Decided to head towards a water ditch. My plan was to land into the ditch, hopefully upright and then lay the bike down high side into a grassy slide.  Later I found out the ditch was full of old telephone poles and logs covered by cut grass. Hydroplaned into a culvert.

My passenger was thrown off the bike about 20 feet, me 15. Bike landed about 5 feet from where I laid. We were both very lucky and my bike will be towed to Gold Coast on LI Monday, Oct 26th. Insurance says repairable, I think the front end is bent…we will let the pros decide.

Injuries, thanks to wearing GEAR…bruising, whip-lash and me? Multiple fractures in the right tibia as being the worst. All responders and witnesses say we are very fortunate to have been wearing the proper gear. I ride like this all the time and I am grateful I was wearing my AP boots because I do at times wear shorter boots.  I was fully aware of this entire sequence of events.

I did the best I could to minimize our own personal injuries.  I don’t think there was anything else I could have done with this very unexpected turn of this car.

 My KLIM suit and D3o armour protected my right shoulder from breaking!  Thank you KLIM.  Pants had to be cut off….sad but necessary.  Cool seeing the inside of a KLIM pant.

Pam’s Joe Rocket gear did great as well protecting her from any severe injuries.   My helmet fared well since I landed on the right side of my head after doing a flip.  One accident and both our helmets will be replaced.  No chancing anything there especially when it comes to our heads. My shield mechanism broke but everything else looks good.

So many nice and concerned people stopped to help us.  Although the woman I hit was never seen by me, I understand she stopped as well.  In the end, this was an accident….according to the law it’s my fault. No proof she did not signal or suddenly made a right hand turn.  I really don’t care to be honest.  I know what I saw and being on 2 wheels I know that I reacted as best as I could.

They say laughter helps with pain…

I know I wasn’t too close and had proper spacing on this slow, moderately traffic road.  I am grateful for all the nice passerby’s and for then one’s who called the ambulance.  I am thankful for the treatment we both received at Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital

and followed up by Stony Brook Hospital when my pain was too much to bear to wait to see an orthopedist.  I can not tell you how many people both professionals and the public stated they were so glad to see us in proper gear.  The EMS and docs all said our injuries would have been so much worse if we did not take riding this seriously.  Protecting our bodies and heads every time we ride.  I rather be writing this blog as a lesson to pass on versus being dead because I did not at least try to minimize risks.

These last few pics are from when the insurance adjuster came to see my bike which is still upstate at Al’s Garage in Poughkeepsie, NY.  Initially I thought to myself “WOW” she looks good but there is a lot of damage.  Right now the insurance thinks she can be “fixed”.

I believe in my heart after hitting a culvert dead on, there has to be a bent triple tree or frame somewhere down deep.  That will be discovered if true once my dealer takes her apart.  Either way, I will get my bike back….I will get back on her and do what I love.  As for my 2 up…no pressure there.  It will be her decision and only hers.  No matter what I respect what she decides a month from now or years.  I would never put her back on my bike unless she felt 100% about it inside her head and body.

So, I wait…wait to hear about the exact damages to my bike.  I wait to heal…8-12 weeks.  No driving, no riding, no work, no money.  Time to reflect?  This past year and a half has tested me in so many ways starting with my separation January 30th 2014 to my moving back to the USA.  I wait.