Here are some fun shots of what happens when you hit gravel in a shadowed curve, then have the bike behind you blow your knee apart with their crash bar...
Fresh from the ambulance
Mmm, mmm, fresh road rash!
Got tore a new hole in my ass, actually more like my thigh but close enough...
Gettin ready for surgery
After sugery Frankenleg.
After repairing the compound fracture of the patella, and torn quad. None of the incisions are surgical, all via crashbar...
The crash happened back in March of this year. I was leading a large group of bikes leaving Cook's Corner in Calabasas. We were headed for Swallows Inn down in Capistrano and taking the “long” way, which involves some decent twisties. It was early in the day and there were several areas that the sun wouldn’t reach, one being the corner I went down in. Anyway I went into the corner looking ahead but not realizing that half the roadway was covered in sand/gravel. I was told by the paramedic that it is very common for local homeowners to intentionally throw gravel onto the darkest corners trying to stop people from riding through their neighborhood! How it got there I don’t know but it shouldn’t have covered the entire lane unless there was a tornado. We were all riding single file through the curves, I hit the gravel and washed the front end and started sliding. While I was still sliding I tried to raise up to my feet to get out of the path of the other bikes. I was beginning to extend my left leg when I got hit by the bike following me. Her crashbar struck me on the thigh, right above the knee then across the top of the knee, then I bounced off her bike and rolled a couple times. My friends immobilized me until paramedics arrived, which was really friggin quick. I got transported to Mission Hospital and had emergency surgery to repair the compound fracture of the kneecap, and re-attach the quadriceps muscle. Luckily they were able to suture the patella and quad back together, so no metal or pins needed. Unfortunately I got a staph infection, so I had to go back into the hospital, this time Torrance Memorial since it’s close to home. Due to my lack of a spleen (earlier accident) it got a little touch and go, but in the end I got sent home after a week with my very own I.V. Two weeks of home nurses and two I.V.’s a day finally got rid of the infection, but nearly destroyed my kidneys. Then came the therapy, an ortho surgery to clean up scar tissue, a few drainings, a couple cortisone shots, and neat new Percocet habit, I still can’t go back to work. I just had another MRI last week, Doc said it looks like fireworks going off. He is consulting with his partner to decide whether another surgery will help or hurt. I currently have really good mobility, just lots of pain when it comes to stairs or ladders. Unfortunately I work for a railroad down here in the ports that requires me to 100% before I can go back to work. So we’ll see how long this thing drags out. I finally had to cave into my wife and contact the girl that hit me for insurance help, but now she is denying she hit me and wants a police report. There wasn’t a report taking as far as I know, and now I am forced to pit friend against friend for eye witness reports… Lots of fun! But Sabre wanted the story!
was that on ortega highway? there are so many bike accidents there its rediculous!
sorry to hear about the rough time, its always hard when friendships get on the line...
'09 kx450f 4-Poke
Gen-4 trail bike --SOLD--
Gen-3 badass trail/mx bike --SOLD--
Gen-1 built dunes bike --SOLD--
'05 klx110 --SOLD--
'95 pw80
dannygraves wrote:was that on ortega highway? there are so many bike accidents there its rediculous!
sorry to hear about the rough time, its always hard when friendships get on the line...
Nope it wasn't Ortega Hwy but it was in that area.
Yeah we'll see what happens, the chick that hit me doesn't hang with us that much so hopefully it won't get too ugly...
Thanks for all the well wishes, least now I got plenty of time to wrench on the bikes and work on the baby's room...
Probly true Bob. The big bummer is that the socal canyons have become major cut throughs for yuppy doodles that need to get to work and back every day. It's no longer safe to cruise because you are constantly tailgated by maniac speeders that are not interested in looking at the scenery or going slow for safety. One of my favorite childhood cruises was through a peacfull canyon called Carbon Canyon. It has since become a mega thoroughfare for the idiots that live in what used to be my riding area out by Chino and Corona. And as for Jamboree and Ortega Hwy., forget about it, it's a death race every day.
"the game of life of is not so much in holding a good hand as playing a poor hand well"
