New Member Nova Scotia
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2021 12:47 pm
Warm welcome to Simon.gk in chilly Canada.
Hi Everyone
Thank you for the welcome, it has taken a while to get here.
The short story is that I looked at building a Triking back in 1982 but it was not a practical idea with a recent emigration to Canada, a wife and 2 small children and you know how it goes.
I have been a long time biker that included a ten year affair with a Moto Guzzi LeMans 3 that I have always regretted selling.
Upon retirement I was using the BMW RT1200 less and less when I was shown an immaculate 1993 Caterham 7 HPC. With less than 10k miles it has recently been liberated from long term storage and was completely original and immaculate. This was the number 1 vehicle on my bucket list and, eventually, I bought it. I then had to learn how to drive it and look after it. Mixing with the local british car club members, I had come across the most lovely Triking and it confirmed that a Triking was number 2 on my list. Whenever I saw the car, I always talked to the owner and, eventually we agreed that I could have first refusal if the opportunity should ever arise.
Sadly, on a rainy afternoon in May, I was stopped at a T junction when an oncoming Hyundai, with a cell phone using driver, decided to leave her road and drive over me, finishing parked on top both the car and myself. Miraculously I was unhurt but Marigold was a right-off. I had convince all who saw the accident scene that I had actually been the driver as the general assumption was that no one could have done so.
Once the dust settled and I had accepted that Marigold was no more and that it was pretty much impossible to replace her, I asked if the Triking was for sale. No, it was not but might be eventually, was the answer so, sadly I keep looking for another Caterham or Lotus 7. While idly googling I had entered Lotus when a Lotus Elise popped up, basically the grown ups' version of a 7 and after another saga joined the family.
Typically, while on a road trip in the Lotus I got a call from the Triking owner asking if I was still interested. Sleepless nights followed but the owner was patient as he knew I had bonded with his car.
Amidst the lock-downs due to Covid and Canadian winters I eventually persuaded my long suffering wife to go and look and the deal is now agreed.
The Lotus is for sale and the Triking is waiting, warm and cosy in its garage, until the spring. I cannot wait.
