I rode on my bike to Arkansas and came home with it riding a UHaul. I would love to tell you what happened but I do not remember. I was having a great day. We rode down on Wedneday, a cold start but everyone was early to all of the meetup points so we headed out of Bloomington well ahead of the schedule.
Uneventfull until we got off and followed 19 thru MO and 9 through Arkanasas. Miles and miles of twisiting roads, arriving in Moutian View 12 hours and 15 minutes after meeting the Seeker and MotoCbiker at the Lake Forest Oasis.
The list ended up this way
Seeker
Bandman
Motocbiker
CVWheel
blackbird54
Lefty
glory racing
Sproket
Shooty (Jim)
Mxvet57
DavidLSI
After settling in both Glory Racer and Sproket made their presence known
Barb B Que within walking distance was the dinner choice. I split a big vareity plate with Chuck. Ribs, Pork and Brisket with multible sides. Everything was great including all three of the sauces. Ranging from mild to hot it seemed that everyone was satified. Pecan Cobler and vannilla ice cream for desert and a walk back for an evening of parking lot talk.
The next morning we were all up brite and early for a quick ride up the road for breakfast. We followed sproket to the number one road on the Top ten list, 341 Push Mountian Road. We enjoyed so much that we turned around after a photo of the group and rode it again back the other way.
It was a great morning sun shining perfect temperatures and non stop action on roads that never stopped winding and twisting. Roads that more resemble a roller coasters than asphlat that connects places. We made a gas stop and decied on a lunch spot about an hour away, and off we went for more tremendous riding.
That is all I rememer, next thing I am aware of is I am in the hospital. The blood pressure cuff is automatically filling with air I see the clock telling me its 1:20 am the calender says April 16th and the dry wipe board says "YOU HAVE CALLED HOME" and "Your friends have your bike taken care of".... the nurse walks in and asks if I remember his name. He looks familiar and I say, Jeremy? No its John.
About 4:30 am was the first time I was able to tell him his correct name.
Several hours later after speaking with the Doctor, he tells me for the second time, but I don't remember the 1st. I get 2 prescriptions and sign a paper and then my second nurse of the stay Angie, handed me a key to a Uhaul Truck and then helped me find where it was parked.
I opened the back to see my V-Strom safely strapped to the side wall of the truck. The front right side plastics are all scrated up, the front peg is hanging the brake pedal is bent up and the passenger peg is missing. I also see the right hand turn signal is hangning loose.
Inspecting my Fieldshear suit I only see a smal tear in the right shoulder. My helmet is a different story, the lens is off and there are deep gouges like a tiger had been swipping at it. The modular flip section is scratched up and mis-shapen the left pivot point has popped off. My Icon glove looks fine though.
I find my tank bag in the the cab of the truck and plug in my GPS. The direct route back to the motel is just the type road we came to ride, miles and miles of snake like coils through beautiful scenery mostly on route 16. A tremendous, very twisty road that I took at less than the yellow suggestion numbers, it was not fun in the truck. I took my time driving, wanting to call people but my phone's battery needed a charge.
With only stops for gas, my prescritions and lunch, I got back to the motel and fell alseep wacthing the Cubs game. The others started arriving arround the 8th inning which was my first chance to get some idea of what happened to me.
Denny was behind me and he tells me....
We doing about 35 in a decreasing radius curve that went on for a long time. Rock wall on the inside, guard rail and drop off on the left. He says I stood the bike up before the end of the curve and must have target fixated on the rail. When my bike hit the loose edge stuff the wheels went out from under and I went arms and head face first into the ground.
They tell me I was awake, but kept asking the same questions again and again. They would answer me and 15 seconds later I would ask again. They tell me that they put me on the back of Jim's Honda and took me to the ER. I hear that I was not the greatest pillion, between my non stop chatter and constant moving around I was a handful. But I was safely delivered at St. Marys Hospital in Rogers, AR.
Denny's shots....
My photo's
Finally done with the interstate and about to head out on the roads we had been dreaming about all winter long...
CVWheel, Lefty, Seeker and Motorcbiker
Shooty
Bandman
blackbird54
Chilli
DavidLSI and Chilli
The whole group...
DavidLSI, CVWheel, Seeker, MotoCBiker, Bandman, Glory_Racer, Sproket, Lefty, Shooty and Blackbird54
My face shield...
I got to walk away with a head ache, left thumb jammed and slightly swollen purple, and my right fore arm has egg shaped bruised area that was wrapped in a half cast and ace bandages. The gear did its job.
The only problem I have is I do not remember which means I do not know what to learn from the experience. Can I call it an experience if I do not remember it? How can there be something to learn if there is not a memory of it? I really am confused about how I feel. When I crashed my 1st bike and when I hit the deer I went for months where the memory would replay over and over in my head. Slow motion frames just surfacing at random times both when awake and asleep. I still can find myself every now and then sliding along the ground into the intersection, and that was 3 years ago.
But nothing from this one.
On the bright side I got to go home and share the story, it did not have to end this way.
I am very thankful for the people that I ride with; caring, thoughtful and action taking. I spent alot of hours on the road home thinking about all of the different ways that the situation could have been handled. The way it worked out could not have been better. I have the feeling everyone had part in taking care of me and I thank you all. My family also sends their thanks as well.
SeeYa
DavidLSI
Video clips to follow later...
