Wish I wasn't in this post, but here goes. I might be at the top of the stupid list. Haven't wanted to say any thing about my stupidity, but it's been 9 months. Please learn by my mess up.
I've been riding motorbikes since I was 14 years old, I've never been without a bike of some sort. I'm 48 now. That's 34 years of getting after it.
I haven't slowed down till December 11, 2004.
My friends and I went to ride the river in Oklahoma City, N.E. of down town. About 3 miles from the I 40- I 35 mix master. We had been riding about 1 hour. I was doing wheelies ( 60mph +), jumps, and raced all and any that would. No one could hold a candle to the 500. Only thing close was Kawi 700 quad, and that was only off the line. Half way into second gear and it was good bye.
When we stopped to take a breather, my friends wife comes over. She says man Dave you can really ride that thing, your nothing like Brad. You got the shifting of the gears in your wheelies and the whole works. Brad is a bud that bought a CR250R Honda, goes running down a trail he's never been on, endos the bike in a ditch and breaks his collar bone. 7 minutes after we started riding. OK time to wrap this up.
Debbie suggested we see how far we can ride the river into downtown.
We had gone about 2 1/2 miles through 3 creeks, under 2 bridges when we get to the 4th street bridge that was under reconstruction. The construction trucks had a path worn in the grass that we were running down, I was in the lead 1st gear just off idle. The trucks are very big that move the dirt. One of them had droped a big hunk of red Okla. clay in the roadway. It had been run over so many times it looked like a pitchers mound. I was standing on the pegs at no more than 10 mph. I gave it a little gas to do a little wheel hop. To d*#m much, I looped the bike.
This should have been one of those kick the dirt and cuss about how I broke the rear fender. But as I came off the bike I landed on my knee cap. I dislocated the knee cap to allmost behind my leg. The bad part is I folded my leg behind me so bad it ripped the patellar tendon off the shin bone. The Doctor told me that's the most painful thing you can do to your knee without breaking a bone. I agree!!!
What did I learn:
Allways wear your riding gear. I was-injuries could have been worse.
Never ride alone, if you do, call and tell someone how long you will be riding and that you will call them when your done. Don't forget the 2nd call.
Ride with friends, smart friends- mine were instrumental getting me out of an isolated area and to the hospital.
Have a cell phone with you at all times- I did. Called my brother at work, luckily he was still there, it was close to the wreck site. He helped get me into the truck. Then rode my bike back to my truck and took it home.
The cell phone thing is not 100%, it can get broken in a wreck, or you might not have a signal in your riding area. Still a good idea.
I got a little long winded here. I'll make another post about my recovery at a later date. Here's some pictures to make you think about your wrist action. This could be in a theater near you so watch out.
P.S. I now call my bike chewie.
