Earlier in the week I bought my BSA motorcycle from a dealer in Hazel Park. Supposed to pick it up on Saturday but with news reports of incidents breaking out things got moved forward. I had to pick it up by five on Friday and they were going to be closed on Saturday.

My mother left work at four as she had to sign the papers and a friend followed us on his bike. Got there just before closing. They were scavenging gasoline as stations in the area were either closed or massive lines at the pumps. And to add to it, a eight o'clock curfew was in effect.

So she signed everything and took off back to Farmington Township where we lived. She made her way to Maple and took that back home, not much traffic problems. Wished I had.....

Dealer told me not to idle it too long or hold the clutch in for long periods of time. So off we went, took Nine Mile across as the bike had maybe a gallon of gas and I wanted to find a station quick.

About I-75 area it was bumper to bumper and little movement. My friend said we gotta get out of this traffic. I agreed and pointed to the sidewalk. Quizical look on his face until I yelled "Sidewalk Commandos" and over the curb we went.........there were a lot of pissed people stuck in traffic but we got some distance......horns, yells and fingers flying from motorists and us back.

Further west we got the better traffic was flowing, seemed like everyone wanted to get away from a potential repeat of 1967. Got into the city of Farmington between six and seven. Only outward sign of unrest were two Farmington cops on the rooftop of the Public Safety building with rifles in hand. I had to be at work that night at a gas station on the west side of the Township.

We had a contract to service Michigan Bell trucks and a large backload that night. In preparation of potential long hours for the phone men we were working most of the night, well after the curfew to get the trucks all ready. In fact the Township Police stopped into the station and when they saw what we were doing they kind of looked the other way at the curfew violation.