Anatomy of a Motorcycle Wreck, and Why I will Ride Again

The ride to where I was going was textbook perfect. It was sunny, there were some cross winds, but those were only in the straightaways where there were no trees to shield me. I was so proud of myself (still am) for reaching Tomball (35 miles from home) on my first ride that wasn't around the neighborhood, that after I backed the bike into it's parking slot, I punched the air.

The trip home a few hours later wasn't so perfect. The Sun was shining, but the head winds were truly bad. At least they seemed so to me, the novice. I'm sure an expert rider would have found them challenging, but not scary like I did. At any rate, the first half of the ride was okay, the head winds sucked, but I handled them and even pulled off into a gas station and took a rest at the half way mark. I needed to plan the rest of my ride, as I hadn't taken the winds into account in my plans.

One cigarette later, and after running the rest of the route, which was full of curves, through my head, I was back on the road and dealing rather well with the extra challenge.

Or so I thought.

Looking back on the wreck now, I see my mistake. If the price of my stupidity is leaving some of y skin on Fry Road is the price I have to pay in exchange for walking away, then I'm fine with it. However, I do have to reconstruct yesterday's events so that I learn from my mistakes.

On a long, deceptively sharp curve on Fry, approaching the intersection with Hwy 529, the winds went from head to cross. I had to lean harder on the bike, fine no probs..my posture was good, eyes were where I wanted to be. Then, in the apex, a fierce gust hit me, jogging the handlebars...well the whole bike, actually.

I panicked. Panicked and made a stupid error. Broke the cardinal rule of riding.

I took my eyes off of the road and grabbed the front brake when my wheels weren't aligned.

I remember the bike going out of control, which worsened the panic and I threw my legs out and off the pegs. Then I remember going down, at some point I hit the engine off button (thank you Jesus), and slid about 20 or 30 feet. I remember checking my speed as I approached the curve and downshifting in anticipation of the red light ahead, and I was doing about 50 as I entered the curve and began slowing down, so I figure that I was going 35 to 40 when the crash happened.

People say that when they were in accidents that their lives flashed before their eyes...not me. I distinctly remember thinking this: “You have to be fucking kidding me” as I hit the pavement and slid.

As soon at we stopped I got up and got onto the grass next to me, and two gentlemen stopped and helped me get the bike up and out of the street. I called then texted Mike and then Jason. Mike got AAA to come out and so I spent an hour and a half cooling down in the nearby Jack in the Box.

I got drunk on purpose once I got home and cleaned my wounds. I didn’t want to dream about the wreck, and if I did I don’t remember.

This morning I am sore, well it’s way beyond sore, dehydrated (thanks you scotch!) and mad at myself. No, supremely pissed is a better way to describe it, actually.

What I should have done was just keep my eyes on the road, looking in the direction I wanted to go and rolled a tad more on the throttle until I got onto the small straightaway. Then, I’d have been able to do a rapid stop, or maybe the light would have turned green.  Had I kept my eyes on the prize, the bike would have righted it self and I’d have been fine.

I made a stupid mistake and consider myself blessed that all that happened was I got scraped up and the bike is missing a peg and some paint.

I will NEVER make this mistake again, that’s for sure and naturally I will ride again, as soon as the bike is fixed and my ego is less bruised.  The fun part is going to be telling my parents, (who really don’t like me riding even thought they haven’t told me so) today when I take the kids to see them. I am SOOOO looking forward to that talk with them.

But, I will ride again. I love riding, the smells of the road or the new mown grass, the morning and afternoon of this ride I smelled the freshness of just sawn lumber.  I like the challenge, riding has made me a better driver, I'm more aware of the cars around me. I love the freedom that riding gives me, there is nothing better than a clear day and riding the country roads, especially when I am behind Mike, my arms wrapped around him as we zip along.


So this accident won't stop me from riding, I enjoy it too much to stop.  

My knee

My Elbow

My Shoulder

Yes, Yes, I know...It's been a while....

But I have been busy, taking care of mom, the house, the puppy and the kids.

I have, however, taken a weekend off and returned to my birthplace....New Orleans for a respite weekend.

While it's true I lived here in 2009 and part of 2010, it's nice to play tourist; to return to the places you visited as a kid. Today I slept in, lolling about in the comfortable bed in my hotel. I'm sitting on it as I write this, still luxuriating in the comfort of the many pillows that are just the right amount of fluffy and firm.

So, today I decided that once I got up, I wanted to have a roast beef poboy and then visit the New Orleans of Art. I hadn't been to the museum in a very long time, the most memorable trip being to see the King Tut exhibit back in the 70's. I remember that they painted the street and circle Nile Blue and how much of a production it was for our city.

After dressing, and regretting the fact that I failed to pack a hat, I set off for Parran's poboys...which 10 years ago when I lived here, was a small hole in the wall affair that served incredible food.

It's much bigger today and the menu has expanded as well, but the poboys are still incredible; as a matter of fact todays lunch was a 6 napkin lunch, which for you non New Orleanian's means that the poboy was dripping with gravy. I also had Fried Eggplant sticks with marinara sauce....I ADORE fried eggplant!!!!

 The whole day was beautiful. It was warm, especially in the sun, but the verdant shade of the sculpture garden, the oak's and the moss, cooled me. I had forgotten how pleasant the oasis that is City Park, and as I watched the paddle boats or the picnickers, I recalled the times we spent at the park when I was a girl.  The train still runs, I can remember taking that train around the park; the children still wave at the people who wait at the crossing, smiles wide with the innocent delight of a child. Some of the adults waved too, some a bit sheepishly perhaps, and most likely were only doing it to please the kids. Had I had the time for a ride, I'd have waived.

As I stated earlier, it had been a while since I'd been to the Museum of Art, and I had forgotten how imposing the original wooden doors are...they are about 10 inches thick, and decorated with iron studs and handles. It opened in 1911 and so the centennial anniversary is being celebrated in a year long fete, complete with floral art. Some of the featured art was done by New Orleans institutions, like Adler's Jewler's...I can still hear the time announced on the radio "Adler's Jewlery time is ...." or the TImes Picayune, The Picayune as it was then, who had a newspaper stand made of flowers and a slide show of front pages that spanned 100 years.

I also saw the Faberge collection, a truly beautiful collection, and Japanese Calligraphy. My favorite was this HUGE portrait of Marie Antoinette, as queen. It spanned from celing to floor. I wish that pictures were allowed, forbidden I'm afraid, so that I could post a shot of it. Truly imposing, beautiful.  As it was, I took pictures of what I could...

The New Orleans Museum of Art

Sculpture on the entrance circle.

Verdant and cool.

Part of the sculpture garden.

After my walk in the park, I decided that it was time for me to take a rare nap. So back to the hotel and the heavenly bed in my room. After all, I had a performance to attend later in the evening.

I've written about Jason before...and his band The Flashback Chameleons performed at Dago's Cantina last night. and naturally I attended. After all, true friends are hard to come by, and also I appreciate music, especially when its performed by talented people. Jason and the Chameleons are very, very talented. 

Suffice it to say, I haven't stayed up as late as I did in a long, long time. In fact I didn't make it back to the hotel until 5 AM this morning. Talk about a hard drive back to Houston today...thank God for coffee. BUT I HAD A BLAST!!!!! I also got to see Mike Styborski, am old buddy from middle school who is still as cool as he was then. 

Jason and De De, part of the Flashback Chameleons

All in all, I had a wonderful weekend! I really needed to get away from it all and it was nice to get back home again.