I pull myself up on my pegs so I can look over the concrete wall of the bridge, Sail boats with white sails billowing in the wind cruise the bay. I looked left and saw in the distance the St. Augustine light house, the Castillo de San Marco, the Bridge of Lions, the towers of Flagler College. This bridge is kind of humpy with a slight turn in it, and empties on to a little street of older homes. Today was no different that any other time I've come down on a week end. The light here is a little slow but at least one can watch one of the oldest outdoor Merry Go Rounds go round. I think its like 1.00 to ride it. here the streets are weirdly marked and if your not used to how the traffic should flow sometimes ya get cut off, I don't know its all bumpy and has funky crowns in it, this one lane one for one one lane then two so it is tricky. As one approaches the Castillo de San Marco you want to be in the Left lane after the Florida School for the Death and Blind, which in the fall puts on a fantastic car show, if you want to one get into the Castillo or cross the Bridge of Lions. There are a lot of tourist and some times they just worry. If you want to stroll the old city stay right there. I parked in the National Park parking lot and grabbed a motorcycle spot. I pulled in tight and forward so that is another single bike wanted to squeeze into this spot they could. Sunday's parking is free here in St. Augustine so its hard to get a spot at times. I share if I can who knows it might help others with the ah moment.
Since it really was nice enough I decided to stroll through the Olde City, I'm going to the Columbian. It has two little courtyards, a first and second floor may be one of the buildings here since maybe the 1600's +/-. It has a little water fountain in the front court yard, I try on nice days to sit in the other courtyard. I'm taking through the restaurant to a set of french doors then out into the court yard. I sit down knowing what I already want. Its this time that I sit looking around the reason for the ride comes to the front of my thoughts, while riding and walking I could put it away and tuck it down in the back but now I can't. I took that bike out to make sure she stays charged up, exchange the fuels, keep the seals from drying out from lack of use, and to help "Special K" sell her. It is a sad time for sure. She couldn't even watch me leave on her, it had her so upset, man I can so relate to "K". The world can be an awesome place or it can be very cruel but one thing is for sure its ever changing and unexpecting. Ya learn to roll with the punches or ya torn down and have to rebuild ya know, sometimes a choice isn't given and this my friends is one of them times.
A struggle its been the last few years have been rough on all of us, and I don't mean in the financial sense I mean in the emotional and health sense. Let's face it if you got health, darling you can go and get your wealth. When does it start? Man, when I was told I would live 3 months and that the treatment no one finished or lives through them. Yeah, it just about killed me, I went for 5 day follow up and said to me doc man this don't feel right. I had bloodwork at the in house lab before the appointment and while I was in the exam room an ambulance was called to take right over to the er so I'm thinking that ain't good, at that exact time "K's" aunt was experiencing the last month of her life, and her 2 year old niece was given days. 5 month prior to this point her Father passed on. I didn't call her I just sat in the hospital for the 2 weeks they kept me. When she came up to visit and vent with me she found I wasn't home, she called me boss whom told her where I was and why. So she came to the hospital to see me. She bent my ear and dumped the family problems and heavy grief and mourning the family was experiencing. When I was released her Mom insisted that I live with them to complete my treatment cause I shouldn't be living alone now.
The niece passes away, the aunt is ready to pass and "K" just ain't feeling right, doctor says way to much stress and gives her some meds. She starts to look pale and is always tired, can't seem to catch her breath, and sighs a lot. Well, she has become a diabetic, then further investigation she has either heart disease or COPD. Now she's all wound up cause was fine until she went to the Doctor, lol I tell her why did you go them?; Turns out she's COPD, had a stint placed, diabetic, hyperthyroid and at one point really liked that idea. Mans she could eat drink anything and everything and still loss weight, she didn't what to get treated for that, no shit right I'd feel the same way. But well they treat her but wait several months to do so. Then she started complaining about her glasses and that she just got them two years ago, lol she goes to see the optho and he tell her she's got Grey's disease and that her eye sight will never improve and glasses might help. She had to wait like 5 months to get the glasses and discovered that she just was having a hard time with perception, her words "I feel like I'm looking out of two fish bowls" not a good thing for a rider at all. We tried a couple of times to go riding but she was just struggling and it wasn't worth it man. Its your life ya know, its a hard thing to do but sell the bike she will, and doesn't want it at her house, she doesn't want to look at it.
I sit there in the courtyard and finish up my cuban and mojito. Man they make the best mojitos here. They do really, for they make their own crush the mint, sugar and lime and sit over night and aid the rum and club soda next day, I asked about it. I paid and made my way back to the bike. I think I will come here and stroll around with "K" maybe next weekend, because I'm really not in the mood to do so know. I shake it all off and leave it behind as I walk passed the old catholic church, little shop fromts, looked out over the bay and the line of horses for hire. I get on the bike and go. I decided not to take A1A but took US 1 instead. At the Merry Go round ya go straight and keep going, the street yields at US 1. Once on one its two lanes for the most part home, along the way there are housing developments, new strip malls, the area was in a giant growth spirt but the economy kind of slowed it down a great deal. I went passed the greyhound track, I had that place! Passed the Rooster, the place was jamming I could hear the band, but dudes I just wasn't into it ya know. I hit 9A then jammed up JTB to Kernan, then back to the development ant into its little nest we went.
Told her I didn't think it had any problems and seemed to run well, and yes maybe next week she will come up to my place and pick me up, we'll go get some wings throw back some beers maybe catch the band at Cliff;s then later ride Special K's bike home so I can ride her around and see if we can get a buyer that way. I lost a very good riding buddy, a great teacher and student and road trip partner. Man I remember looking back in my mirrors at times and see her really big grin she was wearing while she road. It was the same one as her dad's. Man he was so proud of her when she had be bring that rebel home for her. One of the times I went to pick her up for a cruise we were just babbling ya know and he slapped her on the back and said its about time "K", no more property of nonsense, now we have to get you that Patch that says "No Man's Bitch". LOL! Moe was a really a great guy, I smile as I think of that moment. Oh geeze I'm going to have to tell you the stories of her growing into the rider she was, what a pistol. I"m home, got my bike in the garage now. I guess it was one of them bitter sweet days, filled with the crap we have to do like it or not, and a day that not one eventful thing happened and everyone is home in one piece. have a great one! "T"
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