Wear your gear, peeps.

[Speedbag]

I went down on the road for the first time Wednesday evening.

I made the trip to a local bike night with a co-worker on my Street Rod, about 30 miles from home. It was the last such event for the summer and I hadn't been to one, so figured it would be a good time with a lot of bikes. And it was.

We left after an hour and a half or so and headed home, just before sundown. My co-worker and I parted ways as we got close to town, and I began the last leg home. About three miles from home I came around a sweeping left-hand more or less right angle turn and there she was. A big doe, a wall of brown in my eyes casually walking across my lane with a companion just coming out of the ditch.

I aimed for her tail, knowing/hoping she wouldn't turn or that her partner would quickly follow in panic, got on the brakes hard and hoped for the best. I vaguely recall just missing her rump and I think I touched the edge of the shoulder as I veered back left and went down. I don't remember a thing from then and about three hours afterward until I woke up in the hospital.

As luck would have it a friend came on the scene probably a matter of seconds later, saw my bike on the oncoming lane on its side and me standing in the ditch on the other. He called it in the journey to the hospital began. Again, I remember nothing.

My Vanson textile jacket has some fairly substantial scuffs on each arm but only one small tear in the mesh; it's still usable. My helmet wasn't so lucky - it's shown here as a reminder to all to wear your gear. There is no doubt it saved my life.

As for me, I've got a concussion (still achy and dizzy as I type), a whopper of a shiner, some mild rash on my hands (lucky, as I had no gloves on - dumbass, I know) and some bruises on my arms and knees. Nothing is broken, miraculously. I haven't seen my bike yet (at my buddy's friend's, who lives a matter of a hundred feet or two from where I went down), but it sounds like just a matter of a clutch lever, a grip, footpeg, radiator cover, and a saddlebag on the left. I'll know more tomorrow when we haul it in to see what the real damages are.

I got lucky, folks. Wear your gear.

[KEH]

Dang, dood, you posted this at the same time I posted my sorry tale.

Glad to hear you made it ok, for the most part. Sounds like you hit harder than I did. I didn't hit my head at all, just rash on my leg and bruises on my arms.

How is the bike?

[Speedbag]

Glad to hear you made it too.

I certainly feel like I went down hard.....especially my thick skull. Owee.

Bike damage is fairly minimal according to my buddy (see above), but I'll see myself first hand tomorrow. I hope it's as minor as he says....

[numbskull]

There's the reason I wear a full-face helmet. Can't imagine not wearing one. This sucks to read about two crashes posted within minutes of each other. Sorry to hear about your incident. Get better.

[sbrguy]

so you crashed, got up standing around your friend comes to you, and you remember none of this?  did you talk to him at the time? and didn't remember any of the conversation?

damn that really was a bad hit to the head.

[1313]

Glad you're okay.. Man, I feel naked without all my gear on even going a block away to get gas.

Helmet, jacket, gloves, back protector, knee/shin protection, boots..

[Speedbag]

so you crashed, got up standing around your friend comes to you, and you remember none of this?  did you talk to him at the time? and didn't remember any of the conversation?

damn that really was a bad hit to the head.

Yes.

I vaguely recall seeing him, but that was it. Nothing else. I guess I was even relatively coherent when the sheriff arrived. He asked for my license, I found it and gave it to him. He asked for my proof of insurance, I started digging for it, stopped and asked him what I was looking for again. Then they sat me down.

I remember nothing.

[sbrguy]

wow that was a nasty hit to the head, glad it wasn't worse.

[ducpainter]

I'm glad you both made it.

Sounds like your bell got rung Dave.

Get it checked out.

[Sterling]

That should be an ad for full faced helmets!  I am glad you are here to tell the tale!

Cheers,
Sterling

[Speedbag]

They gave me a full scan while I was there, I didn't escape from the hospital until late yesterday.

I feel pretty good, other than the headache/dizziness, which is getting better. I go back in on Tuesday to get a once-over.

[kingbaby]

I hate to hear another deer story, especially from one of us.

One of my best friends did not fair so well after hitting one north of Durango, Co.

Gear is subjective. Helmets should never be.

Just glad you are here with us tonight.  

[Speedbag]

One of my best friends did not fair so well after hitting one north of Durango, Co.

Sorry to hear. 

My last thought that I remember was "do everything NOT to hit her, lay it down if you have to".

[junior varsity]

Glad you are relatively OK.

[Howie]

Damned tall rodents!!  Good to hear you are relatively OK.