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Victory Rider Wayne Sarosi of Mims, Florida, took a major trip on his Vegas 8-Ball last summer, taking the long way from Florida to Wyoming for a reunion of military friends called “Spooks.”
“Spooks are Cryptologic Technicians,” Wayne explained. “Most of us at the reunion were Maintenance types. We fixed the gear. Thus I was a CTM1(ss). CTM is Cryptologic Technician Maintenance First Class (Silent Service). (SS) means I have Silver Dolphins. US Navy 1974-1980… CTs no longer exist in the Navy.”
Wayne’s current occupation? “I am a Senior Radio Frequency Engineer and Antenna Range Facility Manager at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida,” he said. “UConn grad at age 30 in December 1983 after serving 6 years in the US Navy (5/74 to 5/80; CTM1[ss]). I am 53 years old, married 33 years to Desiree and have two children: Derrick, married and 26 (USF grad), and Stephanie, 20, going to Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida.”
His Victory dealer is Anthony Ferrara at Ferrara’s Garage in Melbourne, Florida. Wayne recently took delivery of a new 2008 Victory Vision, so his future touring adventures will be done differently.
Among the custom steps Wayne took to prepare his Vegas 8-Ball for his 6,156-mile journey was to install a 1942 military paratrooper’s backpack frame to hold the backrest from an old office chair.
“I used that for the whole trip,” he said. “The paratrooper’s frame was my father’s and the backrest came from an old secretary chair that was tossed out. I only use it for trips… I attached it with six hose clamps and a few cable ties.”
Other modifications to the bike?
“I have a Memphis Shades Slim on the front with a mod to give me a 20” height, and five cargo mods. Note: I am 6’, 6”, and 250 pounds. There is a factory 2.5” leg extension on the 8-Ball.”
He fabricated a cargo pack that was mounted atop the rear fender to hold his gear, and fabricated spring-loaded saddlebag supports onto which he mounted large bags.
He left his home in Mims, Florida, on June 21, 2006, and rode to Waycross, Georgia, where he picked up fellow Spook and fellow rider Dr. Dean Thornton. They rode to Pensacola, Florida, and picked up another military buddy, L. Ray Thornton (no relation to the doctor). They rode through cities such as Vicksburg, Mississippi and North Little Rock, Arkansas, where they visited an old friend.
Then it was on to Elk City, Oklahoma, on old Route 66, Capulin Volcano National Monument in New Mexico, Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain National Park and on to Lander, Wyoming. They saw the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful and connected with another military pal, Jeff Meier of Reno, Nevada. The four of them rode on to Cascade, Montana, where they held their reunion.
On July 1, Wayne and his friends packed up and hit the road headed home – the long way, of course. They rode to Gillette, Wyoming, and saw the site of Custer’s Last Stand. They saw Devil’s Tower, Deadwood, South Dakota, the Crazy Horse monument, Mt. Rushmore, then rode to Mitchell, South Dakota, for the night. From there, it was a fairly direct route home to Florida. Wayne reached Mims on July 6 after riding 6,156 miles on his Vegas 8-Ball.
Here is the article that appeared in the Winter 2007 issue of Victory Rider magazine:
Wayne Sarosi: 16 Days on an 8-Ball
Touring the country on a Victory Vision is no sweat. But on a Vegas 8-Ball? Wayne Sarosi of Mims, Florida, says that would be no problem. “I rode my 2006 8-Ball from Mims, FL, to Cascade, MT, and back; 6,156 miles, flawless,” he reported in an e-mail to Victory Rider.
As an engineer (Sr. Radio Frequency Engineer & Antenna Range Facility Manager at Kennedy Space Center), Wayne enjoyed fitting his bike with special saddlebag mounts, a heavy duty luggage rack and a backrest from an old secretary’s chair. The 6’, 5” rider also added an extra-tall windshield before heading out on June 21.
He rode to Georgia to pick up a friend, then continued west to Oklahoma, hit old Route 66 and saw sights such as Capulin Volcano National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Grand Tetons and Old Faithful. After attending a reunion of the “Spooks” (Cryptologic Technicians who served with Wayne in the Navy in the ‘70s) in Montana, Wayne visited Devils Tower, Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands before sprinting home to Florida.
Sixteen days, 6,156 miles, zero problems (except for a sore rump), and countless great memories. Next time around, though, it will be easy as pie: In October, Wayne picked up his new Victory Vision Tour from Ferrara’s Garage in Melbourne, Florida.
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