Last Saturday was the 50th wedding anniversary of a good friend. It was a beautiful day so we (the wife and I) took the Fatboy to the party. During the festivities my son called. He lives in a city a few hours away where he is attending university. He had a friend drop him off in a city about an hour from home. I arranged for my wife to ride home with friends and with a huge smile on my face I hit the highway to get my boy. Sunday was his 25th birthday! We were going to see him the next day and he thought he would surprise us and come home instead. I don't see him often enough. He's a wonderful young man.

About 9;30 pm I'm boogeying down a two lane highway at exactly 65 mph. I love riding at night so I'm smiling. Enjoying the sound of the engine, the solitude. I passed under an elevated railway crossing when KAFRICKINGBOOM! A container of liguid struck the forks just below the light, exploding the contents into my face. I was blinded.

I hit both brakes but must have swerved a few feet to the right when I was hit and the rear tire dropped onto the gravel... Instant slide with left foot down, then the right foot, then the left foot... trying to keep the bike and myself upright. Keep in mind I still couldn't see... After what seemed like 3/4's of an hour of cheek clenching exertion, I ended up in the front yard of a home along the highway. Wtih about 3 lbs of turf and a beautiful bouquet of assorted flowers nicely arranged in the rear swingarm. Don't ask me how they got there and I won't tell you about his once beautiful and award winning landscaping.

Oh yeah, did I mention this all took place at the beginning of a sweeping left curve?

There was no one home to apologize to and no rake or gardening tools available so I pushed the Harley back onto the side of the road and wiped my coat, goggles, helmet and *** off as best I could.

Oh yeah, did I mention I discovered I threw my back out during the acrobatics and was now permanently bent over at a 90 degree angle at the waist? Strangely enough, I believe it actually assisted in pushing the bike back up the steep grade onto the shoulder of the roadway! lol Yeah...

I resumed my ride to a gas station a few miles along and with the staffs kind help, cleaned a lot of what we determined to be coffee off the bike. Double, double from the colour of it, and from the taste, as it continued to drip down my sinus cavities into the back of my throat.

Oh yeah, did I mention I have a detachable fairing and when the container hit just below the leading edge, it directed or funneled the majority up behind the glass? Or that the smell of coffee burning off a hot 96 can make you gag?

I called my son on the cell and told him I would be about an hour late.

I picked him up and with constant back spasms forcing me to keep our speed well below 40 mph, we head for home. 15 miles from our door the wind picked up, the temperature dropped, every place of refuge disappeared and someone up above decided to flush...It rained like a s.o.b. My son had no coat and a duffel bag hanging off his shoulder. There hadn't been a cloud in the sky all day but we live along lake Huron and...he never complained once. Not one word. He actually apologized for putting me out. Damn...

I pulled the bike into the garage. My son untied my shoes, I peeled off my wet clothes on the way through the door, dropped then in the entrance way, then dropped to all fours as I climbed the stairs to my bed.

Today was the first day my back has been good so I spent a few hours washing the bike and just got in from a nice evening ride. I was just going to pour a cup of coffee...

Ride safe folks. There are some real idiots out there.

 

Glad to hear your ok...

 

I was hoping you finished the story by saying you managed to find the SOB that did it and shot the bastard!

 

Happy to hear you are OK and were able to keep the bike up and your shorts clean.

 

wow, what an adventure!

It does remind me. Here in Central Ohio, we had a nut who was shooting people in cars and on bikes from overpasses.

Now that I ride a bike I constantly scan overpasses well before I get to them, and do what I can to change lanes to avoid being under anyone that's up there.

Obviously, this would not have helped you as it was dark, but it just made me think of it...wow, everyday I learn new ways that we bikers are vulnerable.....

Coffee will never taste the same to you as it used to I'll bet....but being true to the calling, you got up, brushed yourself off, and started off again on the journey. well done!!!!!