All the kings horses...

[BLUEJEEPLAB]

Max,

I joined the link after your accident. Can you relate it or is there a thread on the forum somwhere about it. I am happy to see that you came through it well enough to be standing upright (assuming thats you in the photo).

Once again, ZIlla is back badder than ever, sure he doesn't have a sister?

[MAXIMAN]

Yeah there's thread about the Reno rally somewhere around here that tells the whole story.

Basically the second day of the rally we rode south out of South Lake Tahoe for a long day of numerous mountain passes, beautiful scenery and lots of twisties.

I was next to last in line with Matt bringing up the rear. We were zipping along through the Sierras at good clip when we approach the micro-village of Markleeville.

The speed limit dropped to 35 for about 200 yds through this little town. I slowed down and as I took a left bending curve exitig town I couldn't see Matt in my rearview mirror. I glanced to the left and he was right off my left saddle bag.

His beautiful fiance (now wife) was on the back of his bike. He was so close it spooked me and I feared I would get into him and we'd both go down. So I counter steered right just for an instance avoid hitting him. Of course it happen so fast I'm not sure what all transpired but Zilla's front left side hit a dirt embankment and I went face first into the hillside...flipped and slid on my back...feet first up the hill! It was kinda violent...but I've had worse. It felt like broke my neck but thank God it did no real damage to me. YES that was me in the pictures. Believe me, I was in pain...I was acting tuff.

Upon reflection I made a couple bad decisions in a pinch:

First - Never take your eyes off the road in a curve...not even for a nano-second.

Second - geez this was really stupid - but I simply could not push the issue and collide with Matt and his passenger - however what I did to avoid it wasn't smart either - essentailly I turned right in a left curve - DOH!

Of course hind sight is 20/20...but now that I've ridden with Matt and understand his skill level, in retrospect, I would've just held my line in the sharp bending curve and Matt would've been fine...we wouldn't have collided.

I think he'll tell you he was going a little too fast when he caught me at Markleeville.

Lastly - group rides are a blast. But in large groups space is the key in twisty terrain. I try to ride close formation in a city setting so other cars will see the entire group and not cut between riders. But in the countryside twisties space is a premium.