag with just about anything I think I might need for the trip. The volume of the bag is usually the determining factor as to what I end up taking. In this case, the bag is relatively small...not near as large as the one I took to DC back in May. On that trip, everyone gave me a hard time for bringing everything, including the kitchen sink. I have to admit that I definitely had the biggest bag.

On this trip I will not be carrying the kitchen sink, nor a fraction of what I carried to DC, but then again, I'm not going to be gone nearly as long.

I hope everyone reading this is enjoying it. I'll be back with you on Monday night.

Pappa Jax

Speed Bump

I know everyone out there will agree with me that speed bumps in a parking lot are a major irritant...especially for those who have low riding cars. Well, I had a little speed bump in the purchase of my new motorcycle yesterday but just like you can sometimes drive around speed bumps...or go between them on a motorcycle...I managed not to let this speed bump slow me down too much.

When I needed to borrow some funds to buy the new Harley, I immediately thought of the Travis Federal Credit Union. I had financed my last motorcycle with them and I had been a member for 28 years. Initially, the process went very smoothly, being approved for the loan via the Internet. However, then the human element got involved and it all went to you know where.

First, the credit union told me the dealer had to send them everything...bill of sale, description of the motorcycle, copy of the title, etc...before they would send him a check. Then they did not like the way the dealer...granted he's an independent dealer...wrote up his bill of sale. Next, they said that they could only offer me an unsecured loan...at 17% interest!...because their name would not be on the title I received from the State of Florida. They would not trust me to send them a title from the State of Texas...with their name showing as lienholder...even though I have been a long-time member.

The final straw came yesterday...Tuesday morning to be exact...when, in the interest of time, I called them to say I would accept their 17% unsecured loan. The loan office supervisor had told me on Monday evening that once I changed over the title to Texas the unsecured loan would automatically be switched over to a more reasonable secured loan. Well, the loan officer who I talked to on Wednesday told a completely different story.

She said that the switch was not automatic and in addition, I had to re-apply for the unsecured loan. After looking at my accounts at the credit union, she decided that I could request an increase in a signature loan...12% interest...and use the funds there to purchase the motorcycle, then change over to a secured loan when I had the bike titled in Texas. Oh, by the way, I had to apply for the increase!

Well, after that fiasco of a phone call, I hung up and called USAA. I don't know why I never had a loan with them before but I'll tell you this, I'll always go back to them first. The process to procure a loan took about 5 minutes. Even before their loan officer said anything, I laid all the facts out on the table. He didn't even blink an eye...or I assume he didn't since he immediately said "no problem". He said he would trust me to send them the title once I got back to Texas and had it transferred over. He didn't even need a bill of sale. He said he trusted me to do what I said I would do...now, that's the way to display excellent customer service!

He sent the check to me overnight and I should receive it today before 3pm...amazing difference between the two institutions. I'm really going to enjoy calling Travis and telling them to stuff their loan...but only after I have the USAA check in my hand of course.

Well, I'm happy and the dealer is happy so there shouldn't be too many more speed bumps from this point on.

Off Again!

It's been a while since I rode any further than to work and back since returning from Washington last May. However, since the demise of my old motorcycle, I have purchased a new one...in Florida!

How, you may ask, did my old motorcycle die? Well, I'll give you the short version. On a Friday, about three weeks ago, as I was returning to my office from a meeting on the main A&M campus, a woman pulled out in front of me...said she never saw me...and in order to avoid her I went down. I fared pretty well...five broken ribs and a punctured lung...but the motorcycle did not. The insurance company did not take very long to decide that is was a total loss.

I went down to the tow yard only a week after the accident, removed my personal belongings from the ruined saddlebags and said goodbye. I never got to take a trip with the new fairing...I can only assume that it was going to work as advertised.

After I received the insurance settlement check, I quickly began to look around eventually going with a bike I found on the Internet that was listed substantially below blue book retail value. Oh, one other item of interest to some of you...I have now crossed over to the dark side. The new motorcycle is a Harley, as shown in the pictures attached.

The hardest part of this purchase has been dealing with a dealer on the east coast and a credit union on the west coast. As of today, I finally think the credit union is satisfied with everything, although I have yet to receive the final confirmation call.

I sure hope the credit union end of the deal works out because I've already made my airline reservations...non-transferable and non-refundable...down to West Palm Beach where the dealer will pick me up. I'm planning on a leisurely three-day ride back to College Station after that.

I invite you to follow along once again as I tread new territory...or at least territory I haven't seen in 15-20 years. I'm sure a lot has changed along the various interstates and highways I'll be traveling so it will almost seem like new territory to me.

I fly out of Houston on October 5th. Until then, there will only be emails and phone calls tying up in loose ends....I hope.