Joan & Curtis

SUNDAY

Day one. You don’t expect to lose a rider on the first day but that is exactly what happened on this day. In 2012 we started in Chewelah and headed east in to Idaho. First up was a nice climb followed by a descent where we saw this

Just one? Where did the other 199 go?

Well, Fast Eddy saw the sign and more importantly what was right after it, a commune. Hippies in 2012! Diapers drying on the line. That distinctive odor being wafted in our direction. Fast right turn for Ed and that is the last we saw of him.

We rode on in to Idaho. What Cascade didn’t tell us is the area was littered with white supremacists. Peacefully riding along we were stopped by some “boys” armed with AR-15’s, cheap beers in hand. They discussed if these frigging liberals were worth shooting and leaving for vulture bait. We were given one chance to prove we were not the liberals (in spandex no less) that they thought we were.

The Cog Father, Howard, stepped up and explained that he had voted for Barry Goldwater. OK, we were almost released. I told them that I once went to hear Curtis LeMay speak. We were off! Did the Cog Father lie to some good old boys in order to secure our freedom? Probably just one of those “alternative facts” that seem so handy.

So you have an inkling on who Curtis was but how does he fit in to this story?
Many of you know I went to a boarding school for high school. It is located in Pebble Beach and seems to have the ability to get well known speakers. When I was a freshman, Joan Baez came and talked. For all of about 2 minutes. This was in the Vietnam era and she was explaining how to evade the draft. Very quickly the administration ushered her off the stage. A couple of years later for the big Father’s Dinner, Curtis LeMay was on the same stage. Most of the teachers were seated up there and when he was introduced they all stood up and left. Many of the teachers were still draft eligible and didn’t want to hear about bombing people into the stone age. They didn’t even like the fact that Rat Patrol was being filmed on the sand dunes near the school.

Now a word from today's sponsor...
Arlo Guthrie who had plenty to say about the Vietnam War

Dinnertime came and went, no sign of Ed. He really had trouble on RAW getting lured in to questionable establishments. Along with the commune he also had problems with a hair dresser, nail salon and the Cobra Lounge.