Bad day

[Felonious Thump]

Started riding 41 years ago and never been down. Can't say that now. I was going up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Went wide to cut in towards the apex of a tight corner, and hit a small bit of gravel just as I turned. Rear started to skid out so I turned it straight and upright, hit the brakes, but could not stop in time. The bike and I ended up 20 feet down from the road with the nose of the bike in the creek. Helmet worked! Heavy jeans worked. Shirt, not so good. Road rash on my left side, bruised, and a sore back. I will be fine. Not sure about the bike. I will have to see it Monday, when I am able to walk a bit better.
I got it pretty slow before we went over the Edie, so I hope I can rebuild.

[Karen]

Wow! sounds like it could have been much, much worse. Sorry you are sore, but glad you are able to post. Take it easy, the bike can be fixed/replaced. Heal quickly. 20 ft down an embankment with the rear wheels stuck in a mudhole is as close as I ever came, and that was in an Austin Healy Sprite sauced out of my gourd, following the two white lines that went right... it was the 60's.

[solo1]

I'm glad that it worked out for you, could've been worse.

It's a good thing that NE Indiana doesn't have roads that curve, what with the heavy use of gravel on the berms AND black top roads that turn to gravel without warning!

For me, unseen loose gravel ranks right up there with teens texting!

[flsix]

Sure glad the injuries weren't any worse.

[Patrick]

Glad to hear it wasn't any worse.

[old2soon]

I'm with Karen on this one-bike can be fixed or replaced. You on the other hand need absofrikinlutely NEED to hang onto as many of your original parts as you can!!  RIDE SAFE.

[Valkorado]

Sorry to hear about that.  I've ridden Big Cottonwood Pass, it's a beautiful ride (barring such mishaps).  I'm glad you are mostly OK.  Hope you and your bike are both upright and in the wind again soon.

[wiggydotcom]

Sorry to hear about your mishap. Glad you weren't hurt any worse.

[nogrey]

GRRRRRRRRRRavel! I HATE gravel! And you never know when it's going to show it's ugly head!
I was halfway around a 20MPH twisty on Highway one last February and discovered sand halfway around the corner. Sure got my attention. Fortunately for me, there wasn't much and I only slipped a bit. But the sand had fallen off a road crew truck just moments before. Lucky me! OK, I was lucky.
Sorry to hear about this. It's one of my nightmares. I get so used to the tires sticking to the road that I forget there might be gravel or sand around the very next corner. I just don't expect it in mid-summer.

Sure am glad to hear that you came out ok. Hope your bike fares well.
Take care!

[Jess from VA]

Sorry about your spill.  Hope you and the bike aren't too dinged.

I hit sand yesterday.  Did a quick uphill pitch and the bike was very light, immediate turn at the top, and both tires drifted sideways on sand.  Gray sand on gray road was invisible.  Most sand is gone now, but not on that road.  No fall, but there easily could have been.  Tires are great, but sometimes they still slide.  Ratcheted the fun governor down for the rest of THAT road.

Stuff happens.   

[old2soon]

Moonshine 28 couple weeks ago on our way to I-14 my brother and I found some sand in a less than fun spot. Well to put that in perspective it WOULD have been a fun spot minus the sand. Didn't go down-either one of us-but there was a STRONG pucker factor fer a couple of heartbeats. Had the same color sand as the road is a time or three on my favorites list of roads I frequent here bouts. ALWAYS on high alert when I ride!!  RIDE SAFE.

[BobB]

Sorry to here about your spill, glad it was not more serious.  We encounter a lot of gravel riding the back country roads where farm equipment enters.   I've dropped a bike twice in the stuff, once tearing a large chunk of flesh out of my left elbow.  After 46 years you still remember it, the scar is still there.

I hope you heal fast and can get back into the wind. 

[Paxton]

Sorry to hear about this... been there...    It could have been better err... like not falling?
I hope you're well enough to get my joke or lack thereof.
Get well soon.

[tank_post142]

went down with sand in Dec. still relearning to walk again. glad to here your in much better shape! Tank

[Felonious Thump]

Thanks guys, and gals. Just got the bike home. For the most part it is just cosmetic damage. Frame, suspension, and even the tires are fine. Will be looking for parts for sure. Biggest concern is the timing belt cover took a big hit on the left side. Belts gone. So I wonder if that happened before or after the tilt switch killed it. Other concern is the drive is leaking at the wheel hub. Hopefully it's just housing that's messed up. I will need a fuel tank. It took some nasty hits on both sides. Now it may hold 3.5 gallons. Yep I did say holds. Fuel still in it. Still looks like a nice bike, with some scars... Took me a couple years to save up enough to get it, so it might be another year before I can get all the parts.

[Jess from VA]

Well the leaking drive is probably fluid out the top vent if the bike laid over enough.  Assuming no crack n the case (unlikely) probably no internal problem (but adding to the right level again).

How are the forks?

[Felonious Thump]

Forks are fine, as are the wheels and tires, even still have air in them.  What I find curious is there is only one small dent in the exhaust. Just pushed it out by hand, on the end of the left pipe. Crazy what gets damaged and what does not. Some of the boulders it went over were car sized. I hit one of those with my rear end. Huge bruise on my right ass cheek.

[Pappy!]

Just happy you are here to type about it!
What about insurance coverage? Hope that kicks in for you.

[donaldcc]

  glad you are OK, FT.  sounds like lucky not more severe injury or damage to bike.

  after your post mortem analysis, how could you have avoided this?  I ride quite a bit in mtns and lots of turns.  road debris is always a concern.  was your speed OK? was the gravel hidden somehow?  any other way you could have avoided it?  educate us.

[Felonious Thump]

I was stupid. I went to wide before I was going to cut to the inside of the corner. Should have known better. Gravel can be kicked up on the road anywhere there is a wide spot before a corner. People pull off to take photos all up and down that canyon. Unfortunately I just had basic coverage for insurance, so it's all on my dime. I used to ride my bike to a ski area where I was the mountain manager until we made snow for the first time. Brush the man made off, ride home and put it up until March. That was 5 miles of gravel road each way. It's the sudden change in traction that gets you every time

[RainMaker]

I was stupid. I went to wide before I was going to cut to the inside of the corner. Should have known better. Gravel can be kicked up on the road anywhere there is a wide spot before a corner. People pull off to take photos all up and down that canyon. Unfortunately I just had basic coverage for insurance, so it's all on my dime. I used to ride my bike to a ski area where I was the mountain manager until we made snow for the first time. Brush the man made off, ride home and put it up until March. That was 5 miles of gravel road each way. It's the sudden change in traction that gets you every time

Any crash you walk away from is a good one.  Sounds like you'll have the bike and yourself on the road pretty quickly.  We live - we learn. 

Prayers being sent for your quick healing.

RainMaker

[nogrey]

I was stupid. I went to wide before I was going to cut to the inside of the corner. Should have known better. Gravel can be kicked up on the road anywhere there is a wide spot before a corner. People pull off to take photos all up and down that canyon. Unfortunately I just had basic coverage for insurance, so it's all on my dime. I used to ride my bike to a ski area where I was the mountain manager until we made snow for the first time. Brush the man made off, ride home and put it up until March. That was 5 miles of gravel road each way. It's the sudden change in traction that gets you every time

I've got to say, you're alive, you're experienced and you see opportunity for improvement next ride. Keep thinking about the next ride. So glad you are ok. Bikes are like doritos.....they'll make more!

[Felonious Thump]

Now there are 11 Valks in the local classifieds. A black 2003 for 8500 with less then 4k on the odo sounds real interesting. Wife says fix Your bike and you are not going to have two. Oh we'll.