For What It's Worth - 90 Days and Counting...
(Continued from last post...)
So we put the rubber to the road and were now traveling at a very high rate of speed for many miles since there was hardly any traffic at the time. Getting stuck in the mountain pass with a deluge of rain was not an option.
All was going well until we ran into some traffic just outside of Victorville. Sh we began slowing down from our 3 digit speed to maybe around 80 or so. It had become a four lane road from a two lane road which we were glad for. As We came over this one hill I had traffic on my right and then I notice a line of cars in the left lane. I did not see any brake lights, then I realized that that line of cars was not moving, they were waiting to turn left.
So I got on my brakes as fast as possible and knew there were cars still on my right side. I knew I was going to run into the rear of the car ahead of me so I decided t try to go around the line on the left of them. As I made that decision, the front car in that line of cars began to turn left. I realized I had no place to go, so I tried to make that left turn as well to avoid that car. Well, I realized that I wasn’t going to make that turn either and I was heading for the front of the car making that left turn. I knew that an impact there would send me sailing through the air, so in that split second I decided to impact the car into the doors on the left of the vehicle so not to fly through the air. Now this vehicle was a brand new maroon Cadillac Sedan DeVille, still with the dealers window sticker in the left rear window, which I found out they had just picked up that day.
Anyway, I impacted the left side of that car on an angle sort of broadside at an estimate of 65 mph, with my left handle bar coming back violently, hitting me quite hard in the lower left side of my back. My right foot was between the right foot peg and the car, driving that foot peg into the right heel of my boot. The rest of the right side of my body took the full impact between the motorcycle and the car. Unfortunately my heavy leather motorcycle jacket was strapped onto my motorcycle behind me because it was hot out, so I encountered a lot of road rash as I tumbled after the impact. I do recall seeing the window sticker and the drivers face as I made impact, but then afterwards I did a bit of tumbling.
I do recall laying there in shock on the road thinking to myself, “What the heck just happened?” since it felt so surreal to me. My buddy Billy never even seen what happened as he was busy dealing with the traffic also. A few minutes later, Billy came back and asked me what happened. I remember someone trying to take off my helmet as I was lying there. I was thinking WTF… why is someone trying to take my helmet off?
Well, I laid there in the road for what seemed like forever wondering where the heck is the ambulance? Did they deploy from Timbukto? What was taking them so long? I felt hardly any pain as I laid there due to the shock I guess. When they finally arrived, I could hear the siren way off yonder, several miles away, and I knew they were coming for me. It is a weird feeling hearing a siren way off in the distance, miles and miles away, knowing that siren is coming for you. They finally arrive and put me on a back board and on a gurney and start rolling towards the ambulance. I make a request to them to take me over to my motorcycle so I can assess the damage to my loyal mount. They tell me no. I tell them it took you guys over 45 minutes to get here, so another minute is not going to hurt, so take me to my bike or I will get off this gurney immediately. The grant me my wish and roll me over so I can see my bike. I make a quick assessment of the damages and in my mind I tell her I am sorry to have done this to her. She quietly just laid there. I holler at Billy to bring her to the hospital if you can ride her, and apparently he did so.
The ambulance drivers load me up into the vehicle and I tell them to take me to the nearest Kaiser medical facility, and they tell me the nearest one is in Fontana and too far away. They tell me they are taking me to the Victorville Hospital, and they head off in the opposite direction I really want to go. I realize I am a passenger and I don’t have much choice but to go wherever they are taking me. I recall seeing Billy through the rear window riding my bike all damaged following the ambulance as we headed many miles back the way we came towards the hospital of their choice.
To Be Continued…
Simple Joys of Life & Words of Wisdom
Being an adult is the dumbest thing I have ever done!
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Snoopy asks that you please… “Bark Less and Wag More!”
Until next time… Be Good!
- cb
Can't wait for the next installment��
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