More broken bones, but not SPIRIT!

[desert1]

Russ

Tough break Russ; glad the XSives were there to help you out ...we'll be thinking good thoughts Russ for a good and speedy recovery here on the Canuck east coast.....had to be a friggin chipmunk behind this one for sure.
Bruce

[Huron52]

Oh Wow!

heal good my friend Russ....

[olebiker]

The neck is a tough spot to get busted up. I wish him well.

[xsilerating]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a quick return home. Keep your spirits high (the drugs should help !).

Having had more than my fair share of spinal surgeries, I wouldn't wish it on any one. And, if I had to offer one bit of advice, it would be to think long and hard considering the options, before going under the knife. That should be the last resort.

The fall season is upon us. Let us all play it safe and be extra vigilante to the additional dangers added to riding at this time of the year... leaves, branches, sightseeing cagers, etc.....

Ron

[yamahansolo]

anybody know if he is still at north east ga medical center? i live right down the street and could pay a visit if need be.
chris

[Brent]

Russ

Yes, Russ is still @ NE GA medical cxenter, and probably will be untill 10-8-07. He says "Say hi to everybody, thanks for well wishes," just waiting to get out of hospital and recover...

[Brent]

Re: Not one upmanship this time

"Now easy there Prom,

Dick is right in one aspect this."

I was on both the Tahoe ride and the TWO rides. It was big of Plane Dick to defer to Diver Rays judgment and pace. Sure, we could all have ridden a little faster most of the time, But the easier pace made for more chance to veiw what is outside the white lines. The Scenery was Magnificient. it was a most enjoyable ride.

Diver Ray knows - An accident with injury can alter the course of a rally or worse. It can "cast a pall" over all involved.
I have been to several XS rallies. The pace, attitude, etc is such that there is usually a margin of safety. Accidents such as this at XS rallies are thankfully rare. But, as Larry Grotsky proved, It can happen to even the most safety minded, skillful, and practiced rider among us.

As T-Kat says "some ride again, some don't, some can't."
I have ridden with Russ many times. He is a good rider, even if he did get distracted/excited or make a costly mistake once. I wish for him a speedy and full recovery and look forward to riding with him again.

Experiance IS the best teacher, but sometimes the cost of tuition is so high.
(A humbling experience for me happened in the parking lot directly in front of Alice's resturaunt when I stopped, backed up, tried moving forward, then full right turn. Then clutch in too far... stop, leaning...leaning tooo much...clunk. I do not remember slipping and any loose sand, just made a mistake. Then after pick up of bike, it would start & die, start & die.... A helpful XSive, who was much less excited and embarrassed than I, suggested turn off ignition & kill switch to allow tip over switch to reset. That worked.) This mistake was informative, educational, and fortunately of little cost or consequence.

"PS. Jimbo, there were 2 separate attack squirrels that tried to thwart Brent while he was leading a while, but they were unsuccessful!
T.C. [/QUOTE]" Yes and a spotted fawn. for more on these see SE rallies vintage jap bike tally

[jetmechmarty]

I stopped at the hospital this afternoon before heading home. He's having surgery on his neck on Friday and may get a "twofer". The leg doctor may work on his foot and pin his ankle while he's out. AFAIK, the prognosis is all good.

As was earlier stated, Russ was wearing appropriate safety equipment from head to toe. His bike was well maintained and safe. It could have been much worse. It was unfortunate that he slid into the log with his head. Russ made a mistake, but it looks like he'll ride again soon.

I was the first to come on the scene a few seconds later and it was a very frightening scene as you might imagine. I crashed in the very same corner five years ago. There are some nice fast sweepers, followed by these tight "S" turns. There's little room for error if you carry too much speed there.

Yesterday, I had a chipmunk get on my line. I cleaved him with my front tire! MaximPhil said my rear tire kicked him into the air! There's one for our side

Russ is on line through tomorrow. PM me for contact info at the hospital.

[newc4]

Russ,

I can only repeat sentiments already stated. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope things turn out well.

Darrell

[indyrick]

Very Best Russ

Just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear of the sour note on the day's ride. Very best wishes and hope for a speedy recovery.

indy

[auxtian]

Heal fast and well. Keep us posted

[bikerhawk]

Sorry to hear about Russ...Godspeed on your recovery.

Accidents, believe it or not, CAN be accidental.

2002 Yamaha Triples North Central Rally - SW Wisconsin, about a dozen or so bikes riding through the backroads. We came up on a blind left-hander marked at 30 mph that probably should have been marked at 20. We've been taking corners all day at about 5 mph over posted, a leisurely but not too pokey pace, right? I'm running 3rd in line, hit the corner, and have to lean hard to pull through and avoid the gravel on the right...but not THAT big of a deal for an experienced rider. The least experienced rider, running in the traditional 2nd from tail position, doesn't quite make it through, runs wide, and goes off at 30 mph at the most. Shouldn't be a serious get-off, right? It wasn't...until his head found the 4X4 post used as a roadside marker. He suffered the same type of basal skull fracture that killed Dale Earnhardt. He spent a week in a coma at the Univ. of Wisconsin trauma unit until he finally passed away a week later. Yes, he was wearing a helmet, although it was a shorty. He had a full-face riding on the backrest, but the docs said the type of helmet he was wearing made little if any difference with that type of impact.

Hearing about the homicidal log in Russ' story brought this tale back to me. So, with that fun little memory brought back fresh in my mind, I now go to prep for my Saddlesore 1000 run tomorrow...

Be safe, watch out for Bambi and her friends, and enjoy the remainder of the riding season.

[DeanR]

Been thinking of you Russ, as I too lay recovering. We have the whole winter to get these bones back together !! It will be a good and welcomed spring of '08. Take good care..
Dean

[Wildkat]

Hey Dean

How goes the recovery?

and since today is the day that Russ is having his procedure... All that care to... please keep his operation in mind today with prayers and positive thoughts... definitely will be doing so on this end of the line...

[jetmechmarty]

I intend to post something here as soon as I can talk to Russ. I told him to expect my call tonight. Hopefully, he got both operations while he was under and has moved on to recovery.