GgarryP
Elite Member
A few weeks ago I took a spill on the berm of a mountain road here in South Carolina. I came away with two broken ribs and strained rotator cuff muscles on the left side, a cracked bone in my right hand. I was out of work for a week and slept in the recliner for a couple weeks since it was less painful to get in and out than laying down in the bed. With damage on both sides even simple daily tasks were excruciating. Things are better now but I'm still recovering.
I attribute the accident primarily to fatigue. I shouldn't have been riding at all. I was in the middle of a planned five week outage at the plant working a 12-hour night shift. I was just getting used to working nights but I had two days off. I should have kept to the schedule by sleeping during the day and staying up all night. But the weather was nice and I didn't know when I'd get to ride again. I had taken a short ride the day before and it was good. So even though I was sleepy, I set off on a two hour ride. I was familiar with the roads. The weather was cool, sunny and clear. There was little traffic and the roads were dry.
The first hour and a half were good but I was getting tired. Coming down the mountain entering a long sweeping left turn a little fast, I panicked. I grabbed the brakes hard and stayed on them while the bike straightened up. When I hit the berm the bike immediately laid down. Fortunately it was soft loamy soil with thick grass, the softest kind of landing possible.
Several people stopped to help. I was running on adrenaline thinking I'd get the bike upright and ride it home. I felt sore but thought it was just a few sore muscles. The bike landed just over the edge of the berm on a downward slope. Had I been much faster I might have ended up in the woods below with no one realizing I was there. We couldn't get the bike upright while on the slope. One guy had a tow strap and we got it back up on the berm and upright.
By then I realized I was not in good shape and the bike wasn't rideable. I called AAA who could be there in an hour. One of the guys stayed with me and I warmed up in his pickup. By then I was coming off the adrenaline with periods of shaking and lightheadedness. He asked me if I had any chest pains and I said 'No' even though the ribs and torn muscles were hurting.
After a couple days I figured out it was more than sore muscles and went to the ER to get checked out. I still haven't cleaned the bike but it looks like only a little real damage. It doesn't start but it likely is associated grass and mud interfering with one of the interlocks.
At 70 I don't bounce like I used to in my 20s riding motocross, enduros, and hare scrambles. And I can't ride without pushing it a little. It may be time to hang it up.
I attribute the accident primarily to fatigue. I shouldn't have been riding at all. I was in the middle of a planned five week outage at the plant working a 12-hour night shift. I was just getting used to working nights but I had two days off. I should have kept to the schedule by sleeping during the day and staying up all night. But the weather was nice and I didn't know when I'd get to ride again. I had taken a short ride the day before and it was good. So even though I was sleepy, I set off on a two hour ride. I was familiar with the roads. The weather was cool, sunny and clear. There was little traffic and the roads were dry.
The first hour and a half were good but I was getting tired. Coming down the mountain entering a long sweeping left turn a little fast, I panicked. I grabbed the brakes hard and stayed on them while the bike straightened up. When I hit the berm the bike immediately laid down. Fortunately it was soft loamy soil with thick grass, the softest kind of landing possible.
Several people stopped to help. I was running on adrenaline thinking I'd get the bike upright and ride it home. I felt sore but thought it was just a few sore muscles. The bike landed just over the edge of the berm on a downward slope. Had I been much faster I might have ended up in the woods below with no one realizing I was there. We couldn't get the bike upright while on the slope. One guy had a tow strap and we got it back up on the berm and upright.
By then I realized I was not in good shape and the bike wasn't rideable. I called AAA who could be there in an hour. One of the guys stayed with me and I warmed up in his pickup. By then I was coming off the adrenaline with periods of shaking and lightheadedness. He asked me if I had any chest pains and I said 'No' even though the ribs and torn muscles were hurting.
After a couple days I figured out it was more than sore muscles and went to the ER to get checked out. I still haven't cleaned the bike but it looks like only a little real damage. It doesn't start but it likely is associated grass and mud interfering with one of the interlocks.
At 70 I don't bounce like I used to in my 20s riding motocross, enduros, and hare scrambles. And I can't ride without pushing it a little. It may be time to hang it up.