most useful thing you found while riding?

[Jan from Finland]

Most useless nice-to-have shiny thing found is a Porsche hubcap "For off-road use only" in knockoff style.
Didn't fit into my LC4...

[Qwik]

In the last week (in my Truck) I have found a medicine ball (30lb'r) and a spare wheel (Toyota I believe) Sold em both got $40 for the medicine ball and $30 for the spare.

[biggurn]

10lb sledge hammer. IIt was brandnew. Nearly hit it, that would have been a day ender.

[The Bohemian]

A roll of duct tape

[klr650gary]

Pair of Ray-Ban Aviators. Up until then I'd always worn $10 throwaways 'cos I kept loosing them, usually at the rate of 2 pairs per year!

The punch line is that 5 years later, I still had 'em, I lost a nose pad, the shop sent them away to be repaired and they LOST them...

So...

They replaced them with a free Pair of Ray-Ban Aviators

[Shirker]

Found a nauseating yellow running vest wadded up on a parking meter yesterday, it'll make a dandy hi-viz overvest.
(I risked the non-paying option for a 20 minute errand and it paid off, so I saved $25 too).

[advNZer?]

Originally Posted by scmopar

While out running errands today I spotted a pair of blue handled channellock pliers.The most usefull of all tools.That got me to thinking with all these" adv'riders loggin thousands of kilometers/miles a year what is the most usefull thing you have found?

petrol

[Qwik]

Originally Posted by biggurn

10lb sledge hammer. IIt was brandnew. Nearly hit it, that would have been a day ender.

Late last year while riding down the highway I was following a truck with a Utility bed and noticed a 2lb sledge hammer on the bumper. Pulled up next to him and grabbed the handle. Pulled alongside and handed it to the passenger. The look on his face was classic.

[kenny61]

Originally Posted by RodT

I found Bear pepper spray up at Crater lake, Oregon this summer.

You ever wonder what happened to the person that had it

[wibby]

Riding down the road, I sneezed and lost my front tooth (loose crown)

I immediately threw down one of my gloves, went back and 15 minutes of crawling around on the pavement found my tooth

[Qwik]

That saved you $500 or so

[slartidbartfast]

Originally Posted by wibby

Riding down the road, I sneezed and lost my front tooth (loose crown)

I immediately threw down one of my gloves, went back and 15 minutes of crawling around on the pavement found my tooth

...but did you find the glove?

An (empty) camera case blew out of my tank bag while I was riding through Custer State Park. I was having so much fun riding, I didn't even slow down. Same thing when a ball compass that I had just stuck to the windscreen fell off (funny thing is the identical one I put on my other bike has been there for years).

[Jamie Z]

Originally Posted by Qwik

Late last year while riding down the highway I was following a truck with a Utility bed and noticed a 2lb sledge hammer on the bumper. Pulled up next to him and grabbed the handle. Pulled alongside and handed it to the passenger. The look on his face was classic.

I had a similar thing happen. Pulled up behind a work truck at a red light. Big hammer sitting on the bumper. I pulled up close to grab it just as the light turned green.

Had to follow the guy for a couple miles when he pulled into a parking lot before I could give him his hammer.

Jamie

[bigdog99]

On a dual sport ride some 15 or so years ago, I stopped on a whim to take a leak, and while standing there looking down the roadbank, spotted a pink fanny-pack under/behind a sagebush. Picked it up, inside was wedding ring, wallet, necklace, etc of a wife riding two-up. It was in a spot that it would have never been found if you went out looking for it. Needless to say, they were thrilled when I rolled in with it later.

Karma. The next day, I lunched my XR600 motor and got towed to gas stop by another rider. About 50 miles from start/finish and who should be there? Right, the two-up wife who had driven the pickup out today to meet hubby for lunch. I didn't have to ask twice if she'd haul me/bike back to town. Pretty useful.

[davevv]

Originally Posted by bigdog99

On a dual sport ride some 15 or so years ago, I stopped on a whim to take a leak, and while standing there looking down the roadbank, spotted a pink fanny-pack under/behind a sagebush. Picked it up, inside was wedding ring, wallet, necklace, etc of a wife riding two-up. It was in a spot that it would have never been found if you went out looking for it. Needless to say, they were thrilled when I rolled in with it later.

Karma. The next day, I lunched my XR600 motor and got towed to gas stop by another rider. About 50 miles from start/finish and who should be there? Right, the two-up wife who had driven the pickup out today to meet hubby for lunch. I didn't have to ask twice if she'd haul me/bike back to town. Pretty useful.

Karma doesn't usually pay me back quite that quick. Great story.