Carson ride gone bad.....

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PDXFJR

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Canby, OR
This morning the three guys I always ride with (they're like my brothers) and I took off to ride the Carson to Cougar run. The four bikes were a Kawi ZZR-1200, Ducati ST-3, Triumph Sprint ST and of course my '04 FJR.

We had just got to where you start the real climb up the hill. Its the section of real hard twisties before the pull out at the top. There is a really hard double apex right turn just after the Paradise Creek campground. You start in with a little lefty and you better be hitting the right's really deep if you've got any speed at all. The ZZr was leading, I was second, Duc was third and the Triumph was bringing up the rear.

I hit the turn and blew it where the second apex comes in to play. I was too hot all the way in. I stood her up, got on the binders, crossed the double yellow briefly and was back in the turn. We smoked up the remainder of the hill. I commented on the chatterbox that that was one nasty right turn. We got to the pull out at the top and waited for everyone to get back together. The ZZR and I were there at the same time, the Duc shortly after. We waited....it seemed like forever...A bike is coming. Its actually two BMW's...HOLY CRAP!!! Ask them if they saw a Triumph on the way up..."Nope, just some guy standing on the side of the road with his helmet on the ground"

F,,K!!!!!! On the bikes and back down the hill we go...Got back down to the campground and he was sitting in a car with two older ladies that told him they would take him back to Portland. He was waiting for us to come back down. We got the story....

He hit the turn too hot, didn't make it, crossed all the way over hit the gravel on the opposite side of the road, and down she went. The bike tagged a 12" diameter tree dead on with the front end. It basically tore the entire front end of the bike off except the forks and tire. It ended up standing upright against a downed log. There was NO plastic left on the bike.

He was fine...WEAR ALL THE GEAR ALL THE TIME!!!! He had a few scratches by his neck from the dirt. his back and ankle are pretty sore but ok.

Let me tell you!! I've ridden that road four times and two of them have ended up with a bike on the ground. The first one the guy went home in an ambulance with a broken pelvis. I doubt I will be going back..Too much bad carma!!!

I am so happy that he is ok. His bike is done though and it had less than 800 miles on it. It was brand new. They'll total it for sure. Not sure if he'll get back on or not. I really hope so, but I'm not sure.

Remember...Wear all the gear all the time, ride your own ride, say a prayer every time you get on the bike, and kiss your family before you leave. Crap happens quick!!!!

Ray

 
It happens. Damn. Do you think the T rider was pushing to hard to keep up? The classic scenario of not riding his own ride? Or just **** happens?

 
It happens. Damn. Do you think the T rider was pushing to hard to keep up? The classic scenario of not riding his own ride? Or just **** happens?
I think he may have been pushing a little hard to catch back up. Looking at the line he was on and the marks in the dirt/gravel, I also think he may have target fixated on the tree. Don't know.

Ray

 
Damn that sucks. I saw the recent results of a nasty spill just south of the Elbe turn on 7 this morning. :dead: It was all the talk at the cafe in Morton. :(

 
Wow, I'm glad it sounds like he'll be okay.

What's up with the BMW riders? They didn't stop and stay with him or were they riding to find you? Sounds like they weren't too concerned...or am I reading too much into that? If I came upon someone in your friend's situation, I wouldn't leave him alone - he could be bleeding out internally or have a closed head injury of some sort.

Again - glad he'll be okay.

:pig_ball:

 
Major ouch. I'm still sore from my crash last week. I know exactly how it feels to crash a nice 800 mile bike. Make sure he gets checked out even if he feels okay. The adrenaline will last for 24 hours and he won't know what is hurting till at least day 2 or 3. Glad it ended with just a wrecked bike and not major injuries.

 
Gald the friend is OK. I wouldn't shy away from the road, just ratchet it back a notch or two. You don't have to go warp speed to have fun.

Side question: do you know if the 25 and 90 roads are open from Randle to Trout Lake or they still closed by snow?

 
Remember...Wear all the gear all the time, ride your own ride, say a prayer every time you get on the bike, and kiss your family before you leave. Crap happens quick!!!!
Amen. Relieved to hear that your "brother" is gonna be okay.

