Good Day. Here's a SF story for you: I was on my way back to the Willamette Valley and home. I had reached Grants Pass and had to decide whether to ride up the freeway and call it a trip or head up near Crater Lake along the Rogue River and make a few more images. I sided with the scenic route which should come as no surprise to my dear friends. So I'm between Prospect and Union Creek traveling about 70 miles per hour when Ka-Powie! My rear tire blows out! I swear left and right for a while and final crash. The whole thing was happening in slow motion... it was weird. But I final lost it and down I went. Heidi (my 1978 BMW) took the worst of it. I skidded about thirty yards on my butt. The bike went about fifty. I was okay, the bike sustained some damage to the fairing and one of the side bags. The valve covers on both sides are banged up and the rear wheel is a total loss. The jeans I was wearing are shreds but I only have a silver dollar-sized raspberry on my left butt cheek. There was a car approaching from the other direction and they immediately stopped to help. They gave me some bottled water and took me to a pay phone to get some assistance. I couldn't get anyone to tow me to Medford so I had to call my friend (and former landlord) Jeff and ask if he'd come and get me and my bike. Now mind you, it was 6:30 pm and it's a 5 hour drive from his current residence in Willamina. But he said he'd leave right away. Well, 11:30 rolls around and no Jeff. At 2 o'clock I give up and set my tent up to get a little sleep. The following morning, John (a brother-in-law of the camp host) takes me to my bike to see if the Oregon State Patrol has been by. They haven't but Jeff is there. He's been there all night wondering where I was. Of course, we have become so spoiled by being able to call on our cell phones we haven't made good enough arrangements to meet each other and he had spent the night sleeping in his truck. So we load the bike and head for home. I am grateful to my Guardian Angel who, once again, has had to work overtime to keep me safe.