Gene:
I was one of the riders who met with you, Russ and Robert at Mariposa's 'Happy Burger' and we are all so very happy to be able to read of your having made it home! We all like to be able to remember certain rides and Memorial Day Weekend is usually one that can be remembered without such antics as the attempt to see a Busa fly!!!
From the looks of the scene (and there wasn't a lot of 'evidence') you went completely across the road, into the oncoming lane of a fairly mellow turn. Your bike then went off the tarmac onto the sand/gravel of the side and then slid until the edge of the 'cliff' and you were launched. The bike ended getting stuck in a tree with you probably getting hung up in it too, but eventually dropping to where you were found about 30 feet below the roadway.
We had three riders turn around from Coulterville which was about five miles north of where the accident took place. As we went back to look for ya none of the three us spotted you, missing the slight 'evidence' of the get-off. Apparently your waving your helmet caught the eye of some passing biker(s) who called it in. From the time of your get-off, until help arrived, was probably about 20 minutes and those ladies & gentlemen that pulled you up were of a super class of folks!
Our group hung around until you were taken care of and the reminants of your bike were up on the hook. We then escorted Russ back to Jamestown and he then caught up to you in Sonora...
That was how some of us saw it and the 'why' this happened will be open to some discussion, but it was not the way we like our Memorial Day rides to be remembered!
Again, it is great to read from you and we all wish you the quickest of healing and hope to see you out on the roads again here real soon!
Later,
ButtHead
(aka: Steve)