The 2nd CHP Road Block

I commute to work & back on two great backroads in the S.F. East Bay; Marsh Creek Rd. out of Clayton & what was old Vasco Rd. down into Livermore. Around '85 or '86, the CHP started paying more attention to the traffic on these roads with county-owned & loaned radar.

One morning I'm heading out of Clayton on the CX650Turbo at about 70 or so when I crest the hill & noticed 2 CHP cars off the opposite side of the road. They have a car heading towards Clayton pulled over & looked busy. I slowed a little when I went by them and watched my mirrors closely for the next quarter mile or so. As I disappeared around the next curve & noticed nothing coming in my mirrors, I wicked it back up to my normal commute velocity & enjoyed the roads to work. Happy-happy, Joy-joy ...

The next morning, in the same place, I see one CHP car and the ocifer is standing along side the car with his arms crossed & looking in my direction. As I approach at a legal 55, he leans into the window of his car and grabs the radio microphone. He's talking away to *someone* as I pass by.

Hmmmmmmmm ... this strange behavior looks mighty fishy to me!

As I disappear around the next curve, I see him looking in my direction, but NOT getting into his car. Hmmm...again?!?

I sense that something is _up_, so I cruise down Marsh Creek as close to legal as I can stand. Looking through a curve, after a couple of miles further down the road, I see another CHP car sitting on the opposite side of the road again, the officer inside, and on the radio again. Hmmmmmm...

As I exit the curve, I can now see this Great(tm) welcoming committee! Beyond car #2, were cars #3 & #4 blocking most of the road & motos #1 & #2 behind them. One of the officers standing in the middle of the road in front of me has his pistol drawn & is pointing it straight up in the air; I assume for me to see. Gee, I guess I'm going to be late for work today ...

As I pull off the side of the road where they are all pointing to, the cowboy puts his gun away. I shut the bike off & remove my helmet, gloves & earplugs. The moto-officers join the parade and I'm now completely surrounded by uniforms, sunglasses, & not a single smile in the crowd.

"Gentlemen, something I can help you with this morning?" I ask.

"License & registration, please." one of them replied.

I gathered the items & the recipient disappeared into one of the cars for the next 20 minutes.

The next officer asked; "Did you ride through here about this time yesterday morning?"

"Yes" ... "Did you notice any CHP yesterday morning?" ... "Yes, I saw 2 just outside of Clayton with a car pulled over." ... "Did you see the Mustang that pursued you?" ... "ME?!? No Sir. I didn't see anyone pursuing me yesterday."

I hear some low grumbling from a couple of them and a different one says; "I chased a motorcycle that looked JUST like this all the way to Vasco Rd. yesterday and never caught him." ... "Couldn't have been ME, I was just cruisin' to work like I normally do, and no one was behind me."

More grumbling as they stepped away & talked to themselves for a minute or so. Then the almost identical questions started again, but from a different officer. I answered again. They acquired the same disgusted look across their faces & started the questions again. This continued til the guy in the car with my papers finally returned. They talked again over by one of the cars & then returned to me.

The guy with my papers said; "We know it was you, we know who you are, and we know where you live. If this ever happens again, you will be in serious trouble!" ... <gulp> "Yayaya-YES, SIR!"

He hands me my stuff, and they stand around and _stare_ as I put things away, get ready, and leave.

One of the moto-guys follows me some 8 miles to Vasco Rd. where I stop at the fruitstand, have a cigarette, and wait for his slimy butt to leave first.
_________________________________
Mike Chaplin <catfish at endorphin-express dot com>
Concord, Ca.
http://silcon.com/~catfish/