Photos taken by the Tx Dept of Public Services (DPS) as crime scene evidence just after 2:35pm on June 5th, 2004

Me still in the road with traffic being diverted around me.  You can see the bike that hit me 147 ft back in the road.  That's how far I flew over my handlebars before hitting the road head and left shoulder first at 70mph...no helmet, no gear, just shorts, a tshirt, and the good Lord looking down on me.  You can also see the 18 wheeler gravel truck in the background smoking from blowing up after impacting a tree.  It's brake and steering lines had been severed when the other bike went under it.

Just shows how many folks stopped to lend aid to me.  It was 102 degrees that day.  The 911 call was logged in at 1:18pm, but DPS and the EMT's didn't arrive until 2:33pm since it was 28 miles away from Austin (in Beeville, Tx on Hwy 71).  Plus there were other accidents that stopped the rescue helicopter from being available for me.

Looking from the bike that hit me when it came out from under the 18 wheeler

We held up traffic with up to 4 hr delays I was told since the wreck was across all 4 lanes.  If you look in the oncoming traffic lane, you'll see a dark spot.  That's where this bike when under the 18 wheeler.

This is what was left of the 18 wheeler after it blew up.  Both people in the truck got out with only minor injuries I was told.

This pic still brings tears to my eyes.  No one should ever have to see their bike laid out in the road like this!!!  This was Y.O.L.O. (short for You Only Live Once).  She gave her mechanical life saving mine.  She was nothing short of being my best friend and I owe my life to her and to the higher powers that were there for me that day.

Because of my love for this bike, at the 2005 ROT rally I had a custom patch made in rememberance of her for my vest:

And since I came home with road rash as a souvenier last yr from this rally, this yr at the 2005 ROT rally I came home with another skin souvenier...a tattoo that says it all (in front of my new best friend...."Sweetheart" my 2001 Harley Sportster 1200 Custom).  It says "Wild at Heart" with my fav flower...the yellow rose of Texas, a red heart because I wear my heart on my sleeve, and the dual doodles representative of my love of those 2 wheeled machines we call motorcycles :)