nostatic at all...

S and I rode the bike down to Irvine Meadows for the Earth Wind and Fire concert. Show was awesome. After the show we geared up (although we both only had jeans, no over pants) and headed north. Not too far after getting on the 405 fwy I was in the #2 lane cruising at 65. Traffic was light/moderate. And then out of the corner of my eye I saw a coyote bolt from the side of the road on the right, trying to cross to the center divide (and on to the other side which is rolling hills). There was nothing I could do. No time to slow, speed up, avoid, etc. Slammed dead on at a full run with my front wheel.

The bike went down on the left side and we skidded for what seemed like forever. Thankfully no cars came near us. S hung onto me and I hung onto the bike. We finally came to a stop still in the #2 lane. My left knee was pretty ripped up, and my left foot hurt. I checked on S and she said her arm hurt. I tried to pick up the bike but no go. We waited until it was clear then went to the center divide (too much traffic to try and make it to the right hand side).

I called 911, and of course cars were just barelling along, some braking and narrowly missing the bike (which was still running with lights on). After being on hold for 2 or 3 minutes, I got through. Somebody else had already called it in. I kept checking on S as I felt just terrible about this, although there wasn't anything I could do. She was in shock and said her arm hurt but that was it. I noticed my left boot had shredded along with part of my foot.

Then a pickup truck hurtling along evidently didn't see the bike. Slammed into it, the truck went careening to the right, then the left. He finally slowed and saved it. The Duc burst into flames as it skidded 30 or 40 feet from the impact. Then it sat there burning. Nothing we could do. Finally fire showed and CHP blocked traffic to clear the dead coyote. At that point we quickly walked across to the right hand side of the fwy and to the fire truck and ambulance.

The ambulance guy was shocked to see us. He thought they'd be looking for pieces. They took our info and I got strapped on the gurney and put in the back. S sat in the back. They worked us up and cut my pants and boot off. You can see the patella on my knee, as it wore off about a quarter-sized chunk of meat. The foot was just a section of worn down...foot.

CHP asked me what happened, and I told him. Since he had pulled the coyote to the side he knew I wasn't bs-ing. He gave me a card and said his report would say it wasn't my fault, and the report would be available in 10 days.

So we got whisked off to Mission Hospital which is a trauma center in OC. We got fastracked and care was quick and good. X-rays on my knee and foot were negative...just a big hole. S has a minor fracture of the ulna, so she was splinted up. Some bits of road rash, but the gear did its job well. She is a trooper. Then they started cleaning my wounds out, and the attending said he needed to check to see if the damage and crap extended into the joint. Turns out the way you do this is to inject about 40cc of methylene blue dye mixed with saline in the other side of the joint and see if any comes through to the wound. Let me tell you, it hurt. A LOT. Then he sucked the fluid back out. That was negative too.

He close not to close either wound up as I might need a flap added to the knee, and the foot injury was hard to clean, and there was nothing to close there. In all I got 12mg or morphine (4x 3mg shots along the way). Got sent home with some dressings (zeroform? this yellowish guaze stuff that went right onto the wound and is supposed to not stick and help it stay clean, etc).

In all it wasn't bad. Accident was at 11:30pm. Got to the hospital around 12:30am. And we were discharged a little after 4am. Then how to get home. No real choice but the $200 cab ride back to west LA.

So today it hurts like a mother. I've got vicodin but that barely makes a dent in it. I'm on crutches but really can't get off the couch without some help (from the one-armed S). Can't wait to find out what the doc says on monday...and of course I get to worry about a staph infection

Anywho, it was a good run, but I think my bike days are over. That was just too close. For whatever reason my higher power wants me and S around for awhile, so I'm going to honor that.

Sorry, no pics. When I'm a bit more ambulatory maybe I'll take some of my leg. The officer on scene had a pic of my bike after they put the fire out and I asked him to email it to me. It was pretty much just the engine and trellis frame. I've got to call insurance, but that shouldn't be an issue. Just a pita.

This would be one of life's curve balls. And the sucky thing is that I'll miss Laguna Seca next weekend. But better being alive...