The Other Dog

It was LEL2 and I was riding a totally new racer for this year. It was based on a CL100. Since I had problems with the previous year’s race, my wife recruited my sons to follow me in a chase vehicle and “bring the old coot home, safely”. Since I had the luxury of a chase vehicle, and a spare motor, why not bring the motor along, just in case. Well I was not 20 miles into the race and I completely lost electrical power. Repeated attempts at changing the coil and battery would not correct the problem. At the possibility that the alternator was at fault, I decided to find a fully equipped cycle shop with an open lift and full set of tools. Since I did not see that happening, I selected a driveway which led to a farm house. We immediately got to it and were well aware of a snarling mass of man eating dog beast trying for all he was worth to break the chain on his neck and reduce the human population count by a few heads. We worked harder and faster with a sense of self-preservation on our minds.  Half way into the change out, a lady cracked open the farm house door and warned us not to come any closer to the house or she would release the other, MEANER, dog inside. We changed the motor and were back on the road in 45 minutes! 
Unfortunately, my electrical problems persisted and after a talk with a sympathetic Highway Trooper, we packed it in. As the trooper said, maybe it just was not meant to be this year.

Crazy Ken and chase crew, John and Paul.