Finally decided to go up the spot I crashed last year. With the GPS I had on the bike at the time, I was able to pinpoint the spot on the ride it happened. I'd been kinda putting it off. But, it's pre-spring, so everything is very clear and observeable. Took the boy and we found it.
Wish I could say it was something impressive or a really difficult spot. It wasn't. A little tough, but nothing remarkable. Probably an optional choice on that trail ride. It's a crash that should have been nothing more than of "Uf" when I landed, and continue to ride.
The section of trail is quite rocky, with loose sharp edged rocks anywhere from baseball to backpack sized. Moderately steep downhill, but nothing terrible. You're in a ravine, so there's really no getting out. Walking down it was a little tough as the rocks would roll out from under your feet. I think I do remember that. From a motorcycle perspective, the worse things were the small logs diagonally across the trail to control erosion. One of those is what got me.
My son and I spent a little time looking it over, even figured out where it had happened. It wasn't until I started from further up and pretended to ride down that it all made sense and came together. As soon as I started pretending to ride, I could easily replicate it all.
I was going slow, picking my way through the rocks(GPS showed ~7-8 mph). As I would come to a log I would have squared to it, bumped the tire over the logs (they were only about 10"), and squirted the rear over. I almost remember something about disliking all the rocks, and thinking this was not fun.
On one log, there were two possible lines. We think I took the right hand line. That would have been the squarest. But that line would have me with my front tire right up to a stump and rock once I cleared the log. So I would have turned to the left as I brought my rear tire over.
And that's what did me in. Doubly so since I think it was a wet that morning from rain the previous night.
The rear tire squirted to the right, and it dumped me hard to the left. That section of the log is damaged, like a spinning sliding rear tire tore it sideways. You could see where there is a chip on one of the rocks holding the log in place, right where my clutch lever would have hit, explaining why it was shoved up the handlebar. The log is gouged a few inches from that chip, right where my handlebar would have it, which would explain the wood that was stuffed into my handlebar end. There's even a funny rock with a double barb that matched the strange scrape on my little windshield.
And a nice flat rock to slam into face first, which is apparently what I did. I would also have slammed onto the log on my left side, which would explain the hurt/broken ribs and partially collapsed lung. The right hand handlebar would have slammed onto my right side, matching the one fractured rib on that side.
Time line on the GPS track has me not moving for about 20 minutes. That would be likely as I sure got the wind knocked out of me. Sitting there against a tree that I likely would have sat against I got a slight flash of an image of someone else coming down the trail, almost like a faint memory.
I rode for another quarter mile, finishing the trail. The trail ended by curving as it dumped you out onto a dirt road. I would have been in very bad shape by this point (had a flash of a memory walking down this section where I knew I was in trouble, very silvery flash memory). I likely didn't even know I was on a road at first. Looks like this would have been a reconnection to the regular route. When I saw other riders, I likely stopped. Nothing special about the final stopping point. That's where the bike sat for several hours, and likely where the first ambulance picked me up.
So, simple slip of the rear tire on a log, and a hard fall over to the left. Nothing more. No great story of daring or exciting drama. Just a slip on a log and fall to the left.
I don't know how to end this. I feel like I should post some great observation or insight into my riding skills or such. I've none. I'm new to dirt, but not to bikes. The trail was challenging but far from truly difficult. I don't think I was in over my head, but maybe I was. I wasn't feeling good that day, and almost didn't ride because of it. Hell, I don't know. It just happened. Life happens.
So, I continue to recover, and continue to ride. I am a little gun shy now of the dirt bike, and dirt biking in general. Maybe something like an old Honda CT70 would be better now. I enjoy the Harley and riding that. Truthfully, banging my way through the woods isn't nearly the fun I thought it would be.
So, ride on all! Life is short, enjoy it to the max. Slide in at the end, well worn and grinning.
I hope you chiseled your initials in that damn rock.
