Catching fire and blowing head a gasket in Graceland.

From Bowling Green we were supposed to head straight down to my so to speak colleague, Guzzi-Doug in Alabama. However, my Danish friend and Nimbus-dude Fin Ohlendorf insisted we had to drop by Graceland to get some pics of the bikes outside Graceland.

As Fin’s biggest Hero is Elvis, and he’s said we’re heroes to him on par with Elvis I really had to take the detour. Besides, I really didn’t mind seeing the palace of the last true king.

The result of this detour was impeccable. My bike caught serious fire just before Memphis. I tore off my jacket to hold down the fire while Klaus managed to get a fire extinguisher that didn’t work. Luckily for me, but not for the jacket I managed to totally put out the fire with the jacket. After 10 years, 100 000 kilometers and about 25 countries, eaten by rats in India and facing temperatures from -25 to +55 centigrade it had to give in for a fire in America. Needless to say, it will be repaired rather than scrapped.

For the bike, we could still move on with the damages. When we somewhat delayed reached Memphis we didn’t get hold of the guy we were supposed to stay with. Luckily, thanks to Guzzi-Doug we found another guy, Grant, that took us in though it was late in the night.

In the morning we went to Graceland to get Fin’s pictures. As soon as we were outside Graceland it was clear my head gasket had blown, or rather my motorcycle’s head gasket. There were no other options than replacing it on the spot. Big thanks to Fin that forced us to this cursed place, and giving me the opportunity to be the worlds first person to replace a head gasket at Graceland.

Ildløs og brændt toppakning ved Graceland

Fra Bowling Green skulle vi egentlig være kørt direkte sydpå til en slags kollega, Guzzi-Doug i Alabama. Men min danske ven og Nimbuskumpan Fin Ohlendorff havde insisteret på at vi tog forbi Graceland for at få billeder af maskinerne udenfor stedet. Siden Elvis er Fins største helt, og han havde sagt at Klaus og jeg var helte på samme niveau som Elvis, måtte vi bare køre omvejen. Bortset fra det, så havde jeg intet imod at se den sidste ægte konges palads.

Resultatet af denne omvej var i højeste klasse; Der gik ild i min Nimbus lige før Memphis, så jeg måtte flå jakken af for at holde ilden nede, mens Klaus fik fat i en ildslukker der ikke virkede. Heldigvis for mig - men ikke for jakken – blev ilden slukket på denne vis. Efter 10 år, 100.000 kilometer og ca. 25 lande, bidt af rotter i Indien og at have været udsat for temperaturer fra -25 til +55 grader Celcius, måtte den give op over for en brand i Amerika. Selvfølgelig bliver den ikke kasseret, men repareret.

Hvad motorcyklen angik kunne vi sagtens køre videre trods skaderne. Da vi noget forsinket kom frem til Memphis, kunne vi ikke få fat på fyren vi skulle bo hos, men takket være Guzzi-Doug fandt vi så frem til en anden fyr, Grant, der tog os ind selv om det var godt sent på natten.

Om morgenen tog vi til Graceland for at tage billeder til Fin. Så snart vi nåede frem stod det klart at min Nimbus' toppakning var gået igen. Ikke andet at gøre end at fixe det på stedet. Mange, mange tak til Fin der tvang os til at køre hen til stedet med alle forbandelserne, og for at give mig muligheden for at være den første der skifter toppakning ved Graceland.

Exactly here beside this train it caught fire. Probably this locomotive used to transport souls to Hell so it was bad karma around it.

lige nøjagtig her ved siden af toget opstod ilden. Lokomotivet har sikkert været brugt til at transporteret sjæle til Helvede, så der var dårlig karma omkring det.

Pure luck that it did not go totally wrong, the tank were full and had a bad leak. "Please don't burn down Graceland at least" was Fin's comment.

Rent held at det ikke gik fuldstændigt galt; benzintanken var fuld og lækkede slemt. "Lad vær' med at brænde Graceland til jorden", var Fins kommentar.

The jacket had a bad day. The piece that was eaten off by Indian rats in 2006 was nothing in comparison. Funny enough, that too happened nearby a train, at Nagpur train station. Anyhow, now the jacket is 5 centimeters too short on the arms.

Denne jakke havde en dårlig dag. Det stykke som var spist af indiske rotter i 2006 er intet i sammenligning med dette. Spøjst at det skete nær et tog, på Nagpur Station. Nå, men nu er jakken 5 cm for kort på ærmerne.

In Grant's garage, he took us in though we were not expected and called late in the night. That's the good spirit you often meet in the motorcycle community.
I Grant's garage - han tog os ind selv om vi kom uventet og sent på natten. Det er den gode ånd man ofte møder i mc-sammenhæng.

The Graceland sign is in the background.
Graceland skiltet ses i baggrunden.

Gracious Graceland.