I am a new member to the club and was now confronted with my 1st trial by fire, of being an Airhead. The first to stop and offer help, were a couple that had moved to upstate NY from NJ, Tim and Jane Conway, on a midsize Honda (I don't recall the model) and asked if we could use any help. My first thought was to get hold of a friend, Beemer turned Harley Chuck, and have him get my Jeep and trailer. Jane produced a portable cell phone (which I went to Cobleskill,NY and purchased the next day), but he was not at home. After the short time that I had known Tim and Jane, I felt comfortable enough that they were indeed good people,, and could be trusted. When they heard how close we lived to the breakdown site, Tim offered to take my wife, Rosemary, to our home, for phone and car. Jane stayed with me , as I got out the little blue owners manual, and the tool kit that I had purchased from Berkshire Motor Works in Schenectady when I got the bike. I was going to do an on road repair.

The rear tire was easily removed from the drive. During, but due to the incline that the bike was on, I couldn't get the wheel out and away where I could proceed to commence the repair. A '76 Chevy slowed after driving by us, turned around,and pulled up alongside. A friend that I hadn't seen in years emerged and said "I didn't know it was you, Paul. I just saw a BMW broke down along the side of the road. I knew the type of that own these bikes, and I felt it was safe to stop and offer a hand." After all the introductions, I lifted the back of the bike, by the Krauser bag hardware, high enough for Vince to pull the tire/wheel free. Spooning the tire off and getting tube out was not that easy, but worse was realizing that I neglected to pack the small patch kit with the tools. Rosemary had returned with the car and I bid Tim and Jane farewell with hardy thanks, and a promise that we would get together soon. Vince suggested that he drive me back to the Summit General Store. "For what?" I asked." A patch kit. They have everything." Well, it was there ,along with anything else to survive Y2K. Great foods , good prices, and owned by good people. Anyone driving through Summit should stop here to fuel, eat, and get whatever supplies you may need." ****

Tube patched, reinstalled and inflated, I thanked Vince for his help, and was on my way home, feeling good about people, and my first major repair as an Airhead. I thank Christ for sparing my life, and enabling me to control the R80. This was my first encounter with a blowout. It left me with a realization of how vulnerable we are as cyclists. The tube had a defect, and none of the pre-ride prep that I pride myself on would have shown this to me. I went through the nightmarish "what ifs..." and thought of giving up riding. Not just for my own sake , but for the sake of my wife, who is just along for the enjoyment of the ride and being together. We have decided to keep riding for now (as all things are 'for now') and hope for the best. We love riding. I think Christ rides an airhead. I feel truly blessed to have come out of this situation uninjured.