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22 Nov 02 - 11:32 AM (#832609) Subject: Lyr Req: Know any songs about Cannonball Baker? From: katlaughing Here's what he did: 1914 Cannonball's Run Erwin "Cannonball" Baker began the cross-continental motorcycle trip that would influence the way Americans would think of the "big bike" forever more. Big, strong, and lanky, Baker discovered after buying his first motorcycle that he possessed something like superhuman endurance for riding. In 1912, he began training for his long-distance odyssey by arranging for a number of smaller feats. He rode across Cuba, Jamaica, and Panama before taking a steamer to California, where he trained until 1914. At that time, the state of the country's roads was inconsistent; while roads could be decent in stretches surrounding cities, rural routes were almost uniformly dismal. Baker began a letter-writing campaign from California, pleading for individuals from across the country to help him plot a contiguous course across our continent. He had to devise a way of getting gasoline during the stretches of road where it wasn't readily available. Baker's entreaties were received by an enthusiastic public, who offered to pack gasoline to him by burro if need be. On this day in 1914, just three months shy of the First World War, Cannonball Baker, wearing leather riding trousers and carrying a one-gallon canteen, mounted his V-twin 1000cc Stutz Indian motorcycle and headed east toward Yuma, Arizona, with a raging sandstorm at his back. To combat thirst, Cannonball used the old Native American method of carrying a small pebble under his tongue. On the second day of his trip Baker ran out of gas just a few miles short of Agua Caliente, Arizona, and was forced to push his bike in the 119-degree desert heat. Equipped with a Smith & Wesson .38, Baker fought off a pack of dogs in Fort Apache. Dogs continued to hamper his trip; in Ellsworth, Kansas, a shepherd dog attacked his bike. "This dog seemed to have a great desire for the Goodyear rubber of my front tire," explained Baker. "The dog took a fall out of me which put me in bad shape, as I slid along the road on my elbows and knees. I kept the tire and the dog lost his life." In all, Cannonball traveled 3,379 miles across the U.S. Due to the poor roads and primitive "cradle-spring" shock absorption of his bike, he rode most of the way standing up. His feat made him a hero. Without a doubt, Cannonball's run re-shaped the future of American motorcyclists. While Europe still clings to tight-handling sport bikes, Americans want nothing more than to hop on a big Harley and cruise the wide roads that stretch from sea to shining sea. Thanks, kat |
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22 Nov 02 - 01:17 PM (#832712) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Know any songs about Cannonball Baker? From: catspaw49 Sorry katmyluv......Don't know a song about him. He had kind of gone the way of Douglas"WrongWay"Corrigan and others of the era when there were still worlds to conquer for the common man with a piece of primitive machinery until Brock Yates rejuvenated his memory with the "Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash." Starting at the Red Ball Garage in NYC and ending at the Portofino Inn, the Cannonball got a lot of attention for awhile, but alas, the race, which had started as a real race and a bit of a protest, simply became the fodder for a bunch of poorly done "Fast Car Movies." Randy and I were signed up for '76 but the hospitalization of his Dad at the last minute stopped us and after that schedules just got in the way. We both still talk about it and really regret never doing one. We were pretty well prepared and planned out that year and really thought we could do well. Spaw |
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22 Nov 02 - 05:08 PM (#832918) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Know any songs about Cannonball Baker? From: katlaughing That would have been a really neat experience, Spawdarlin'. I did see some things about it on google. Apparently Baker wrote a driver's instruction book which taught people to use their left foot for the brake pedal in a car. My dad had to take a driver's test this past week and the inspector flunked him because he used his left foot on the brake. I've never ridden with him in an automatic so I didn't know he did this. He taught us on stick and we've always used our right foot. Anyway, he told this inspector all about the book by Cannonball and that a whole generation of people grew up driving that way. The inspector said that's not the way they do it in Utah and he'd like to tell that to whomever this Cannonball is. So, my dad asked me to get some info for him off the internet. He plans to further the fellah's education AFTER he's taken the test, again. I did find some info on older people who learned that way. Even Click and Clack part company on whether it should be allowed. I also found it is a technique used by race car drivers. Anyway, that got dad and me both to wondering if there were any songs about old Cannonball. Thanks a bunch, kat |