Day Two - Tuesday
I woke at five, showered again then was on the road by six thirty after eating at Denny's again. I pulled into Tampa about noon.
Since I didn't know whether I wanted to be on the coast or farther inland like Tampa, I bought a newspaper to see if I could find a place to rent. There were several places that looked promising but I knew that I needed a place to put the bike, as it was something that needed securing.
The property manager that answered the phone listened to what I wanted and for how long I thought I might want it then suggested a place that she had in a trailer park. She gave me directions and I was to meet her there at two.
The place was a little north of Tampa in an older trailer park that looked peaceful and quiet. I met the lady who I had talked to in front of a smallish trailer that had a large shed attached to it. The shed was at the very end of the trailer with the front of the shed at beginning of the trailer. The most interesting part of the property was the huge patio cover attached to the trailer. It was a sturdy structure like a carport only bigger covering a concrete deck creating an extremely nice very large patio. A very large grassy area separated the little trailer between it and the trailer across from it. The trailers or large mobile homes in the row behind the trailer were fairly close. The large area was almost like a big yard with nice grass. There were no hook-ups sticking out of the ground so it wasn't for another trailer site. This gave the little trailer and the patio a little privacy. Something different for a trailer park. Or would that be mobile home or manufactured home park.
"This is owned by a couple who recently bought a home in Tampa. They used go back up north every summer but have now sold their place up there and are full time Florida residents." She was unlocking the door to the trailer and telling me more, "the place is pretty small with only two small bedrooms but that is all they needed. They have left if furnished and have even left pots and pans along with some dinner ware and flatware so you won't have to go out and buy some right away."
After looking around inside, she went outside and opened the big door on the shed. It was about fifteen feet deep and ten feet wide with a workbench on one side and shelves along the back.
"The owner repaired lawn mowers and small engines here. It should hold your motorcycle easily. What do you think of the place?"
I thought for just a minute then replied, "I like it. This should be fine but I don't want a long term lease as I may not want to spend my entire vacation here."
"If you will give me three months rent up front, I don't have to charge a security deposit and I think the owners will agree to not having a lease." The property manager lady got out her cell phone then called the owners and discussed the deal.
After speaking to the owners for a minute she handed me the phone. A voice on the other end said, "Hi there young fellow. I'm Abe the owner of the trailer. I'll take your deal if you allow me to come meet you. If that's okay, just go ahead and move in. I'll be out there in an hour or so."
"That's fine Abe," I answered "come on out and we'll have a coke or coffee of something. I don't have much to move in, but I do have to get my motorcycle off the back of my pickup. Do you know of a couple of guys here that might help?"
"There are guys out there that will help but how about I bring a ramp out and we'll just roll it off your truck. How about I pick up a six pack and we'll have a beer after we get your cycle off the truck."
"Sounds good Abe. See you soon."
The property manager lady had a rental agreement all made out so I wrote her out a check for the three months and signed the agreement. She said she would wait for Abe to come out so she could give him the check. I told her to go in and turn on the air and relax inside. Instead she took a lawn chair out of her trunk and sat on the shaded patio.
I pulled the truck around and backed up so the rear was facing the shed. I untied the straps holding the bike and then set the bike on its kickstand readying it to be taken off the back easily.
While I was doing that, an older couple came out of the trailer next door and came up to me, "hi, we are the Nelson's your neighbor," the gentleman said pointing from where they had just come. This is Glenda and I am Martin."
I stuck out my hand to shake and said, "I'm Steve Sharp glad to meet you."
"You here to work or just passing through?" Martin asked looking at the bike.
"Actually, I'm on a long vacation. I've been working on oil platforms and oil fields and up in Alaska on the pipeline and need a break. This seems like a good place to do it," I said smiling at them.
"You see Glenda, he just looks a little rough, he's a nice young man," Martin reassured a blushing Glenda.
A little Ford Ranger pickup truck pulled up in front of my truck and stopped. A wiry little man hoped out of the truck and came up to me, "I'm Abe, you Steve?"
"Yes sir. I'm Steve Sharp. Nice to meet you sir."
Abe looked at me and grinned then turned to Martin and Glenda, "he's got manners too. Glenda you don't have a thing to worry about."
Abe turned back to me and said, "let's get your motor off your truck and let me look at it."
"It's a project Abe. I just bought it. Thought I could fix it up and have a toy to ride around on," I said going over to Abe's truck to lift the ramp that was sticking out the back.
"Well, you'll have the perfect place to do the fixin' in that there shed."
Abe and Martin held the ramp in place while I rolled the bike off the truck. Once it was on the ground, I put it on the kickstand then took the ramp back and put it in Abe's truck. I noticed a little lady standing on the other side of truck so I wave and said, "Hello."
The little lady came around the truck and stuck out her hand. "I'm Alice, Abe's wife. You are Steve, right?"
"Yes Ma'am, I'm Steve. Nice to meet you Alice."
