Rose And I Do some landscaping (or, How we wrecked at BC Rally)

[smagnusen]

Glad you guys are relatively okay. If Rose could get up and walk, you made the right moves and it was a good crash. An hour ago I watched my Tacoma, which I had bought one month ago, leave for maybe the last time on a tow truck after being rear-ended by a drunk driver last week. Seeing your machine in shambles is heartbreak, but we all know it means nothing next to our own well-being.

What ****es me off about your story Josh is the fact that more than one person has crashed because of that road. It was nice the neighbor came out to see how you were doing, it would have been nicer if she had, after accident 1,2, or 3, called to see about having something done about the dangerous area in front of her house. Get a loose gravel sign put up, get the gravel out of there, whatever.

-And I don't mean to single her out -but it sounds to me like it's been a dangerous road that people have doing a lot of talking about and nothing else. Several other bikers crashed there?! I'd be livid in hearing that and thinking about what might have happened to Rose.

[russr33]

Like they say in flight school "Any crash you can walk away from.........."

Sorry to hear about it but glad everyone made it through with nothing too serious. Get up a parts list soon Josh; I know some parts will be a little difficult but I'm sure it won't take too long. If you need that exhaust we talked about let me know.

[sam78gs750]

You're always gonna 2nd guess yourself after a crash, but the decision you made ended up with you and your girl walking away and (relatively) minor damage to the bike....so it was definitely the right one. It still stings to go down that way though (literally and figuratively), but I'm glad to hear you guys are ok.

What ****es me off about your story Josh is the fact that more than one person has crashed because of that road. It was nice the neighbor came out to see how you were doing, it would have been nicer if she had, after accident 1,2, or 3, called to see about having something done about the dangerous area in front of her house. Get a loose gravel sign put up, get the gravel out of there, whatever.

I whole-heartedly agree...

[kinnet]

It was nice the neighbor came out to see how you were doing, it would have been nicer if she had, after accident 1,2, or 3, called to see about having something done about the dangerous area in front of her house. Get a loose gravel sign put up, get the gravel out of there, whatever.

The woman that came out to check on us actually lived a few houses down from the corner... But when I was talking to her she did say that she has asked about a sign being put up a few times and that she is going to ask again.

Sign or not, I am thankful that she keeps an eye out. We, by the grace of God didn't need her assistance in contacting an ambulance, but others have, and without it, who knows how some of their stories may have ended...

[bonanzadave]

The woman that came out to check on us actually lived a few houses down from the corner... But when I was talking to her she did say that she has asked about a sign being put up a few times and that she is going to ask again.

Chances are you might have hit the sign. My friend did that in High School 30 years ago. He hit a phone pole and broke both his legs. The lady didnt have to come running out....she was already in her garden where my friend and his bike landed .

[tkent02]

Like they say in flight school "Any crash you can walk away from.........."

What flight school did you go to?

[Dogma]

Reading the story, it sounds like it took a lot longer than it really did. I was just coming up to the the left turn when I saw what looked like my own worst nightmare: gravel-induced instant low-side. I couldn't quite see his wheels on the ground, so I didn't know they were already on the grass.

It's a pretty nasty feeling seeing two friends tumbling over each other after a wreck. Watching that, it's impossible not to consider the possibility of broken wrists, ankles, dislocated etc., all that.

By the time I stopped and remembered how to turn my bike off, they were already stirring. After I walked the 10 yards or so to where they and the bike were, I could see a pretty steady stream of gas leaking past the cap, and Josh getting ready to lift it. I got there just in time to pitch in with the lift and help hold it steady. By this time, I think Rose was already collecting the loose gear into a pile.

It was about 10 minutes before Josh's cussing returned to normal levels and intensity. Rose pretty much stayed Rose through the whole thing.

All in all, if you had to pick a spot to drop a bike, this one was ideal. The sod was soft enough to give way when limbs and bikes hit it.

The frustrating thing was that the curve really was absolutely clean. If not for whatever temporary trick of lighting, we would have sailed through with no problems at all. Given that a rider has to trust his eyes, I don't know what Josh could have done differently, other than stop and duck-walk through every corner. Transition to grass has to be perfect even in ideal conditions. The same thing that made this lawn ideal sod to crash on also made it near impossible to stay upright on.

I don't see any room for blame except an uncontrollable, temporary illusion. They can't put a loose gravel sign on every corner. This was one of the cleanest on the whole road. The folks living there can't do more than what they did, which was to kindly offer help. They can't re-shape the landscape to make every turn a no-brainer. This is a case of bad luck that no rider or driver can be prepared for.

I'm just glad that everyone and everything came out relatively intact. It could have been much worse.

I tried to get a picture of the landscaping they did, but the camera phone couldn't deal with sunlight and shadows. Just imagine a stator-cover shaped trench in the sod, and you'll pretty much have it.

[tkent02]

It was about 10 minutes before Josh's cussing returned to normal levels and intensity. Rose pretty much stayed Rose through the whole thing.

Good stuff.

[TheCafeKid]

Yeah I was going o link a google earth shot of where we went down. I forgot but I suppose i could put it in. The thing tht ticked me
off most after the fact is that aside from the gravel in the side street the corner was clean. But when I saw tht google earth pic I see what I saw. The pavement is pock marked. The way the sunlight hits it through the trees makes it look just like gravel right throgh the heart of the apex

[Larry D]

I was surprised that Josh was as calm as he was when they arrived in Bedford. I guess the remaining ride offered some time to reflect and realize that things weren't quite as bad as they seemed.

And...you're welcome for the help Josh. You would've done the same for me....or anyone else, for that matter.

[kinnet]

Here's a link to the map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=IN-250%20E&daddr=575W&geocode=&gl=us&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=38.845599,-85.715327&sspn=0.001011,0.001725&ie=UTF8&ll=38.845599,-85.715327&spn=0.001011,0.001725&t=h

And here's a screen shot as well:

[Octain]

Dang!! Gald ya'll are ok for the most part.

[cowboyup3371]

First off, please know that I'm glad you all are in one piece and like everyone else said, the bike will fix itself over time. At least you are here to tell about it.

So with that in mind for a newbie here, what advice would you give me then for the time I encounter something like that? I live in an area where it is nothing but dirt roads until I get to the main highway (about a mile and a half) and then alot of dirt roads that lead up to the main highway until I get fully into town. How do I anticipate what to do and how should I handle it?

[toejams1]

Man that sucks! The important thing is that both of you seem to be pretty much OK.

[chuck hahn]

go slow and cautious is good advise. And remember that just because you "LEARN WHERE ALL THE POTHOLES ARE" the county will apply new gravel and dirt as needed so NEVER take anything for granted. My dad was a county worker and there are as mant gravel/dirt roads as pavement around me. I avoid the gravel as much as is humanly possible. A few extra miles is worth the detour for me.