The clutch went out on my Harley Sunday, leaving me standed along Virginia Rte. 8 between Riner and the Montgomery County line. The failure ruined an otherwise good day of riding in 60-plus degree weather.

As a member of the Harley Owners Group, I have roadside assistance service so I called the toll-free number on my cell and waded through a serious of menus before a human came on the line.  Over the next 15 minutes, I tried to explain to the young man just where I was.  He had me spell Christiansburg four times.

Several passersby stopped to see if I needed help. As I waited for the young man at roadside assistance to come back on the line, Floyd Countian Tara Hale pulled up.

"I thought that was you," she said as the young man on the phone said "I'll have to get back to you."

He called back a few minutes to report that a truck from Riner was on its way.  It arrived a few minutes later and they loaded up the bike and brought me and the disabled bike home to Floyd. Later today, I will trailer it over to Roanoke Valley HD to let them assess the damage.