"I hope I left enough utensils for you to cook with. I think I did but if you need something give us a call and I'll bring it out."
"Thank you Alice. I really don't know what I'll need yet but I think you left everything I would need."
Abe came over to his truck laughing. "I see you met the wife. She said you looked like a cave man when we pulled up. Glenda had called her and told her some mountain man was at our trailer."
"Now Abe," Glenda was saying "don't go telling this boy stories about me."
Abe reached into his pickup and pulled out a twelve pack of Budweiser "come on over in the shade and have a cold one Steve? Martin? Glenda?"
Abe handed out beer to everyone, even the property manager lady. "Here's to your new neighbor Martin and Glenda and here's to you Steve. Hope you enjoy your stay here."
We drank the beer then Abe wanted to hear the Harley running. I turned on the gas then pushed the button. It only gave a click, dead battery. There was a kick starter too so I turned the key off and kicked the bike over a couple of times then turned the key back on and kicked it through. The motor caught, telling me the bike was tuned up pretty good. The motor gave that wonderful "put put putta put" sound signifying it to be a true Harley Davidson.
"Sounds pretty good," Abe said. "You'll need a battery to go along with some tires and that chain looks like it will need replacing. You going to fix it up or just do what's necessary and ride it?"
"Hadn't thought about too much yet," I explained to Abe and Martin. "I'll probably get it street ready then after riding it a little, I'll take it apart and fix it up so it will look good too."
Surprisingly Alice came up to the bike and put a leg over to sit on the passenger seat saying, "Abe used to have one of these and I loved to ride on it. You might want to give me a ride when you get it ready. I'd love it."
Abe nudged me and said, "there's still a wild woman in there."
Abe and Alice said they had to leave after the property manager lady gave Abe his papers. Martin and Glenda said they would see me later and left for their place and all of a sudden I was alone at my new place. Abe had left what was left of the twelve pack so I put it in the fridge then put the bike into the shed and noted that I need a lock for the hasp.
I put my duffel bag in the bedroom then went out to my truck to go to a grocery store for food.
On the way to the store I saw a small bike shop called Tampa V-twin. I pulled in and went inside. They sold some used bikes along with parts, service and some clothing. A lady behind the counter asked me how she could help.
"I just bought an '80 FLH that needs some help. I need a battery, a new chain and a couple of tires," I said listing the first things that I would need.
"I'm Jan and that guy over there trying to sell a bike is my ole' man, Dell. I'll get your battery first. What kind of chain do you want? A black diamond?"
"If that's a good one, yeah, that would be good."
"You want to mount your own tires or do want us to do that for you?" Jan asked.
"If you do that, I'll let you do it along with tuning both wheels if that's alright?"
Jan looked at me as she put the battery on the counter and said, "that's what we do. Bring it in and we can do it in a couple of hours."
Happily I answered, "I'll change the battery and chain then bring it down. I need to register it too. Is there a DMV office around close?"
"There is a place right down the road at 128th and Florida Avenue. They are usually not too busy."
"Great do you want me to pay for the tires now or later?"
"However you like. I have Dunlap K-81's on sale right now so if you want to reserve a set, pay for them now. I'll figure up the whole sale along with the mounting and wheel tuning."
Jan figured out the bill and I paid her cash for the works. I took the battery and chain out to the truck then took off down the road for the DMV office. I walked in at four fifteen and was done registering and getting the license plate for the bike by four thirty.
I asked the lady at the counter what I needed to do to get a Florida driver's license. When I handed her my military license she said she could issue me one right then. She took my picture and laughingly told me that if I shaved to come back for another license as no one would recognize me. She made note to me that she had included a motorcycle endorsement since she just registered the bike. She also told me that Florida was a helmet state and that I needed to have one whenever I rode.
I drove back to the bike shop and went inside just as Dell was trying to close up. When I said I wanted to buy a helmet real quick, he grabbed a small helmet off a shelf and threw it at me then walked over to a rack and pulled a shirt off it. "Thanks for the business earlier. You can pay me the twenty-five bucks for the helmet when you come in for your tires. The T-shirt is a gift. Now go away. I'm closin' up."
There was a grocery store back up near the DMV so that's where I went next. I bought all the stuff I thought I might need right away along with a small grille and some charcoal so I could have a nice steak. They had some cheap lawn chairs so I bought four of them and headed home.
Back at my new trailer, I set up the grille and lit the charcoal then went inside to make myself a salad and start some vegetables heating. After cooking my steak, I ate on the patio, enjoying the cooler night air. I need a table out here to go along with the chairs.
Day two back in the country and I was making progress. I washed my dishes and then went out to put the battery and chain in the shed when I realized I had not bought a lock yet. While I was thinking about that I realized I didn't have any tools to do anything with the bike. Easy enough as there had to be a Sears around nearby somewhere.
I found a tie rap in the shed and came out and put it on the hasp. It wouldn't stop a real thief but it would perhaps give me some warning.