OMD Travelogue | Day 22 – Mallory Paige

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_counter num_start=”0″ num_end=”0″ num_speed=”1500″ num_prefix=”” num_suffix=”” num_color=”#2ecc71″ text_above=”Rode for” text_below=”Minutes” text_color=””][x_gap size=”45px” class=”x-hide-xl x-hide-lg x-hide-md “][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_counter num_start=”0″ num_end=”0″ num_speed=”1500″ num_prefix=”” num_suffix=”” num_color=”#3498db” text_above=”Covered” text_below=”Miles” text_color=””][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]How does it look from your angle?

We’re lying on opposite sides of the the bike, shining a light into the oil drain. Like a road long forgotten, the threads are faint reminders of what had been. The mystery of the missing drain plug, no longer much of a mystery.

Helicoil time.

Tom’s got the know-how, now we just need the part. No luck at the neighborhood auto parts shop. Call a store across town, they don’t have anything that large. Swing by a fastener specific warehouse, the pitch is wrong.

I follow Tom around wide-eyed as he brainstorms the next option. Not only would what we’ve accomplished in this last hour have taken me an entire day of internet research, I would’ve been completely out of ideas after this string of part-seeking strike outs.

Seeing a bike parked in front of an auto shop he veers off the road.

Looks like Chad is here, let’s check with him.

In addition to being a top-notch mechanic, Chad turns out to be a renowned rider and fantastically helpful contact. I’m hopeful this meeting is just a serendipitous introduction as I’m sure I could follow wide-eyed soaking up knowledge from him.

But that’s a project for another day. Right now we have parts in hand and a job to finish.

Mission accomplished, we fire up the bike. It sounds worlds better than it did 72 hours ago. Nothing’s guaranteed, but that’s life.

We make a plan for the test-run adventure. Explore the Kenai peninsula, hit up Homer and return to Anchorage to give Rufio another look over.

Right now I’ve got a plane to catch. My sister’s getting hitched; it’s time to put on a party dress, scrape the grease from under my nails, and celebrate.

22 days down. Many to come.[/x_text][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_line][x_creative_cta padding=”25px 25px 25px 25px” text=”Read More from
Operation Moto Dog!” font_size=”36px” icon=”hand-o-right” icon_size=”48px” animation=”slide-top” link=”http://mallorypaige.com/blog” color=”” bg_color=”#ce901c” bg_color_hover=”#78dbce”][/x_column][/x_row][/x_section][x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 45px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_feature_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h2″ icon=”motorcycle” class=”center-text “]Get Bonus Stories[/x_feature_headline][x_text class=”center-text “]Each week we’ll send you behind the scenes stories & pics from Operation Moto Dog.
Sign up below. –>