it's all about the ride..

 

It was a 423 mile excursion to bring my son to his boyscout reservation south of Tupper Lake NY. We took the Honda Element with all his camping gear, his twin brother and older sister to help with map reading. A skill she needed to practice and it was a great family day out. We traveled on the eastern fringe of the Adirondack Park enjoying old towns, thriving destination villages and serene woodlands. The roads were long, clean and barely traveled. They mostly wound around mountains and through gulfs in endless sweepers. On a motorcycle, it would be spectacular; in the car not so much. I phoned my bikerman from a rest stop on the Asable River and detailed the route from Tupper Village to the Champlain Bridge in Crown Pt, describing the beauty of it all. On a bike, the riders are engaged at a very organic level with every degree of detail; there are no filters to see or feel through. On a bike we would have been in rapture. In the car, we battled the radio for music, just to stay awake. The mess of wrappers, books and toys piled around our feet as we engaged the interior of the car more than the outdoors we piloted through. I really felt like we were in a viewing cage of sorts, like the motorcycle jargon touts. For this ride, we were "cagers" and I couldn't wait to be free, rolling on the Harley, holding my driver and shooting endless pictures on the fly. He agreed with me, whole heartedly; I could feel his smile even over the phone. In my heart I thank him for including me in his miles on the bike; it is the most earthly way to travel the world around us. Out loud, I encourage him to plan a ride in this 'neighborhood' sooner than later. Again, he smiles over the phone, and begins to plan the repairs of his bike while his injuries continue to make good progress in healing. In a car, we drive to arrive; being there is the priority. On a bike, we drive to look, linger and live an adventure. In a car its about the destination, on a bike its about the journey. Driving roads ripe for motorcycles, in a car... this was a glaring truth.

"... I never saw him..." ~ the making of a 'lowside'

 this is the story of what happened on June 21, 2012, it is offered in my words, my thoughts, his words, his thoughts. He asked that I write it up so it could be published in some places and readers would learn something; that bikers would learn, drivers would become aware and people would benefit from this experience. His recollection of events, actions and reactions is amazingly detailed. It's not meant to blame anyone, or to vent anger, or to shame anyone. It happened; it was the perfect storm; he (my tuff talking, soft spoken, Harley driving, back country gentleman) hopes that people will learn some things, that's all.

the phone call  ~ in my words

  June 21 at 7:45pm: It was a pleasant early summer evening, cooling down, clear air and mellow sun setting as daughter and I were feeding out hay and grain for the seven horses up in the summer pasture. With my arms full of fresh hay, I heard my phone ringing in my pocket. Putting out flakes of the green goodness for the gathering horses, I had to let the call go to voice mail. A few minutes later, hands free, I checked the missed call list and saw an incoming phone number I did not recognize. Ten minutes had lapsed from the initial ring. Daughter didn't know the number either; I almost deleted, but felt a stronger sense to respond so opted to call back. A strange voice answered and quickly handed the far away phone to my biker man. He: "Resa, I've wrecked the bike..." me interupting: "is this a joke, are you joking?" He: "I'm not joking, I had to lay the bike down, my leg is broken, going to the Berlin hospital..." I stood sill and concentrated (thinking, this isn't right, he's a seasoned rider, he's careful, the bike is in mint condition, he was on his way up here, this isn't right...)me: "...what do you need me to do?" He: "call my folks and Mike to get the bike with his trailer...I'm at Hospitality Ave in Berlin..." I was stunned, my thinking diverged, taking paralell tracks: he's spoofing me, getting the upside in our practical jokes, but still... he sounded genuine...I commenced calling his parents and friend, imagining that this was a ruse; expecting them to jab me with laughter and 'gotcha'.  My bikerman is extremely experienced, 35 road savy moto years and 44K miles on his vintage 84 Low Ride alone; this just can't happen, he's too good, too careful.  In both cases, I only got voice mail for his friend and for his folks. I tried to sound calm as I heard the hastily rehearsed words fall out of my mouth: "....Chuck wanted me to call you and let you know, he had a wreck with his bike... he has a broken ankle, that's all, he's lucid, he's talking... he's at Berlin hospital, his phone is smashed so call me back..." (I later gently learned,  that just hearing the word 'wreck' before the injury was a heart stopping experience for his mom, regardless of how calm I sounded. A lesson learned for me though I hope I never have to make such a call again) As I left the messages, I began to struggle with guilt and disbelief and fragile optimism. He was coming up to my place so we could ride for a day before he heads south for the week; he was on the road for me... on his bike to meet me... on his way to the store that I suggested, to save tomorrow for a long run with me...he's hurt because of me. Trying to shake off the gloom, I turned to younger daughter, "...I need to go to the hospital and I'd be gone till tomorrow; could you hold down the fort till tomorrow afternoon?" She was good with the assignment of running the small horse farm so I could drive the 90min to see him. Sometimes teen daughter can surprise me beyond my comprehension.  
    Once on the road heading south; I reasoned it had to be a joke. We are pranking each other always and I was convinced he crafted this complex ruse and his family and friends were in on it; at least I wanted to believe this. In my mind though, I would bounce from happily complementing his  clever gag to being very concerned for him. My self speak: "...how long will he let me drive before confessing all is a joke... he sounded so calm and assured but then I recalled the sirens in the back ground.... it's my fault he was on the road..." Entering route 89 south, I was 40min from the hospital; I felt more relaxed and grateful recanting the scenario  as he called me himself; his speech was lucid and calm. He wasn't maimed, or mangled or dead...he was a little bit broken... it wasn't a trooper who called me, it was my biker man on a borrowed phone, a witness's phone. The situation was looking better to me now, as I drove to the emergency room. Approaching the hospital entrance, I redialed the unfamiliar cell number just to see if this was for real. The unknown owner picked up and answered my feeble query as to my guy's whereabouts; "he should be at the hospital by now, good luck..." It was confirmed, this was no joke and I entered with a shaky smile. Directed to his curtained alcove in the ER, he was awake and sparing with the male nurse. Greeting him with a kiss and a gentle touch I began to hear the story. We would cypher the logistics later, solve the accommodations later, deal with the stuff after he was taken care of; everything could suddenly wait until later.

