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**prometheus578** · 10-07-2006, 02:16 PM

"What's the weather forecast?"

Well... looks like I'm not pullin' the rear end out of my truck tommorow. Ok... I'll play.
(Geez, I've been back from my Denver trip about a month now, and still haven't unpacked my bike. I hate when people come up with these bright ideas at the last minute and force me to get off my lazy ass and get movin')
I'll contact you tonight after I get offa work, Denny, fer details.

**MikeFromMT** · 10-07-2006, 07:49 PM

Dang it, I wish you guys would give a little warning for those of us on the "right" side of the state, if I wasn't working on Sunday, I could have left today (or even right now for that matter, stressing about deer the whole way) then ridden back after the ride.
'course now I'm booked for the rest of the month and I'm not holding my breath for good weather until maybe April

Keep me in mind for next year

**Dennyz** · 10-08-2006, 06:37 AM

Dang it, I wish you guys would give a little warning

Yea, this was one of those, "Hey! lets go for a ride on Sunday" kind of thing. Just wanted to let the forum know, in case there were some other PNW'ners itching for a ride.

We will definitly have to set somthing up for this spring. I have always wanted to do a state 360. Ride the permemter of the state, where riders can joing in and ride the loop, or just meet at designated stops. Maybe next year.

**johnboi71** · 10-08-2006, 11:48 AM

HUH, WHAT??

I hope you all had your rain gear this morning

I guess I should have read this yesterday instead of going out and shopping for tools! Got me a Harbor freight MIG, a 8" grinder/buffer ( for polishing my removable items this winter), and a underwater video camera ( for looking for OLD beer cans a the bottom of the lakes- my other hobby is collecting old beer stuff from my area). Then I had to get a rollaway tool chest to get my s*** together. Spent last nite getting it all put up instead of reading here! Bad John!!!
Oh well, next time. Guess I will se about a set of tires today instead. And some buffing compound to polish my fork brace.

**prometheus578** · 10-08-2006, 04:59 PM

"Boy, did YOU miss out on all the fun!"

Yeah, Johnboi, you really blew it.
I'll post a good write up after my son gets back from the one hour photo place with my pictures.
Got a coupla good shots on the road. Well, not really on the road... more like on the side of the road, in the ditch.
Oh, but why ruin the surprise now... pictures tell the story better.

**MikeFromMT** · 10-08-2006, 07:24 PM

What'd I miss?! work today was a serious waste of time...where are the pics?

**prometheus578** · 10-09-2006, 01:11 AM

"It's show time!"

I'll spare all the details, and just hit on the highlights.
Eventhough I saw it happen, I really can't recall exactly what took place, as I was soon occupied with my own events.
Denny's friend Meri lost in in a corner. Rain slicked roadway... maybe her tire hit the slippery centerline, I really can't remember... but it was impressive. Down she went...sliding gracefully, (as she's that kind of woman)
Now... those that know me, know that one thing I can't stand is for me to be up-staged in any circumstance. I wasn't about to let her be the center of attention!
"That was nothin'... watch this!", I said to myself.
Actually, the only thing I remember saying to myself was, "Oooh, that sort of hurt!", as my head bounced on the pavement.
My intent was obviously to stop and see how she was, but braking on a rain slicked corner was not the way to do it.
Now... for those who've never layed their bikes down... it's a real interesting experience. You get that slow-motion sensation. Sort of cool.
I 'member trying to brake... feeling the front end slip... a strange change of body orientation... then the jolt back to reality as my face and shoulder hit the pavement. I ended up a few feet from my bike.
I hoped that I had assumed a Superman-like, flying posture as I slid across the road... But most likely looked like a penquin, in those nature movies, wings back, sliding on it's belly into the water.
Meri was already on her feet by the time I got up, and the others(Denny, Jason and Britney) had already turned around and stopped by her. Shaken, not stirred. Luckily, she was intact, and gave a little smile to show she was OK. Visor from her helmet was missing, and I think her windshield was broken, but otherwise her bike seemed OK.
Time to do the "Walk of Shame" , and go back and check on mine.
Looking at the skid mark... It appears that I may have been upright, riding that beast sideways for a while.
[IMG]

[/IMG]
Then the front wheel dug into the dirt, she flipped and tossed me off.
[IMG]

[/IMG]
(Denny's the strawberry, Meri's the banana)
We got it back on the road... and after a minute of cranking to clear the flooded carbs, she roared back to life again.
Both bikes functional.... back to Denny's for a better damage assessment.
Windshield is toast, as is the headlight bucket.
[IMG]

[/IMG]
Generator cover worn through, still charging, I think, but need to open up and see what's going on in there.[IMG]

[/IMG]
Interesting broken spark plug on the good side. Must have snapped it with my knee. Still firing, though![IMG]

[/IMG]
Helmet... obviously time for a new one. (Ya know, that thread months ago concerning helmet choices. Some people here might want to reconsider their love of those open-faced, half shell things. Things could have been a lot worse than my current ten hour long headache, as the spot where my helmet hit the road was where my jaw would have been had I not been wearing a full-face jobbie. Just a thought)
Anyway... perfect ending of a perfect day. Had a quick beer back at Denny's, but declined the offer of further hospitality, as I wanted to ride home before my shoulder and knee locked up. Headed back to the ranch by the side roads, as my windscreen was flopping a bit.
So... there's the tale. All in all a good experience, no permenent damage done to man/woman or machine. And as been said so often here, it's not a matter of "IF", but of "WHEN" the unexpected is gonna hit.
My bike... no worries. I have three more and plenty of spare parts.
But GNEPIG... Those leather pants of mine that you find so sexy... I probably won't be wearing them again. Have a hole worn through the knee.

