Up in Missouri at Grass Roots BMW

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - I was up before 5:30 this morning and on the road at 6 to take my K1200GT to Grass Roots BMW Motorcycles in Cape Girardeau, Mo., for a 12,000-mile service.

That’s the big expensive service interval, but my bike has been under-serviced for nearly three years because of time, distance and money constraints, so it’s long overdue.

And, I’m not about to undertake a major ride to Indiana and then Colorado without a once-over from BMW service techs.

It was dark and foggy when I gassed at the Brookland Citgo and got $40 from the ATM so I wouldn’t be penniless on the road.

Once I got down off of Crowley’s Ridge east of Paragould, I ran through patchy fog that occasionally muted the glare of the rising sun.

I covered the 140 miles to the dealer in one shot, dropping my sidestand outside the service department door about 8:30 a.m. – a half-hour early for my appointment.

Firing up my netbook, I was stunned to discover Grass Roots has free wifi for the convenience of their customers. A-freaking-mazing! If only every bike and car dealership had wifi for people stuck in the customer waiting lounge.