the wreck:
~ in my words
     before I learned the specific details of the wreck, he told me generally how it happened, how he sort of had to 'lay it down'. That he was grateful to the man who lifted the bike off his crushed ankle, saving him from the scalding oil purging from the crank case - the same man who induced the wreck; to the lady EMT who stopped and helped him crawl off the road with a shattered ankle and get as comfortable as he could; how another man called 9-1-1 and then let him call me on the borrowed cell phone as his was destroyed in the slide. So many strangers who stopped, helped and never left him alone; to them we are both grateful.

 ~ in his words:
    After securing the homestead, all was ready for me to roll away from my house. I'd planned and packed and prepared to go riding up north. To take my partner for a long day of cruising on VT's gorgeous roads before departing for GA in a week. The evening air was cool, clear and crisp, my favorite part of the day to ride. A quick tclocks showed my classic Harley needed a quart of oil; once added, the bike was ready. I was debating, should I wear my jacket or stow it; the pristine twilight convinced me to ride in t-shirt, jeans and sneakers as I usually do on a summer ride. I stuffed my jacket in the tail bag, pulling out my trusty gauntlet gloves in exchange. Worn and ragged, I felt compelled to wear them tonight in case the ugly bugs pelted my hands. Full face helmet strapped into place, visor up to enjoy the air, I mounted up, turned the key, hit the switch and then the lamp. Hearing the lowride clear her throat, sounding sweet and classic, CB (best shovelhead mechanic ever) did an awesome job getting her tuned tight for the season ahead. Down the drive and onto the town road, it was going to be a perfect nite for the 90min ride north to Resa's.

   Cruising north on rte 14, I mentally mapped out my options  for roads. I needed to grab some gear for my pending trip to Fort Benning GA to be at my son's graduation from BASIC; I was planning to be there, with all certanty, next week. At the 4-way in South Barre, I opted to stay off the interstate an pursue the quieter airport road in Berlin, a straight shot to the shopping center and then the highway to Mt. Mansfield and Resa's. Enjoying the smooth road, I was humored to spot a lone beer can on the center line and then startled by a low flying plane buzzing over me in its approach to the runway beside my lane. I was thinking what a great night to fly and a great night to ride.

    My thoughts shifted to the up coming intersection and how to best navigate the congested crossroad. It is a 6 lane 4-way with timed turn arrows and hasty drivers. I wanted to be in the center through lane to move onward to the store. The wind on my bare arms and open visor was refreshing as I crested the knoll. The intersection was waiting in the distance, and the on-coming pick up truck. My northbound lane was clear to the lights, only the truck approaching in his up-south lane. No concerns as there was no directional for a lane change. If had seen a turn signal, I would have made eye contact to read his intentions. No directional, no eye contact, no need of that; I continued on my way, without hesitation. I'm thinking, he's in his lane, I'm in mine...