**Wildkat** · 10-09-2006, 04:37 AM

Showoff

Just couldn't let it slide, could you?

Sorry, Prometheus

I thought about y'all when I checked my Mount St. Helens link yesterday and saw all the clouds. I'm not much of a rain rider having slid through an intersection sideways on my last bike (in front of my ex-husband's place of business... while he and his new wife happened to be looking out the window... on what would have been our 4th anniversary). It was one of those slow-motion deals too... wasn't slow enough for me to fix the problem before it got any worse. Although, it must have looked pretty cool as I was sliding right behind my bike much like you see the SuperSport riders do when they go down. Picked up my bike and my ego and was able to ride home...

ANYway... back to you and Meri. MUCH too eventful a ride from the sounds of it but ever so glad everyone got up and walked (rode) away.

Just keep repeating to yourself... rubber side down... rubber side down...

(Glad you're okay)

**mro** · 10-09-2006, 08:30 AM

Shaken, not stirred

Much better than zip/splat!!!

Glad your fingers are still there,
would miss your posts here.

mro

**DiverRay** · 10-09-2006, 10:45 AM

Ouch!!
Kurt, you need to repeat, GURU's go slow, Guru's go slow.... about 50 times should do it.
I'm glad everyone came out with just bruised egos and body parts, and nothing broken.
Ray

**MikeFromMT** · 10-09-2006, 12:04 PM

WOW!, maybe it was a good thing I was twidling my thumbs all day in an open house, I see no reason to share this story with the wife, ( "hey honey, you know that bike ride I wanted to go on? well check out the photos...") anyways, glad to hear you all walked away relatively unscathed, next year you can show me where it happened.

**Dennyz** · 10-09-2006, 06:53 PM

Ya, it was an interesting day yesterday. First off, when I went to bed Saturday night the forecast was for nice weather. Around 7am, the rain started. Kurt (prometheus578) was the first to arrive right on time. Meri rolled in a bout a half hour later. Jason and Britney made it an hour latter.

We had breakfast and did our best to avoid the discussion of a ride. It was one of those Puget Sound misty drizzles outside. While inside the fire in the fireplace, fresh coffee and eats were keeping us in.

Meri was all jazzed from earning her endorsement the day before. We had to give the ride a chance. We piled on the rain gear, fired up the machines and headed out. The roads were incredible slippery from 3+ months of no measurable rain. We went about 15 miles or so, and pulled into a gas station to check out why my tail light was not working. With the condition being what they were, we decided to grab some beer and head back to the house.

I was in the lead, Jason and rider behind me, then Meri and Kurt bringing up the rear. About half way home, I noticed Meri had fallen back a bit and was watching in my mirror for her to come around the corner Jason and I had just made. I saw Meri’s head light and watched her very gracefully lay the bike down. All in a split second, I watched the bike slide ahead with Meri rolling over on to her stomach. I turned around in the saddle to see her jump to her feet about the time Kurt came sailing (not nearly as graceful) through the corner on his side and into the ditch.

I hit the brakes, whipped the bike around (to Jason’s surprised) and headed back. Kurt was on his feet by then. Meri and Kurt were wondering around in bit of a dazed as I approached them.

After checking out everyone and the rigs, we limped back to the house. Meri took a nasty thump to the noggin, so I wanted to keep an eye on her for a while. I am very disappointed in her helmet. Either it is not a very safe helmet or it did not fit properly. I will be looking in to it. Meri is very sore today and taking it easy. She is a wonderfully resilient woman and will be back on her two wheels in no time. She has been bitten by the riding bug and now a bit more experience.

Fortunately, the hardware is replaceable and the injuries will heal. We will look forward to a better riding day in the near future.

**Wildkat** · 10-09-2006, 06:56 PM

Thank you for the update

Tell Meri she's in our prayers for a fast recovery. Let us know what you find out about the helmet.

**johnboi71** · 10-09-2006, 07:23 PM

Fun Ride!!

It's all fun until you get hurt!
I am glad you both walked away and rode home OK. I'm also glad I wasn't there! I'm still a newbie and wet roads don't give me wood. They scare the crap outta me, especially since it hasn't rained for a while. I've had the ass end start to slide out on me pulling out on Mt HWY in dry weather, in wet weather it's like a skating rink. Too much oil still seeping up.

Isn't it funny how you can feel in complete control and a split second later you realize you aren't in control of nothing but your thoughts, then time sometimes slows so that the wreck seems to last forever and you remember every detail? I've been a passenger in more wrecks than I care to count and my mind is going a million MPH but my body won't respond when I want it to. I know my luck, and I'm sure I'll lay mine down one day. I have to say it but I have an old friend who just got in ANOTHER Bike Accident last weekend also. Heard he collasped a lung AGAIN! The kicker is, he was out riding a few days later. He is a magnent for wrecks! at least 15 total I know of, 5 on his Sporty. Some of the crap he's done to his body, he should be in a wheelchair!

I have also known many people who ride and I'm willing to bet most everyone has wrecked once or twice. Some never came home, some cheated death. The biggest factor was always a brainbucket. The head is too fragile and too important too wear a 1/4" thick halfshell too look cool. My buddy told me when I was looking for a helmet,"How much is it worth to you to come home when the inevitable head-meets-asphalt happens?" I bought Fulmer full face. I also have a 3/4 helmet, but it is a true D.O.T.
I just don't wear it very often. I don't want to eat through a straw.

I am glad all came home this weekend and the bikes are repairable. May we all live to ride after all our journeys.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE PEOPLE!!! The road can bite you before you can blink.

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