The Scooter That Started it all.

Don't you just love the patina.




One year at the annual Dam Gathering, a Teardrop Trailer event held at lake Shasta CA. I was walking around looking at trailers and enjoying the company of other like minded people. When I came up to a camp with a scooter in the back of a ElCamino. I had no idea what it was, but; man did I think it was cool. It looked like a mini Harley but way better in my mind.

I asked the owner Jerry what is it? Whats the story? He told me it was a Cushman Eagle. He had sold it to a man from Redding who who was going to come and pick it up here at the campground. Jerry lives near Cave Junction Oregon and had brought it to save the buyer a trip. I told him I would love to have one someday.

The event was over and everyone went home after a great time.

Several months later I was up near Eureka California camping amongst the giant Redwood trees. I was walking around and came upon Jerry and his wife walking there dog. We started chatting and I asked about the Cushman. He told me the guy never showed and he had taken it home. He had sent half of the mans deposit back after several attempts to have it picked up and wiped his hand of him.

"Is it still for sale? I asked. he said it was. He ended up selling it to me and gave me the credit of the other guys deposit. Pretty cool of him!! We agreed I would come up the following weekend to get it.

It's about a 6 hour dive to Cave Junction From Willits. Friday night after work I set out for Oregon. I drove until about midnight and found a place to pull off the road to sleep in my van. ( this has since become a theme for me)

Up the next morning around dawn and on the road again.

After getting to Jerry's house. He tours me through the shop and am shown the VW trike he is building. It turns out that he has built several and is in
The Brotherhood Of The Third Wheel. He builds such nice trikes that everyone wants to buy it when he is done. But; "this ones a Keeper" he says.

We look over the Cushman. He tells me it hasn't ran in years. he's never had it running. No problem, that's right up my alley.

After a couple of hours we load up the Cushman and I head home.

I get it home and try to start it. Nothing. not even a pop. I clean the carburetor, clean and adjust the points. Nothing. When I replace the spark plug I notice that there are only two threads left in the head. Golly Gee I say. LOL What I really said rimes with rock tucker. Anyway after a couple of days of kicking it over & over & over &over. My foot was bruised on the bottom and it hurt to walk.

I went online and ordered a new internal coil points and condenser. I put them in as soon as they arrived. Kicked it over and NOTHING.

To be continued.