When riding a motorcycle it is sometimes acceptable/desirable to lock up the back wheel, particularly when riding on a lose surface (i.e. not on pavement). Locking up the rear wheel can help with braking and it can help with turning - both need to be done "just right." But in virtually no cases is it good to lock up the front wheel on a motorcycle. Bringing the front wheel to a stop when the rest of the bike is moving is a near guarantee that the bike will fall. We will return to this topic in a moment. . .
In total, six riders started together on the first day (only four were pictured in the previous post). The six of us made some good time as we knocked out the first 80 miles of the first day's 190 miles. There were some paved sections, but there was also a good amount of gravel and dirt. There were a few hills here and there and my long-held feelings were strengthened that up-hill sections are much easier than downhill. In uphill sections, you can slow the bike down merely by easing up on the throttle. When going downhill, it's all about picking the right gear and working the rear brake. Again, we'll get back to this idea in a moment. . .
Over the first 80 miles or so it became clear to me that I was riding with more experienced dirt riders. To be sure, my off-road experience is minimal, but I know that I can ride effectively in the dirt, but I just need to take my time. For me, the Trans America Trail is something I can responsibly do - but just at a pace that's right for me. Unfortunately - among five more skilled riders - I didn't take as much time as I should have. . .
Here we are at gas/snack break, just a few minutes before a different type of break . .
We set out again on a gravel road. Up hill. Down hill. Up hill. Down hill. Up hill. As I rode down the next section I came upon a turn. Not hardly any more difficult than any other. But I was "coming in wide" and I was "coming in fast." I gave the bike a lot of rear brake and slowed down a bit, but I was still scooting along too fast to keep it on the road, and heading off the side of the road would have been really bad there. I can't say that I had a whole lot of time to carefully consider all my options, but I do recall thinking that it would be better to risk a front-wheel washout than it would be to go off the road. On with the front brake a little. On with the front brake a little more. Then BOOM! . . .time to hit the kill switch and stop the motor - - bikes don't like running when they're on their sides you know. . .
I had made a routine error. And I fell because of it. We picked up the bike, smacked the hand guard back into place and continued down the trail. I was a little rattled but I didn't think too much about it. I had fallen five times in one day at Jim Hyde's off-road class and it didn't phase me at all, at that was on a MUCH larger bike. Also, consider what my buddy Farrokh says - - there are two types of bikes: those that have fallen and those that haven't fallen yet. So I figured that I had gotten something important out of the way, right?
We continued to ride another 40 miles or so. I held back a bit, having been shaken by the fall - - to tell the truth, I just then started to ride with the caution I should have started with. We stopped for water and as I got off my bike, my left leg felt quite uncomfortable. It had swollen A LOT where I had fallen.
At the next stop I checked again and it had gotten bigger still - it was as if a reddish-purple volley ball had been cut in half and pasted to the side of my leg.
I decided to make the 70 mile run to Nashville (home to my mother and to my brother) to get it checked out. I felt pretty bad about leaving the very short-lived riding group, but I worried more about how my leg would do if it were actually injured and not treated.
I left the hospital at about midnight with one really big fat swollen hip (bad) and the knowledge that no bones were broken (good) and a prescription for percocet (really good).
Today I've been taking it easy among family, with ice on my leg, food in my belly and pain killers in my brain. I visted the Kroger where I re-enacted the fateful fall. . .
I spent some time going over the bike in detail - - it seems that I have broken one of the brackets that hold on my saddle bags - - I called the maker and I will have a replacement tomorrow (thank you Ed, maker of dirtbagz!).
At this point I think I'll hit the road again on either Friday or Saturday. The swelling will surely still be there, but it will be there no matter if I ride or not, so why not ride?
Now all I need to do is figure out where I'll go when I get back on the road.
The way I see it, my options are. . .A) continue on the trail, starting where I left off (ha! as if I had covered much at all!) a downside to this is that I'll be getting rattled around right away, and the ol' leg might not like that so much. Also, I'd be riding alone - I'm not sure if that's good or bad?
B) take some secondary roads west and find a good place to meet up with the gang and continue on the trail wherever that might be (I've been quite please actually that although I barely know them, the group has been keeping very much on top of my situation and has been voting that I rejoin the gang)
C) head west but consider just taking secondary roads and do non TAT things (pacific coast, redwoods, etc)
D) head northeast up through the Appalachians and then through New England, maybe Canada
E) return to DC and swap for the BMW and do option D
F) return home and sell my bikes because motorcycling is dangerous
So folks, any votes on options A through F (please don't give me an F!)