Like the title said, yesterday I was out on the bike before lunch, took it into a long sweeping S turn driving into the sun, hit a patch of loose gravel in the middle of the second curve I couldn't see because of the glare and took a ride into the ditch at about 60mph or so. I ended up half in a muddy/water filled ditch and half wrapped in a wire pasture fence. The place I crashed was 30 seconds from my house, and I was terrified the wife was going to come driving around the corner, see the bike there and lose her ****.

All told everything so far hasn't been too bad, the cops/paramedics were awesome as were the staff at the hospital, aside from the fact that a few of them throughout the day kept asking me if I was going to get back on a bike again, while my wife was sitting there, and then giving disapproving looks when I told them yes without hesitating. The wife' had been through enough, she didn't need to be forced to hear/see that while she's sitting beside me in a hospital bed.

I came away with a busted rib, some pretty significant soft tissue damage on the right side of my body from my shoulder right to my ankle, and a few stitches and scratches on my face around and in my mouth. I was wearing a Biltwell Hustler DOT helmet with the BMX goggles, and those goggles probably saved my eyes. I probably would have done even better with a full face helmet, but I guess you live and learn and make choices going forward based on that. Anyway, I'm pretty messed up in terms of being sore, but nothing permanent, so I have to be happy about that at least.

As for the bike, I have no idea what kind of shape it's in. The last I saw it I was sitting on the gravel shoulder waiting for the ambulance and it was sitting half submerged in the muddy ditch with the power still on. The paramedics told me the firefighters managed to walk it out and that it was towed, but aside from that I have no idea. I really loved that bike and was finally getting it pretty close to where I was really happy with the way it looked and rode, so the idea of starting over kind of sucks, but if there's any sort of damage to the forks or frame I kind of feel like I don't want it back and that I'd prefer insurance just write it off and cut me a check. I've already filed the claim on it, so I guess it's a matter of waiting and seeing what happens when the appraiser gets a look at it. I won't be up and about enough to get a look at it in the next week or so anyway, so I wanted to get things rolling on it asap, so that if I do have to get a new bike I will still be able to get it in my garage before there's too much snow.

 

So awful to hear - glad you have "no permanent damage" to yourself, at least! That's the important thing to remember. Hope all works out with the insurance company and your bike!

 

Sorry to hear that, glad you are still kickin'. Best of luck on the mend.

 

Thanks guys, definitely not a fan of this bed rest business, I feel like I'm going stir crazy. But every time I try to get up I'm reminded of why I should stay in bed, so here I stay.

 

Been there brother. Colorado uses sand on the roads for snow control and when it's dry, it's like riding on ball bearings. Thank god you landed somewhere relatively soft.

 

Sorry to hear and hope you heal quickly. Hopefully the bike is fixable.

 

Sory to hear about the accident, glad that you are ok. Keep us informed on the status of the bike and your recovery.

 

You are alive, it was a good day. Not the best, bt ANY time you walk away, it's a good day!

Do what the doctor says, if they are giving you pain meds, USE THEM, that's what they are for, and you will heal faster because of it as long as you are also doing what you are told...which is hard for most of us to do, one of the reasons we ride!

Now, the bike...it's metal and rubber and it can be fixed or replaced. YOU are the part that MAKES it what it is...

Rest, relax, and spend LOTS of time on the Harley site planning the repairs while YOU repair!

 

Hospital staff are not sympathetic to riders. I think they get tired of fixing us up and seeing so many of us dead. They may be polite and super friendly, but they always manage to work in a few discouraging words about riding.

 

Your "WINNING" as far as I am concerned. Any day on this side of the dirt is a good day Dude. You are around to tell the story and thats all that really matters. You can always get another bike where as your health and body parts are a 1 time shot.