Carnifex
Ka-Chow!
Rode to work today - beautiful day, about 50 miles each way, marred only slightly by a brief visit with a representative of the local constabulary in one of the small towns on the way. (said visit shortened by my presentation of my own credentials as a member of a significantly larger and more storied constabulary.)
Once past that inconvenience I was treated to some of the best riding to be found in the flat parts of southwestern Delaware - woods and long sweepers, if a little flat.
I take the last 6 miles on the dual highway in stride and pull off onto my little side road, and approach my driveway from the north. I'm coming up from the north, and meet my wife, who is coming up from the south.
Oh look!! My wife, I will wave like an idiot!
(have I mentioned yet that my driveway is about 700 feet long and stone - not paved?)
I'm busy waving, slowing down, trying to negotiate the turn from pavement into the loose stones that gather at the end of any stone drive.
Yea, that didn't work.
As near as I can tell I was still on the brake when I turned into the stones, the front wheel locked and slid, and the rear slid around, dumping me. That part is not too bad, but the bike ended up on my foot, trapping me.
I absolutely could not move - my foot was twisted and pinned under the right tailpipe. Which is hot, BTW. Really, really hot.
My wife jumped out of her car and was unable to move the bike, and luckily two guys in pickup trucks stopped and were able to lift it off me.
Nothings broken, on me - my knee is skinned, and my foot is burned (tho not bad) and bruised in 4 different spots - swollen pretty good also. My boots are torn all to hell and gone, but they are what kept me from a serious burn I have no doubt.
The bike is.. well - what you would expect from going down in loose stones and sliding. The right lower fairing is scratched all to hell and gone, as is the saddlebag, and I've got a little rub on the edge of the front fairing. Nothing's cracked, but it's not pretty anymore.
Anyone have any idea what the lower fairings cost to replace?
So there. you go. Lesson learned - pay attention, damint. I've got no one to blame but myself.
Once past that inconvenience I was treated to some of the best riding to be found in the flat parts of southwestern Delaware - woods and long sweepers, if a little flat.
I take the last 6 miles on the dual highway in stride and pull off onto my little side road, and approach my driveway from the north. I'm coming up from the north, and meet my wife, who is coming up from the south.
Oh look!! My wife, I will wave like an idiot!
(have I mentioned yet that my driveway is about 700 feet long and stone - not paved?)
I'm busy waving, slowing down, trying to negotiate the turn from pavement into the loose stones that gather at the end of any stone drive.
Yea, that didn't work.
As near as I can tell I was still on the brake when I turned into the stones, the front wheel locked and slid, and the rear slid around, dumping me. That part is not too bad, but the bike ended up on my foot, trapping me.
I absolutely could not move - my foot was twisted and pinned under the right tailpipe. Which is hot, BTW. Really, really hot.
My wife jumped out of her car and was unable to move the bike, and luckily two guys in pickup trucks stopped and were able to lift it off me.
Nothings broken, on me - my knee is skinned, and my foot is burned (tho not bad) and bruised in 4 different spots - swollen pretty good also. My boots are torn all to hell and gone, but they are what kept me from a serious burn I have no doubt.
The bike is.. well - what you would expect from going down in loose stones and sliding. The right lower fairing is scratched all to hell and gone, as is the saddlebag, and I've got a little rub on the edge of the front fairing. Nothing's cracked, but it's not pretty anymore.
Anyone have any idea what the lower fairings cost to replace?
So there. you go. Lesson learned - pay attention, damint. I've got no one to blame but myself.
