OFF
The whole event took about 15 seconds from start to finish, from riding along in gorgeous sunshine to be laid on the floor with your bike on top of you freezing cold and piss wet through.
It started with a few drops of rain ( which I kinda expected from the clouds above) then hailstones started the likes of I have never seen or felt. They where about the size of the marbles I used to play with as a kid but coming down with such ferocity I was feeling the pain through my Belstaff and Rallye trousers. The back wheel started first by weaving all over the place.
As I was doing about 60mph when it started I didnt want to go near the brakes so just shut off the gas. A bit quicker than I should have as it turns out as this loaded the front end and the front wheel washed out to the right while I was still doing about 50
As I was soiling myself as I slid down the road on the left side of the bike I could feel my heal dragging along under the foot peg. My first thought was " bloody hell, all this money spent on a trip and it ends after just a week" tight northerner in me coming out.
I finally came to a stop after what seemed several thousand feet but it was probably about 30.
I was still in the seated position on the bike with my hands on the grips and right foot on the peg.
Keeping still I started to see if I had got any injuries by just waiting for the adrenalin to die down and the pain to creep in. The only real pain was from the hail coming down still and the unbelievable noise it was making on my lid.
I stood up and looked around to see a pick up truck coming sidewards towards me. I wold love to tell you that I leapt out of the way with cat like reflexes and did a commando roll to the side of the road. However, I would be lying like a cheap watch as I stood there paralyzed with fear thinking (shit).
He stopped about twenty feet away, threw the passenger door open and urged me to get inside.
With thoughts in my mind ( briefly) of being abducted and spending the rest of my days being used as a cowboys "plaything" I leaped into the seat of the pickup where I was greeted by a very weathered looking local farmer.
His first words out of his mouth where something to do with his crops being beat to shit by the hail after which he asked how I was.
As it turned out I was fine. My Altberg boots had saved my left heal from grinding down to the bone and my jacket and britches hadnt touched the ground due to the panniers and new cruiser foot pegs forming a protective zone for me to ride out the crash in.
The hail stopped after 10 mins and he helped me pick up the bike and move it to the verge.
He said there was a town about 10 miles away I could get a coffee at and he bid me good day.
It appeared the bike had only suffered cosmetic damage but then I discovered it was stuck in 5th. After sticking it on the centre stand and spending 5 mins rocking back and forward whilst messing with the clutch it sorted itself out.
You can see from the pictures though that the panniers had received a bit of a knock and to that end spent the rest of the trip a bit scewiff.
The GPS then took me down an unpaved road for about 30 miles which was fun on my new Michelin Pilots
Another hour of riding like Miss Daisy and I hit the town of Helena where I find a motel and a weapons grade steakhouse along with half a dozen Miller Lites.
Mileage:1735
Start: Pride and Joy, Stevie Ray Vaughn
Finish: Since you've been gone, Rainbow