I doubt I will be going back..Too much bad carma!!!
I gotta say though ---- screw karma.

I'd guess that you continue to work on being a better rider, make good judgements going into each corner, wear excellent gear, AND GO BACK up that road and continue to enjoy it. With your riding buddies.

Take care.

 
The offramp I totalled my SV on (technically off) is the same one I take every day going to work. I could take the one right before it. I could take either of the next two after it. I take that same one every time for 2 reasons. 1st so that I never forget (real close to last ride, life flashing, 25 feet of freefall etc.).

And 2nd because every time I ride I get better. And I'm not letting one bad (really bad) morning screw up the thing I love to do. Do some reading on cornering tecniques, and such. Take classes they're worth every cent.

I'm glad he will be ok. That's the most important thing.

 
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Wow, I'm glad it sounds like he'll be okay.
What's up with the BMW riders? They didn't stop and stay with him or were they riding to find you? Sounds like they weren't too concerned...or am I reading too much into that? If I came upon someone in your friend's situation, I wouldn't leave him alone - he could be bleeding out internally or have a closed head injury of some sort.

Again - glad he'll be okay.

:pig_ball:
I agree!!! No they didn't stop to check him out or anything...We were too concerned to get into it with them. I've spoken to him a couple times tonight and he's doing pretty good, just sore.

Ray

 
Gald the friend is OK. I wouldn't shy away from the road, just ratchet it back a notch or two. You don't have to go warp speed to have fun.
Side question: do you know if the 25 and 90 roads are open from Randle to Trout Lake or they still closed by snow?

Not sure..I know that even at the turnout, if you know where that is, there was snow on the side of the road. The raod was pretty clean though, not a bunch of rocks in it. There were people coming from the Cougar side, so if that helps...

Ray

 
Remember...Wear all the gear all the time, ride your own ride, say a prayer every time you get on the bike, and kiss your family before you leave. Crap happens quick!!!!
Amen. Relieved to hear that your "brother" is gonna be okay.

I doubt I will be going back..Too much bad carma!!!
I gotta say though ---- screw karma.

I'd guess that you continue to work on being a better rider, make good judgements going into each corner, wear excellent gear, AND GO BACK up that road and continue to enjoy it. With your riding buddies.

Take care.

I said that once, went back and road it again. But, not sure if I want to go back again....

 
I gotta say though ---- screw karma.I'd guess that you continue to work on being a better rider, make good judgements going into each corner, wear excellent gear, AND GO BACK up that road and continue to enjoy it. With your riding buddies.

Take care.
So, OM, when you riding La Porte Rd again? :rolleyes:

I'd ride it with ya, but for now the Bandit is holed up, waiting on some new fork bits to come in so it can be farkled slightly. <_<

Danged leaky seals! :angry2:

Ray

 
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Gald the friend is OK. I wouldn't shy away from the road, just ratchet it back a notch or two. You don't have to go warp speed to have fun.
Side question: do you know if the 25 and 90 roads are open from Randle to Trout Lake or they still closed by snow?
25 will be closed for quite some time due to the slide @ Benham Creek. Check conditions here

 
Gald the friend is OK. I wouldn't shy away from the road, just ratchet it back a notch or two. You don't have to go warp speed to have fun.
Side question: do you know if the 25 and 90 roads are open from Randle to Trout Lake or they still closed by snow?
25 will be closed for quite some time due to the slide @ Benham Creek. Check conditions here

That will suck. Hope they get it cleaned up fairly soon. That is one of my favorite rides to get to Eastern Oregon and the Blue Mountains.

 
You don't have to go warp speed to have fun.
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And consider "Staying Right". You said both of you blew the double yellow. That's a great way to become a hood ornament. Luck was on your side. It may not always be that way. Riding under the influence of testosterone is another great way to end up in a wad.

This story had a pretty happy ending, considering the possibilities. There was an incident a few years back where two very skillful riders both augered into a guardrail and were killed. Talk about a fun ride gone bad....

 
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