Tomto is directionally and map challenged, that's probably the main reason he has ridden all these miles with me over the years. However, he can tell you within a few feet the exact spots where my bike has tipped over on our many trips. There was Maysville, KY in front of a young mother and her child, at the end of the long gravel road that follows the Amtrack route through the Rockies, near Teluride, CO on a dark and cold night. He missed the one at the motorcyle safety course before I even got to class. The require tip over on this trip occured after we had climbed from the 800 foot elevation at Haines Junction to the Chilkoot Pass which levels out at about 3100 feet and crosses several miles of a relatively flat plateau. Lovely views on the up-side and across the flat top but on the down-side...! As the Haines Highway descends you round a curve and there is one spectacular black snow covered mountain, and then another is revealed and then more! All I could do is shout one WOW! after another into my helmet.
I couldn't wait for the next pull out area, I had to stop for photos. The road was wide and empty, the berm was paved and gravel free but we were on a steeper than I realized downhill slope. I stopped the bike, unfolded the sidestand and prepared to hop off with my camera. The slope was really steeper than I'd realized, the Beemer rolled just far enough forward to fold the stand back under the bike and it went down like a horse shot in a B cowboy movie. She rolled on her side, two wheels off the ground. I jumped clear and within seconds Tomto came to my aid. My big (strong) Jesse aluminum bags held the backside and the crash bars held the front... the bike was in a two point stance just not on its wheels. I pushed the tires back to earth and the two of us lifted her back on the rubber being carful to hold the brake so she wouldn't break free and run down the hill. No damage to the Jesse, just a few scratches on the crash bar and the left side mirror. However the left turn signal indicator was sprung loose, a screw hole was stripped, and the lens was cracked. I immediately recalled the hiding place of my miniture roll of duct tape and fixed the light on the spot. No luggage was lost, no cargo had shifted.... we were back on that fantastic road in a few minutes. For sure I'll remember the WOWs of the Haines Highway and Tomto can probably give you the GPS coordinates.
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