Getting a GIVI case: More than I bargained for

When I bought the V-Strom, I ordered a Givi topcase for it. Off I went, back to Turple Bros. in Red Deer, Alberta to pick it up.

I picked up the case and strapped it to the back of the bike. It was a beautiful summer day in early July and fairly hot out so I was anxious to get on the road and get the air flowing again. Getting ready to head back to Calgary, I took off my glasses to put on my helmet and the rest of my motorcycle gear - my helmet, jacket, gloves, earplug (just one because of being deaf) and then I headed off.

Turple Bros. is located right near the Queen Elizabeth II highway, otherwise known as highway 2. There is just a couple of four-way stop intersections on the service road until you get to the highway. I made it through all of them and came to a stop at the last one. As I looked around to make sure the intersection was clear, my vision went completely blurry.

No doubt I swore a few expletives as I realized my own idiocy. I had gotten on the bike and rode off without my glasses. I was scared, angry and embarassed all at the same time.

Fortunately I am farsighted. I can focus my eyes at any distance for short periods of time. I realized I didn't put my glasses on right after putting my helmet on. My eyes adjusted when I closed them to put on my helmet and I thought I could see clearly. When I got to the intersection, my eyes relaxed and everything blurred out.

So there I was, almost on the highway and I couldn't see and didn't know where my glasses were. I pulled the bike over to the side and took the long walk back to the dealer. Perhaps they fell off the bike when I got on it. Nothing.

I walked by the side of the road back to my bike. Nothing.

Then I headed back to the dealer to double check to make sure I wasn't looking the wrong direction and walked past them. I hoped I would find them and I wished they were not shattered.

Looking down the road for anything shiny, I was reminded how much garbage people litter. Every chocolate bar wrapper, every drink bottle, every piece of broken glass caught my attention. Heck I'd never looked for a pair of glasses by the side of... oh wait, I have, but that's another story. Anyway, I've never looked for my own glasses by the side of the road, particularly while not being able to focus my eyes.

I realized that looking at the side of the road was part of the solution and I focused my effort on the middle of the road (bad pun intended).

It was hot, I was wearing my motorcycle jacket, I couldn't see, I hadn't eaten much that day and I had been walking for almost an hour. Then they caught my eye.

Running up to them I hoped that they were still usable. Fortunately karma was liking me that day and there were only a couple of slight scratches on the frames. The lenses were still near perfect. What amazing luck.

I rode home and couldn't stop thinking about how simple a mistake I made and how it could impact the trip. I would not be able to do the trip with glasses. I would need to get my eyes fixed first. In the meantime, I bought an extra pair of glasses to carry under my seat - just in case.

More to come...