From my first ride on a Heathkit Boonie Bike in late 1969, I have been hooked on the dirt biking experience.
I’ve often wondered what it would take to make me give up riding. October 14, 2023 I found out. Fortunately it is a decision I get to make, not one that is made for me.
It was a nice fall day in the Limerick, nearing the end of our season. Towards the end of my planned ride, I turned off a forest road on to a widish trail with gentle climb. Bottom of 3rd, gently accelerating, boom! It happened fast. I hit something nasty hidden under the leaves, swapped into something else nasty, was pitched high-side into something else nasty on the ground.
Wind was knocked out, terrible feeling but knew what to do. Don’t panic, tiny, painful breathes until somewhat normal (but still painful) breathing returns.
Was alone (I know!) so lay for a long time before trying to move. Rolled to sitting, waited, stood. Self-diagnosis was accurate but incomplete: left collarbone, multiple ribs on left side, sprained right thumb.
Pulled the bike up without much difficulty, mounted with considerable difficulty, started with no difficulty (thank you electric start!) and took short cut to truck at the “Y” (1 minute by forest road).
No chance of loading bike myself, so walked past trees to where I knew a young woman and 2 girls were parked. They were loading up, I wasn’t going to ask them to load but did ask if they could stop by pit to find help. Soon, 2 4-wheelers and a biker showed up and quickly got me loaded. Called and confessed to my wife and drove 80km home.
She took one look at me in truck and brought out a chair. Half way to front door I felt faint and needed it. 911, paramedic, ambulance, straight to Civic Trauma Unit.
Lots of tests and scans (with incredibly painful transfers!) and “accurate but incomplete” was completed:
- Broken left collarbone
- Broken left shoulder blade
- Broken left ribs 1-10
- Broken left transfer processes 5-9 and 11
- Ruptured spleen (grade 4)
- Bruised left lung
- Broken right rib 1
- Sprained right thumb
The only thing that needed intervention was the spleen. My first manscaping experience as they prepared to run catheter from groin to cauterize remains of spleen..
4 days in trauma centre, 2 more in hospital, now recuperating at home.
I always wear full armour, currently Alpinestars A-10. This brutal outcome from relatively minor crash is something I never want to experience again. More importantly, I never want to put my family through this again.
I’m hanging up my riding boots , almost 54 years after that first ride on the Boonie Bike. It was a good run.