Day 16

CRASH!

Insert every curse word you've ever heard right here

Lets get this out of the way...

I had an accident today and crashed the bike. IM OK. just pissed off, and annoyed and disgusted.

We were on route to Bodie. Bodie is a ghost town from the 1800's and one of the very few left in the country. We however never made it.

The road to Bodie is 13 miles down a small little winding road that literally sits in the middle of the desert of nowhere california. the last 3 miles are unpaved, and almost impossible by car. I think only a 4-wheel drive truck could make it there. We were told the road would be paved gravel. it's nothing of the sort. It's gravel all right but more so, it's all huge rocks. Not small ones, HUGE ONES. It's almost impossible to make by motorcycle. not even by dirt bike Im betting. We actually got through almost 2 miles of this s*** road, and then the worst happened. I lost control. I've been on PLENTY of gravel roads before, but this was beyond gravel. My front tire caught a patch and hit a huge rock, and there it was, I was completely out of control of my motorbike. Im not sure how fast I was going, and I think the bike actually sped up as the gravel and rocks took me.

All I remember is the front tire digging in and jerking to the left, which sent me and the bike down on my left side. My knee hit the ground hard, and the rest of me slid with the bike for quite a bit. I was then pinned under the bike and couldnt move, as AL manuevered around me to come safely to a stop himself. He thought I was seriously effed up. He thought I broke my shoulder or arm, and was shocked I didnt.

I managed to crawl out from under the bike, and was cursing my head off.

I didnt really notice the pain yet, I was just in shock from the whole crash.

We got the bike back up and pushed it to a safe and level spot. it was then I saw the front left footpeg broken and on the side of the road. The gear shifter was also bent as well as my bags eveywhere, and helmet and gloves, and what not. the handlebars were all out of wack, and the mirrors all broken and twisted. Such a freakin mess.

Al managed to take off a rear fotpeg and got it connected so I could actually ride the wreck back to civilization. By this time we said F-it to the ghost town(total bummer) but it was more important to make sure the bike would run OK, and me in one piece.

Yosemite was now all a blur, as the rest of the ride.

We're now in bishop, California. and My leg and knee is killing me. Just some road rash on my shin, and Im sure my knee will turn some cool colors. Thankfully I walked, or limped or crawled out of this crash. and hopefully there will never be another. it was too damn scary! I also have to say thank god for my leather jacket and bike pants, or I would still be picking road rash out of my skin. The bike pants actually have knee guards inside them. some sort of plastic or something heavyer Im sure, the left knee one is busted in 2 , thats how hard i hit the ground! But I think if it wasnt for that, Id definitely have a broken knee.

Im fine, just a little banged up, and I think the bike will be OK tomorrow, once we make some adjustments, or I order a few parts. it hurts to bend the knee, and Im sure tomorrow will hurt more.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. love u all

261 miles today

3,975 total