Yosemite - 02-10-2006... Disaster!

Hello faithful friends and loved ones. Yesterday I finally took to the road on my Harley Heritage Softail. Unfortunately the weather wasn't as hoped and a drizzle started just as I was leaving the depot. Intrepid adventurer that I am, I pushed on. Tearing down the highway on this huge red beast, rumbling like thunder beneath me. Of course every lyric of every road/driving/biker rock song deserted me so I just sang Born to be Wild over and over again. Aah the open road and adventure ahead...what more could I ask? Well dearest friends, I should have asked for something because as I wound my way through the start of the Sierra Nevadas, my concentration lapsed, just for a second to return a wave to some bikers coming the other way mind you, but that was enough to have me drift perilously close to the shoulder to my right, where a trench ran along the road, separating it from a sheer rock wall. Anyhow, this massive 800 pound beast simply didn't want to drift back to the road so....into te ditch I went, not really fast mind you but fast enough to give me a thorough scare, and bend the bike, and bend me a bit too. So, down I went, did a bit of a tumble, head glancing rock, shoe flying off and...stop. Dazed, i got to my feet when a young fella on a bike pulled over and ran to assist as did a few people coming past in a van. We righted the bike, I checked myself for damage (precious little as it turned out) and pretty much stood dazed wondering how badly this trip had turned. Once I gathered my wits, we un-bent some of the bike and started it up...good as new! My thoughts turned to my loved ones and friends and I was shaken by the realisation of just how close I came to never seeing any of you again...horrible thought. Very dramatic all this but, let me assure you, I AM OK! Just a bump on the nose and sore chest and knee. I continued the ride to Kern, young Josh, the asisting bike rider, following to make sure I got there OK. Very decent fella. I called the bike shop and told them the bad news. Curtis from EagleRider wasn't fazed about the bike, I had plenty of insurance. He was concerned that I might be hurt, which I assured him I wasn't...much.

He offered to swap the bike over the next day but I told him that I'd call him in the morning to work out what I should do from this point. My spirit at this point was very low my friends and I longed for the embrace of my beloved or a comforting hug from a friend... I will continue this tomorrow as my interent time is coming to and end. As you can tell though, I am still on the road and everything is well indeed, tomorrow I get to explore the mighty Yosemite! Stay tuned for more tomorrow on how I got back on the road. I AM WELL! Off to have a beer I think.

Love to you all. M
PS, My phone is dead for now.