> -----Original Message-----
> From: bmgecko [mailto:bmgecko@...]
> Sent: Monday, July 31, 2000 11:28 PM
> To: KLR list
> Subject: [DSN_klr650] NKLR: Amarillo, nearly didn't get back!
>
>
> Totally unrelated KLR, but I felt the need to share it.
>
> So there I was! Headed home after a weekend of great punk rock bands,
> and a lot of Thai food! (Yum, yum!) I was headed out of Clovis, NM at
> about 65-70 MPH when I felt the back tire go weird on me.
> How weird you
> ask? Well, I knew from an experience in the past that it blew out on
> me. MSF Training kicked in, I didn't brake at all, I let off the gas.
> I was slowing down, but the ride was getting really wobbly.
> I went into
> the fast lane (where the bike took me) and managed to
> actually come to a
> stop.
>
> A pickup truck pulls in behind me, and a "biker" looking guy hops out
> and helps me get it off the road. Well, he suggested I put it in
> neutral, and then across the road to the actual shoulder. He tells me
> that he thought I was gonna go down for sure, and
> complimented me on my
> riding. I blamed it of course all on the MSF Basic Rider
> Course which I
> took in '91. He smiled and commented that he was a MSF instructor! I
> guess he was happy to see me "blame" some good riding skills on
> something he taught to folks in the past. He commented that he also
> used to be a Navy Corpsman, and was happy those skills didn't
> come into
> play!

>
> We weren't able to get the Y2KLR into the back of his truck (Oh, did I
> mention he said he'd get me back into town to get the tire
> fixed?) so he
> went home, got his ramp and tie-downs, then we loaded it up
> in the truck
> and headed for town, got it to the shop, and went for lunch.
>
> All the while we talked at length, and I found out a bit
> about this Good
> Samaritan, and after I went to the bike shop, we parted ways. Before
> that, he let me have his phone number, and told me to call him if I
> needed help, or if I passed through again. (OK readers, this is what
> they call FORESHADOWING)
>
> Pulled out of Clovis, and I was headed down the road. Rain started
> kicking in, so I pulled to the side to put on a 'lil wet-weather gear,
> smoke a cigarette (well, two really) and see if the clouds
> would clear.
> I decide to pull out, and I feel a strange wobble in the
> back... I pull
> over immediately to find (horror of horrors) the back tire was going
> somewhat flat. The town of Elida is just 2 miles down the road. I
> think I can make it. Fortunately I do make it. Unfortunately, the
> first gas station don't have an attachment that will work to fill the
> tire up (it's made for cars, ya see?). I push the bike to the Allsups
> (like a 7-11) up the road after first going there to see if they might
> have an air hose that will work. It's 'bout a quarter mile, and I
> nearly died. Well, I broke a good sweat! o make a long
> story short, I
> couldn't fix it. I'd fill up the tire, and though the stem was in all
> the way, the tire was geeked, and air was coming out underneath the
> stem. What do I do? I'm 200 miles from home, 60 miles from
> the city I
> came from, and 90 miles from the closest city in the
> direction of home.
>
> I called the Good Samaritan.
>
> And you know what? He offered to make the hour drive to come pick me
> up. He offered to make the 200 mile trip to my hometown. I delcined,
> saying it would be a lot easier to go back towards his city,
> and get it
> patched up the next day.
>
> An hour later, Greg shows up, and we get the bike in the back of his
> truck. He once again asks if I would rather just go home instead of
> back towards his place. I say I really would, but it would be a lot
> easier if we went towards his house. He says that we'll just
> go the 200
> miles to my town, just to be on the safe side. As an afterthought, he
> asks if I can put in for gas. (I am now nominating this man for
> sainthood!)
>
> We stop in Roswell, NM (home of the aliens) for a bit of chow at
> Denny's, and ride on, into the dark New Mexican night.
>
> After midnight, we get to my town, we unload the bike at the dealers,
> and he takes me home. He is now 200 or so miles from home. He was
> going to stay at a hotel the night. (It was OK with his
> wife, he called
> her from Denny's to tell her where he would be since she was visiting
> relatives in Nebraska). I ain't the best paid person on the list by a
> long shot, but after I thanked him for all, I handed him 60 dollars
> ('bout the best I could do...) He shrugged it off, and said,
> "Oh, I'll
> only need $20..."
>
> I know this sounds incredible, but it actually happeded to me
> today. I
> nearly got seriously hurt, and only got utter help and kindness from a
> total stranger who went more than 200 miles, and quite a few
> dollars out
> of his way to help someone he could. Oh, that's one-way, it
> don't count
> his trip home tomorrow. I sure as heck ain't bragging, but I think I
> just got the best motorcycle story there ever was. Heck with that, I
> just got a story, a friend I'll keep for life, and a whole
> lot more hope
> for the whole human race than I did in my 29 years so far.
> Life really
> is grand. Maybe it was chance, maybe it was Providence that
> Greg saw me
> nearly wreck, and went farther than ANYONE could be wished to do. I'm
> babbling, and I'm gonna go to sleep now! Just has to share this
> wonderful story with all of you!
>
> Chris Astier
>
>
>
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