    In a blink, he's turned across my lane, headed for a road I didn't even know was there, new since last summer. I'm thinking fast, really fast; I can't go right, I'll hit him broadside; I can't go left, there's on-coming traffic. I have to stop, with 60 feet between me and him, I have to stop; at 45mph, I have to stop. I'm hitting the front brake as hard as I dare, the back break harder, and still harder on the rear brake until I've locked it up. Skidding now, I'm trying to veer left to clear the bumper. The bike was locked up, swerving now; I didn't want to hit the truck and go over high. The bike was no longer controllable, I knew it was going down or hit the truck.

    Blink; I'm down, hitting my head first, helmet bouncing back like a ball. I'm thinking: I am so glad I have my helmet on... It was like a movie now, I can feel my arms skidding along the pavement; aware the sensation was so odd, to feel the abrasion happening but no pain (yet). I reasoned I need to roll away from the heavy bike; but I was trapped. 680 pounds of hot steel had my left leg trapped. I was swept along with the bike. I had to get off my arms; I need to jump up on my hands, on to my leather gloves. I managed to continue the slide in a bench press of sorts, letting my gloves take the brunt of the skid.

   Finally, everything stops on the yellow center line; I'm pinned under the left side of the downed bike. Still feeling no pain, I could not get free. The engine was purging 3 qts of hot oil, seeping toward me. I was thinking: 'this is bad, and then, so this is where all the oil goes when added to it... I wanted to be out of its way, but I was trapped. The driver who induced this situation appeared and asked, "...do you need help?" Me: "ya, get this bike off me..." He lifted it enough that I dragged my self away from the puddle of scalding oil, then on to my hands and knees to crawl off the road. Cars were trolling by my wrecked bike, I could see the wrong angle of my broken ankle. A woman who witnessed the whole thing stopped to help and a man asked if I wanted an ambulance. Peeling my gloves off, shedding helmet, plucking the shattered cell phone from the remains of my pant pocket, I answered, "yes". I pulled myself up to the new looking street sign and leaned against it. He called 9-1-1 and then my Resa for me. Now I could realize the gravity of it all. My bike was down, leg was smashed, arms burning.... I can't believe this was happening. I was thinking, 'I hope you have good insurance.. and then out loud: "you've ruined my plans, I have to get to GA and my son's graduation next week... how is that gonna happen now..." The sirens were approaching, I spoke with Resa on the borrowed cell phone and waited for things to happen as I was thinking: 'oh no, oh no, oh no... with the hospital in distant view, oh no, oh no, oh no... save my bike, put my leg right, get me home, get me to GA...I can't believe this happened...

sporting some road rash, but glad to be home

leathers would have helped for sure

Hindsight ~ in his words

    All my life, I have been riding bikes, many tens of thousands of miles on dirt bikes, sportsters and my beloved Lowride, what could I have done differently, done better? Did I brake too hard, or not hard enough? I spent the next 3 days in hospital replaying all of it, 1000 times in my head. This was my first wreck on the traveled lane. The driver said he never saw me, the cop said my headlight was on, road conditions were good, visibility excellent... the woulda's, the coulda's, the shoulda's nag at me. I'll for sure ride again, Resa won't let me quit. With leathers? you bet; over ankle boots? oh yeah; crash guards, maybe. My confidence in my driving is way high but I never will trust anyone else sharing the road.

amazingly little damage to the bike

the bike fared better than the biker

epilogue ~ in my words 
     Many thanks to my daughter for covering the farm for me, for the man who peeled the broken bike from my bikerman's leg, to the Samaritan  who let my guy use his cell phone to call me, to the Berlin Rescue squad for doing an excellent job getting him to the ER, to the  Central Vermont Medical Center staff for doing a first rate job from beginning to end, for the friends and family who brought food and good humor to him day and night, and for the Good Lord for protecting him from the worst case senerio.... He low sided on his precious bike to save himself from an errant pickup truck driver who turned left without seeing my bikerman 60' away. (driving that road, seeing the skid mark, the clear viewing...if the truck driver's eyes were where they belonged, he would have to have seen him coming, he would have yielded the right of way) In the end, a broken ankle, some road rash (Wear Leathers when you Ride), a terrific story to tell and the wellness to tell it.
  3 days later, he was home on his porch, surrounded by family and friends and alive to enjoy it... 

post script: 
he did make it to GA, and decorated his only son with the blue chord of an infantry soldier. 


PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR BIKERS!
 
luv - peace - love, resa