Jay is prodding me to get on with the tale. I know its been "real quiet" in here but I got distracted by a shiny object...
Good stories soon.
Chris
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
The Bad Streak
I logged into my favorite web page this week and immediately saw something I did not want to see, a crash post. I always feel bad for a rider who goes down, its always painful, physically, mentally and financially. Most of the time you just post an "atta-boy" glad your Ok , it will get better soon message and move on.
It's different when you know the person who crashed, a lot different. Now that message takes on a whole new meaning. I handled the first and second one OK, Rider 1 is a nice guy I met for the first time last year at WESTOC, a regular on chat nite at ST-O and a long time rider. He had a spectacular crash while passing a line of slower bikes. Crashing with an audience is always good for a lot of flak once your friends know you are basically ok. Rider 2 is a guy who literally rides nationwide, I meet up with him all over the US, He highsided a Goldwing with his GF on the back, bumps and bruises for him, broken arm for her (note, she is already up and riding with her S/O again, yea)
The third crash happened right in front of me. A friend that I have had for over 20 years and I basically love crashed. She did a skid, a highside and then a slide from about 30 mph. By the time I got my bike stopped, she was up and looking at her bike. After about 20 minutes of the shakes on my part, accident reconstruction by another friend and a whole lot of bike test riding by her husband, she got back on and rode 50 + miles to get home. That's mentally tough!
Number four is another ST-O regular, great guy that I have ridden with, helped with his bike and really like to see and talk to. I log on to ST-O and see a long description from his riding buddy that day describing his single bike crash in an intersection. Unlike the first accidents that resulted in bumps, contusions and a nice pain med prescription, this time my friend is in the hospital with some serious fractures. I called his phone and spoke to his son who gave me a little information, the next day I got to talk to him and strangely, he is doing better with it than me. Great attitude, cheerful and most of all, OK.
Next one happens the same day. I just met this rider while I was in Washington State for this years WESTOC. He has already had a horrible crash that required a year of rehab, almost lost a leg, still has problems walking any distance, even though he does it! He got hit by a woman in an intersection, "She never saw him". Result, after all this rehab and healing over the last two years? A fractured arm, a new cast and more rehab and healing time. Again, handling it better than me, he is already making jokes about his incident online.
I thought I would be done as I put this post together, unfortunately not. At Moonshine this year I got to talk with some more of the folks I met last year in Colorado, this rider has a new girlfriend, very nice lady who after riding with along last year, started riding her own bike this year, She found Gravel, went down and broke her wrist. Another rider down.
This bad streak has got to end.
It's different when you know the person who crashed, a lot different. Now that message takes on a whole new meaning. I handled the first and second one OK, Rider 1 is a nice guy I met for the first time last year at WESTOC, a regular on chat nite at ST-O and a long time rider. He had a spectacular crash while passing a line of slower bikes. Crashing with an audience is always good for a lot of flak once your friends know you are basically ok. Rider 2 is a guy who literally rides nationwide, I meet up with him all over the US, He highsided a Goldwing with his GF on the back, bumps and bruises for him, broken arm for her (note, she is already up and riding with her S/O again, yea)
The third crash happened right in front of me. A friend that I have had for over 20 years and I basically love crashed. She did a skid, a highside and then a slide from about 30 mph. By the time I got my bike stopped, she was up and looking at her bike. After about 20 minutes of the shakes on my part, accident reconstruction by another friend and a whole lot of bike test riding by her husband, she got back on and rode 50 + miles to get home. That's mentally tough!
Number four is another ST-O regular, great guy that I have ridden with, helped with his bike and really like to see and talk to. I log on to ST-O and see a long description from his riding buddy that day describing his single bike crash in an intersection. Unlike the first accidents that resulted in bumps, contusions and a nice pain med prescription, this time my friend is in the hospital with some serious fractures. I called his phone and spoke to his son who gave me a little information, the next day I got to talk to him and strangely, he is doing better with it than me. Great attitude, cheerful and most of all, OK.
Next one happens the same day. I just met this rider while I was in Washington State for this years WESTOC. He has already had a horrible crash that required a year of rehab, almost lost a leg, still has problems walking any distance, even though he does it! He got hit by a woman in an intersection, "She never saw him". Result, after all this rehab and healing over the last two years? A fractured arm, a new cast and more rehab and healing time. Again, handling it better than me, he is already making jokes about his incident online.
I thought I would be done as I put this post together, unfortunately not. At Moonshine this year I got to talk with some more of the folks I met last year in Colorado, this rider has a new girlfriend, very nice lady who after riding with along last year, started riding her own bike this year, She found Gravel, went down and broke her wrist. Another rider down.
This bad streak has got to end.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Westbound for WESTOC 13, Redmond Wa
My big trip for 2007 was a run out to the Pacific Northwest for the annual Western Sport Touring Club meet. This is the second time I have attended this event (Katrina messed up 2005) and once again the event surpassed all expectations.
In the next few days I want to start posting segments of my ride report here instead of on a forum like St-owners simply so I can have more control.
Come back soon, more will be happening!
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