I live in Grosse Pointe Michigan, near Detroit and since the weather this month had not been particularly bad I decided to make a road trip to the Mackinaw Bridge. The bridge is located in the northernmost tip of Michigan that connects the Upper Peninsula and the Lower together. It is roughly a 600 mile round trip, and as a new K1200RS owner it makes for an exciting day of scenery, especially in December. Not to mention since the bike is only 6 months old, what a perfect time to cross the 7,000 mile marker on the odometer.

Well, on the 23rd of December, I checked the weather and it was all clear for the day, with the exception of a particularly nasty storm front that was rolling in from Minnesota. I figured that the storm was not going to hit northern Michigan until approximately 10-11 pm which fit my schedule since I planned to be home by then anyway. So gearing up for the 30 degree temperatures I decided that it was the day to make the trip, since my chances in January were most likely going to be reduced. Not to mention to have a southbound toll ticket this time of year makes for some fairly decent bragging rights and patch rights for the local club that I belong to.

I set off on my journey and had a wonderful trip north. The looks from the holiday travelers were priceless as I passed them on the road. It was that standard, "there goes another crazy rider in the winter" look. A couple of gas stops later and far from home a couple of passerby's at one of the gas stations I was fueling up at queried where I was off to. I mentioned the bridge, and they warned of the oncoming storm but assured me that all weather reports stated it wasn't supposed to hit until late at night. They waved me on with compliments on the bike and wished me luck... but again... I could see them shaking their heads on the way to the car thinking the same thoughts the drivers on the road had. Undaunted and amused I continued my journey.

I made the bridge at a wonderful time. The sun was just going down and the fog was rolling in. Extremely picturesque and needless to say that I had a great measure of pride that I had made it in good time and none the less for wear. Crossing the bridge I was again warned by the attendant at the toll station that weather was coming and to continue north was going to be a little crazy. I simply informed her that I was turning around and that I was heading for home, South. She then said I should be OK and that the storms were at least 3 and half hours out. This was approximately 7:30 PM. I re-crossed the bridge and headed south for home. About an hour into the trip I ran into snow flurries, and wondered about the storm and then started to think that weather people aren't the most accurate. But I continued on since the roads were as dry as a summer day and there was no ice to be found. Another half hour later I was awash in a full blown snow storm. The roads were slightly covered, visibility was down to about a mile, and about that time that I figured it was time to pack it in at the next exit for the night. I checked the GPS, and it said I had another couple of miles to go. About one more mile the weather just stopped and the roads were clear again. Thinking I caught an isolated storm I continued. After all I did not want to be stranded 200 plus miles from family when Christmas Eve was the next day. Northern Michigan is famous for 4 day straight storms, stranding even Semi-Trucks in their tracks. So at this point it was my mission to get as far south as possible. I picked up the pace again, and decided that if I ran into any of the same conditions, I was to pull over and hang it up until the next day. For about another half hour things were fine, and I pulled over for some coffee and fuel. Again assured by the attendant that I should be fine, I continued on for approximately 50 miles.

At the 49 mile mark on the trip meter, the weather turned again to heavy flurries and about a mile of visibility. Trusting the GPS and determined to get off at the next exit, I came up on a tractor-trailer. I maintained a respectable distance, but within a quarter mile, the truck was started dusting back snow like it was making the stuff. At this point I could not see anything but its tail lights. I slowed to about 40 MPH and let the truck go on. GPS stated I less than a mile to the next exit, so I just hung on and maintained 40 until it came up. Right then the weather took a turn for the worse, and I saw the exit about 500 feet up from my location. I reduced speed again, and then saw that the exit was piled in snow but passable, and when I applied even the slightest pressure on the brakes I started losing control. There was patches of ice everywhere. Needless to say I had to continue past the exit and let the bike bleed speed because braking was out of the question. Though the highway only had a splattering of snow, I had no idea where the ice was since it was dark and the snow was coming down.

