- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 51,113
- Reaction score
- 8,005
- Location
- Huntsville
- First Name
- Scott
- Last Name
- Friday
Howdy,
So after weeks of getting the KLR 650 ready for an upcoming trip to Mexico: new brakes, new wheel bearings, new sprockets and chain, blah blah blah... I rode it to work today for a shake down ride. On the way home, I hit a deer at about 35-40mph maybe. Hit it right in front of the back hips. The bar jammed my right hand/thumb pretty good, but nothing is broken. It is VERY sore and tender. I went down pretty hard on the left side. The bike was spinning at the same time that it was sliding. Unfortunately, my left leg/foot was still under the bike so I was dragged in circles. It was quite violent. When I finally stopped, the bike was about 5-10 feet from me. The deer apparently limped off into the woods.
I was fully geared up, so no rash or major impact injuries. The gear seems to be in decent shape with only a few spots looking roughed up. There is a spot on my left knee where the armor did not cover very well. So that is bruised, but not very bad. I don't think the helmet ever hit the ground. The gloves did their job but will need to be replaced. However, my left ankle was not so lucky. It is fractured in two places. The pointy bone on the side is broken and then another part down in the joint. I got a temporary splint/cast and some painkillers. The painkiller they gave me right before I left the hospital made me feel incredibly queasy and dizzy. Thankfully, it has worn off. I prefer the pain to that feeling. Monday I will be visiting with a local ortho Doc to see if surgery will be required. The ER doc said the bones are fractured, but not splintered or crushed. The boots did a good job. They were brand new... doh! Anyway, they may allow it to heal on its own, otherwise...
I've no idea what condition the bike is in. I did not get a look at it. This happened right at the big lake on Obannon Ranch Rd., off of FM 980 on the North side of town as you go back into where Mom and Dad live. The first guy on the scene arrived maybe a minute after I went down, called 911, then Mom and Dad so they were there pretty quick. The ambulance was there in about 10 minutes. Dad got the bike back over to the office for me. I warned the EMT's that I would soon be going into shock. They didn't really listen, but when they took the first BP reading and it was 80 over 40, that got their attention, that and the fact that I was fading. It is similar to what happens to Shane Christian (long time friend of mine), except that I only do it if actually injured instead of as a result of imagining it. Roy and Eric (the EMT's) were good guys. They DID listen when I asked them to put the IV in my hand rather than trying to hit a vein in my arms. My veins are exceptionally uncooperative in that regard and I have had some stubborn nurses cause me some serious grief before finally sticking it in my hand after all... So they gave me something to help stabilize the BP and put me on oxygen. That really helped a lot. By the time we reached the ER I was feeling pretty good. It could have been worse. People often die as the result of deer strikes, even in cars. So I came out pretty well.
So far, I am 0 for 3 on trying to make this particular trip to Mexico for the last three years. Perhaps I am not taking a hint...
So after weeks of getting the KLR 650 ready for an upcoming trip to Mexico: new brakes, new wheel bearings, new sprockets and chain, blah blah blah... I rode it to work today for a shake down ride. On the way home, I hit a deer at about 35-40mph maybe. Hit it right in front of the back hips. The bar jammed my right hand/thumb pretty good, but nothing is broken. It is VERY sore and tender. I went down pretty hard on the left side. The bike was spinning at the same time that it was sliding. Unfortunately, my left leg/foot was still under the bike so I was dragged in circles. It was quite violent. When I finally stopped, the bike was about 5-10 feet from me. The deer apparently limped off into the woods.
I was fully geared up, so no rash or major impact injuries. The gear seems to be in decent shape with only a few spots looking roughed up. There is a spot on my left knee where the armor did not cover very well. So that is bruised, but not very bad. I don't think the helmet ever hit the ground. The gloves did their job but will need to be replaced. However, my left ankle was not so lucky. It is fractured in two places. The pointy bone on the side is broken and then another part down in the joint. I got a temporary splint/cast and some painkillers. The painkiller they gave me right before I left the hospital made me feel incredibly queasy and dizzy. Thankfully, it has worn off. I prefer the pain to that feeling. Monday I will be visiting with a local ortho Doc to see if surgery will be required. The ER doc said the bones are fractured, but not splintered or crushed. The boots did a good job. They were brand new... doh! Anyway, they may allow it to heal on its own, otherwise...
I've no idea what condition the bike is in. I did not get a look at it. This happened right at the big lake on Obannon Ranch Rd., off of FM 980 on the North side of town as you go back into where Mom and Dad live. The first guy on the scene arrived maybe a minute after I went down, called 911, then Mom and Dad so they were there pretty quick. The ambulance was there in about 10 minutes. Dad got the bike back over to the office for me. I warned the EMT's that I would soon be going into shock. They didn't really listen, but when they took the first BP reading and it was 80 over 40, that got their attention, that and the fact that I was fading. It is similar to what happens to Shane Christian (long time friend of mine), except that I only do it if actually injured instead of as a result of imagining it. Roy and Eric (the EMT's) were good guys. They DID listen when I asked them to put the IV in my hand rather than trying to hit a vein in my arms. My veins are exceptionally uncooperative in that regard and I have had some stubborn nurses cause me some serious grief before finally sticking it in my hand after all... So they gave me something to help stabilize the BP and put me on oxygen. That really helped a lot. By the time we reached the ER I was feeling pretty good. It could have been worse. People often die as the result of deer strikes, even in cars. So I came out pretty well.
So far, I am 0 for 3 on trying to make this particular trip to Mexico for the last three years. Perhaps I am not taking a hint...