be careful of habits... I crashed Sunday, Totalled My Bike
Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 11:28 pm
On the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Fancy Gap.
I'll heal. But it will be a while: Broken right collarbone (dominant side), broken left fibula, at the ankle bump (hairline fracture), bruised ribs on the right. It was a legal pass that went horribly wrong for me, but could have been worse.
Spent the weekend in Spruce Pines, NC at the Switzerland Inn for Moumtain Moxie 2016. An amazing event. Got re-acquainted with twisty riding. Had. A. Blast, with very good friend. We were on our way home, choosing to take the BRP until we got tired of it, or we hit the closure at Roanoke, VA. My friend was leading because she had a GPS, and I discovered that Waze doesnt work so well out of regular cell tower range.
Passing on the BRP is a bit of a challenge, not many passing zones to speak of, so you've got to be ready to, act when you get to one, if you find yourself behind a sight-seeer, and want to move on. ...we'd been doing great. Passes were smooth, she would signal, move out, accelerate, and I would check ahead for myself, and slingshot close behind, following her back into our lane. Easy Peasy. Until that last pass.
She moved out, I looked. Followed. Then a car appeared ahead in the oncoming lane. Now, ,riding behind my husband I know he would whack the throttle to complete his pass quickly, so I could as well. I looked, saw there was enough room, and whacked my throttle open to follow.... Except she wasn't accelrating. Suddenly, I was RIGHTUPONHERBACKOHSH!T!!!
I punched my left grip to swerve away from her, and went right across the left lane and down the embankment. I remember the snapshot image of her red jacket, then a tumble and darkness, until the EMTs got to me.
Im stuck with finger pecking with my left hand. its tediuos, and editing is tough. I am so thankful that I didnt clip my friend and injure her in my stupidity. We never talked about passing styles before heading up the Parkway. It might have avoided this.
She reacted as she does when leading her more timid friends, she prepared to drop back behind the "target car." What's interesting is that she never saw me behind her, my fail pass happened so quickly. She thought I'd just dropped behind the car. Pull off spots being few and far between, when she stopped to wait for me, the car behind her told her what had happened.
I'll heal. But it will be a while: Broken right collarbone (dominant side), broken left fibula, at the ankle bump (hairline fracture), bruised ribs on the right. It was a legal pass that went horribly wrong for me, but could have been worse.
Spent the weekend in Spruce Pines, NC at the Switzerland Inn for Moumtain Moxie 2016. An amazing event. Got re-acquainted with twisty riding. Had. A. Blast, with very good friend. We were on our way home, choosing to take the BRP until we got tired of it, or we hit the closure at Roanoke, VA. My friend was leading because she had a GPS, and I discovered that Waze doesnt work so well out of regular cell tower range.
Passing on the BRP is a bit of a challenge, not many passing zones to speak of, so you've got to be ready to, act when you get to one, if you find yourself behind a sight-seeer, and want to move on. ...we'd been doing great. Passes were smooth, she would signal, move out, accelerate, and I would check ahead for myself, and slingshot close behind, following her back into our lane. Easy Peasy. Until that last pass.
She moved out, I looked. Followed. Then a car appeared ahead in the oncoming lane. Now, ,riding behind my husband I know he would whack the throttle to complete his pass quickly, so I could as well. I looked, saw there was enough room, and whacked my throttle open to follow.... Except she wasn't accelrating. Suddenly, I was RIGHTUPONHERBACKOHSH!T!!!
I punched my left grip to swerve away from her, and went right across the left lane and down the embankment. I remember the snapshot image of her red jacket, then a tumble and darkness, until the EMTs got to me.
Im stuck with finger pecking with my left hand. its tediuos, and editing is tough. I am so thankful that I didnt clip my friend and injure her in my stupidity. We never talked about passing styles before heading up the Parkway. It might have avoided this.
She reacted as she does when leading her more timid friends, she prepared to drop back behind the "target car." What's interesting is that she never saw me behind her, my fail pass happened so quickly. She thought I'd just dropped behind the car. Pull off spots being few and far between, when she stopped to wait for me, the car behind her told her what had happened.