I reduced speed again, and the GPs said that there was another exit about a mile up, so instead of rising life and bike by trying to turn around on the shoulder and possibly getting plastered by a driver that wasn't paying attention I kept speed at approximately 20 and forged on. Within 200 yards of the prior exit, I finally remembered what a White Out is in Michigan. Basically, what was a bad situation went horrible. The snow was so thick and coming down so hard that visibility went from a half mile to 10 feet in the time it takes to even register what was happening. I went from a mostly clear road to 2 inches of snow and ice under the wheels. Without any visibility, bearing, or points of reference except from the tracks made from cars directly in front of me, my only choice was to guess the shoulder and just get off and call for a tow. My only choice at this point was to stop any way possible, because again for all I knew I was heading to the shoulder and a quick trip into a ditch. I applied the brakes lighter than a gnat could if it landed on the front brake and then it was over. My K bike heeled immediately to the side and I was down.

Thanks to the alertness of the driver behind me, they stopped and immediately rendered assistance and kindly blocked the "lane" at their own risk to ensure that I was not a target to people that think they can still drive in these conditions at 55, which was a good thing since exactly 30 seconds after we got my bike up and was inspecting damage (very little thanks to the snow and ice that acted as a buffer to the pavement) an F150 cruised by us and lost control rolling 3 times into a ditch not 50 yards away. Long story short, after helping the shaken driver from his vehicle, EMS and police showed. We were not the only people that got caught by the storm. There was approximately 12 cars within a mile of me, north and south that were piling up.

As it turns out one of the EMS drivers that arrived, is a several bike BMW owner and a proud member of this organization for 20 years, not to mention a BMW Owner anonymous lister. And his first comment to me was (laughing), "Only another fanatical BMW driver would be out in this mess!!" Once the situation was cleared up for the most part, and I started talking about a tow truck, he immediately offered his services. R.L., as I will call him refused to let me call a tow and headed off to his home 10 miles distant to retrieve his trailer. Remember that it was still snowing like no tomorrow, and from the police radio, all emergency services were being heavily hampered by the storm. So to do this was above and beyond the call.

Once he returned and an hour later, we loaded the bike and immediately offered me options. R.L offered his home and services for the night in order for me to find a way home. Not to mention, he stated that if I could not find a person with a truck to tow his trailer and my bike 200 miles distant (as long as I returned the trailer, lol) then I could store my bike for as long as it took to retrieve it in his garage. I immediately was grateful and slightly in shock that a person would go to such great lengths for me. Now I have been a rider for almost 15 years now, and have seen some kindness on the road to fellow bikers, but again this was extremely extraordinary.

I decided not to put R.L. out with his home and asked to be taken to the nearest hotel, and to store my bike until the morning at his house. He honored my request without question, and stated again that I could take his trailer or leave the bike if I could not work anything out. The night at the hotel was a string of phone calls, trying to make arrangements, but being Christmas Eve the next day, most people that I knew could help with either their own trailer or something to tow R.L.'s were otherwise committed or out of town. Running out of options, and the next morning I called a local RYDER dealer in the odd chance they were open. They were and had a truck that I could take the bike home. I was bound and determined to get the bike home on my own accord since R.L. had already done more than he should have.

I called R.L. and informed him of my situation and said that I would show at his house with a truck. He again turned saint and offered not only to pick me up, but to bring the bike as well so we could load it up at the dealer. Once there, RYDER had no straps to loan me, and R.L. to the rescue again. He not only loaned me his straps, but also took more than an hour and half on his own time during Christmas Eve to help me make sure the bike was secured and I could get home incident free. He is like I am, he still had shopping to do for the family that day, and since stores close early I could not believe that he would go to these lengths.

Once ready to depart I could not thank R.L. enough and offered anything that I could to compensate him for his time and generosity. His only comment was that he was glad to help a fellow rider and that in the future if he ever got stuck in a situation that someone would be there for him as well. Well, R.L., I don't care if you are in Nebraska, you give me a call! Anyway I was on my way and safely home 3 hours later. Without the help of this fellow rider, the situation could have been altered and I could have been stranded for days, and many more pennies shorter for the Christmas season. I am forever in debt to not only R.L. but all the others out there who have lent their generosity above and beyond their own personal reservations, and ideals.

Scott Campbell