Bad Feeling

http://vfrworld.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3161/ppuser/1624

These are the riders for today's show. #1 is Tony on the Aprilia Tuono Racing model, #2 Carl on the 5th gen VFR, #3 Reg on the 5th gen VFR, #4 Brian on the 4th gen VFR.

Have you ever had a feeling that it was your time? Well, I have bee having that feeling for a while. Some would say that is jinxing yourself, but I don't believe in luck of that sort. I just feel like everyone has good days and bad days, and they are all subject to interpretation. Anyway, I'll do my best to recap the day for you guys.

We left SLO and headed west towards the coast on Los Osos Valley Road and then caught Turri Rd and headed on into Morro Bay. It was great riding, but slightly brisk. Had to make a stop in MB for Carl to adjust his FI a bit. After adjustment, headed up Old Creek Rd to Hwy 46 for a great run. All went smoothly, but the temp seemd noticeably cooler to me by the end of Old Creek.

We headed back east on Hwy 46 and caught Jack Crk Rd to Vineyard then stopped for a short chat with a friend who wasn't up for a ride today. Anyway, we continued on Vineyard with me in the lead. I actually was cruising at a fairly low rate as I wasn't feeling 100% into it. Anyway, on an off camber hard left in the midst of a little downhill chicane, I did a few wrong things... I felt the front lose traction when it caught a tar snake and there was no front load yet. I tapped the front brake ever so slightly just before that (big no no) but as I said I wasn't really into it. I also was riding stiff due to the weather. Anyway, I bit it. I hit lowside left. Bike ground me into the asphalt for several feet before it slid off the road and left me sliding down the middle. For anyone who things the VFR feels light, try it from underneath.

Anyway, here are some more pics....

http://vfrworld.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3163/ppuser/1624

I lost it somewhere around the front of that car and kept sliding down and around the curve. I think I may have been going around 35 or so... It didn't seem fast anyway.

Here's the other side of the curve if I hadn't lost it. There was a mazda club shortly behind us, I think...

http://vfrworld.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3163/ppuser/1624

Here's me post wreck after I caught my breath and realized there was no permanent damage to me...

http://vfrworld.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/3166/ppuser/1624

You can see the windshield is history, the front fairing is quite scraped, the left fairing is shagged again, the tail is scraped and the fairing stay may have been moved in a bit. the mirrors are history again. hehe... I think sliders might be a good idea. My brand new jacket saved me... Even so, the shoulder was torn through it and through the liner and my shirt underneath. I have a little road rash on my wrist, and I may have either bruised or cracked a few ribs. My helmet and pants are also worse for wear. Two tears in the pants, Road rash on the left of the helmet. Brian has more pics I think on his cam. Anyway, I'll be okay in a few days and the bike still rides okay. Just gonna nedd cosmetics. Ain't that a bitch.

 

No, I think so, and yes, I usually have at least one finger on it. I think it was a combination of being cold and stiff, not in sync, and superstitious about this corner. It always felt weird to me....

My thinking exactly. The bike is not too bad. I ran it at a moderate pace for a few minutes post crash and it felt pretty stable. It was a pretty low speed drop I think. I only slid 20 yards or so. It felt like it was slow motion from underneath watching the asphalt slide by my faceshield.

Actually kind of thought that, but I was in a group and was just gonna press on. I even was gonna let someone else lead which would have been smarter since I knew I wasn't really into it at that point, but I didn't...

True that. I told my wife and she said she was glad I was okay, and told me we can use insurance, and I said, no way, I'll just fix it. Then she said, well you could just buy that other bike you've been wanting. (the Duc 1098) What a woman!

Prob gonna start on it tomorrow. Drinking some 12 oz pain meds tonight.

Crazy thing is I wasn't going fast, just didn't have my head in it on top of the other things I mentioned. That's how we learn I guess. It's been 8 years almost to the day since I dropped my FZR....also a lowside on the left. Different circumstnace, but coincidental anyway...

It is a fairly tricky corner if you are not paying attention and apparently, I wasn't paying enough attention and it bit me. I'll be back there probably tomorrow working on it, though.

You know, I'm guessing there was no rib damage as today I feel fine with the breathing. I'm pretty sore all over but no worse than after a good workout at the gym. I probably will go to the gym tomorrow to stretch and do a light workout to test my muscles and then go for a short ride just to keep away the scared feeling that sometimes follows a crash.

This is gonna sound crazy, but I almost felt relieved after wrecking. I have been having a feeling I was overdue for a while and it kind of stressed me out. Weird huh? Anyway, while I was sliding along, I was thinking 'this isn't that bad. I'm gonna be fine. I wonder how much damage the bike is getting.' I'st funny how much goes through your mind while sliding along under a 500 lb bike!

Yeah, I really felt bad for cutting everyone's ride short. I was also pretty embarassed because it was the first time we've ridden with those guys, and they're thinking "squid". Oh well.

I think I overestimated the rib damage as I am breathing way too easy today. Lots of muscle soreness, though. The road rash on the wrist is a bit of an irritant, too.

Damn straight it is!

p.s. I sutured the shoulder tear in my jacket today and trimmed off the leather shreds that were hanging down so the jacket just looks more authentic now.

 

That's right, now that you got this behind you, you can have a crash-free 2007. Off-camber with a tar snake, horrible combination. That's one of the reasons I ride so slow, because I'm afraid of low-siding. Glad to hear you're okay man. Hopefully you're still allowed to ride. :biggrin: