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An Anonymous rescue By Rick Salazar #212666 I BECAME AN MOA MEMBER A
week before this summer’s BMW MOA rally in Salt Lake City to receive the member discount. This was something I had been planning to do since attending my first BMW MOA rally in Billings, Montana, in 2015. When I registered, I also submitted my information to be included in the Anonymous Book. I had no idea just how important this would be. Just as I did two years ago, I had a great time at the rally and on Sunday was heading home to Denver aboard my '03 R 1150 RT. My route took me to Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Wasatch Mountains southeast of Salt Lake City and then through Guardsman's Pass before finally reaching Vernal, Utah. After meeting a few friends for lunch, I gassed up and prepared to travel the 120 miles or so miles across
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BMW OWNERS NEWS October 2017
the Utah and Colorado high desert to Craig, Colorado. With my fuel tank full and as I prepared to get back on the road, a little voice in my head said, "check your rear tire pressure." When I looked at my rim, I was surprised to see that my differential seal had failed and gear oil was covering the rear tire and rim. About 335 miles from home and in 98-degree heat, I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. I was just grateful it didn't happen while I was in the desert riding at highway speeds. I was stranded, all alone on a Sunday afternoon. My trepidation was quickly building. Also at the gas station were a group of adventure riders coming from the rally and heading home to Michigan. One of them took a look at the bike, described a similar experience and asked me if I was a member in the MOA. "Yup, just last week," I said. He said that I probably didn't have an Anonymous Book yet so he proceeded to
pull out his and found the single contact listed in Vernal, Utah. I felt it was a shot in the dark, but I called, and Randy answered (with his permission, I will use only his first name). A short time later, Randy came out and took a look at my bike and said, "I'll be back in 20 minutes." Twenty minutes later, Randy shows up with a trailer, and with the help of the other MOA members at the gas station, we loaded the bike. I figured we would just trailer the RT to a shop or his house, but no. Randy trailered my RT 135 miles and more than three hours to Grand Junction, Colorado, which was the nearest BMW dealership. During the ride, we enjoyed great conversation, as we talked about his decades of riding BMWs with his wife of more than 30 years and his three Iron Butt rides as well as his 48 states in 10 days experience. When we finally arrived in Grand Junction, I offered to pay Randy for gas and
