Saturday, September 12

On the kindness of strangers…

One week ago, I arrived home safe and sound. Enough time to reflect on the trip but not nearly enough time to thoroughly process all the experiences, and people I met along the way. I put nearly 6000 miles on Jesse Owens II. It’s now ready for its second service._DSC7663ed

This is a quick note of thanks and appreciation for the kindness of strangers who helped restore my faith in humankind and who made the trip worry-free.

First, a thanks to all the enthusiastic strangers traveling in the opposite direction who took the time to wave clear across the interstate, highway or just across a neighborhood street. Too often I missed returning a wave because I simply wasn’t thinking about it or it had zipped passed me too quickly. Thanks.

Somewhere beyond a 1000 miles the threading on one my Sidi On Road Gore Tex boot ripped. When I arrived in Encinitas, CA, a dear friend took me to a shoe repair.boots2 I don’t know if it was chatting in Spanish with the proprietor that did it, but he charged me $20—a figure I know was a significant underpayment. He sewed the boot and returned them to me with a shine that would pass any Army’s inspection.

Thanks goes to David Brown’s Sport Center in Amarillo, TX. On a Rt. 66 jaunt, one of the fancy little Denali lights that I love broke from its housing. After stopping for gas, I noticed the light precariously dangling near the ground. The silver duct tape I brought along looked unsightly; it would advertise--rather loudly--a flaw in my new bike. Bought some black duct tape that concealed the damage until I reached David Brown’s Motorsports. I was assisted immediately and the light was adhered to the bike with flawless expertise. ECAlightsThe young man who fixed the light, didn’t want payment. I had to nearly force him to take a tip for this help. That kind of service always surprises me—and it’s often a rare experience. I appreciate the kindness shown me at David Brown’s.

Then, there was my visit to “San Diego BMW Motorcycles: Your Gateway to Adventure.”  I desired a simple check up before heading home, and I expected to pay a minimum of $100 for the peace of mind. After the check up, Brent Rackstein, the Service Manager, gave me his “A-Okay” on the bike. He waved off charging me and sent me on my way. I was more than a little surprised—it took time to go over the bike. Such thoughtfulness is always greatly appreciated, especially when you’re far from home and you’ve been on the road for weeks.   selfiebk

From the moment I walked in I felt welcomed; I felt understood; and, I witnessed how San Diego BMW Motorcycles truly lives up to its “Gateway to Adventure” tagline. I think I said it in another blog entry, but it bears repeating: If I lived anywhere in southern California, San Diego BMW Motorcycles would be my go-to shop for service and accessories—loved their selection of motorcycle wear. Oh, how I wish the BMW service shop nearest me had such interest in customer service. To get service similar to San Diego, I must travel 100 miles beyond Chicago to Milwaukee—it’s worth it. So, THANK YOU San Diego BMW Motorcycles for helping to make my “adventure” worry-free. DSC00205e

Upcoming:

On the kindness of friends...

Japanese American National Museum…

Strange things said to me on the road…

Stopping in a Sundown Town…

World War II & the Eisenhower Library and Museum…

7 comments:

RichardM said...

A cool post! Too often we get so annoyed by less than stellar customer service that we forget about the great experiences. A thumbs up to all of those businesses and their outstanding employees!

VStar Lady said...

So glad you had wonderful experiences on the road. I've always found the service shops to be very helpful and accommodating when I've been travelling - everything from squeezing me in for a tire change to finding me a nice place to stay in the area. Glad to hear you are back safe and sound.

SonjaM said...

Friendly encounters on the road are the essence of a wonderful trip. It makes you feel better, and it makes you feel safe ;-)

Cheers from the road, SonjaM

Unknown said...

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Robert said...

Really, you are very lucky to find those guys, and I am shocked that you covered 6000 miles of travel alone, hats off man.

Greg Prosmushkin said...
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