Well thank you for the kind words. I normally dont share many personal things. And im not one to sollicit sympathy from others. So thus far I have refrained from sharing the real reason that im selling my mini.
But here goes..............There is going to be a graphic pic at the end so anyone that is squeamish.......leave now!
Ive been riding my mini on a trail at night time for several months now. I have a very strong light that straps to the forehead. It lights the whole trail and then some. I mostly ride at night to avoid police and park rangers. There are 2 parks that the trail leads to seperated by a bridge over a creek and it supplys both a very scenic and peaceful place to ride.
3 weeks ago this coming saturday I had taken an early ride and then also to my little spot for some wide open throttle runs. It was misting just a little but not enough to worry about. I came home and had dinner, watched some shows and argued with oldnewstock on this forum. :laugh:
Any way the wife went to bed and I checked outside to see if it was raining. It wasnt. So I decided to take a ride. I was bundled with 4 jacket/coats and had a le mans style full head/face cap on and no helmet. I rode out thru the trail and crossed the bridge and noticed that the misting had returned. The bike was handling very well and the misting was lite so I wasnt concerned. I rode a little farther than usual and was really enjoying the peace and solutude of being alone and on my favorite toy.
I decided to head back and everything was as normal. The trail leads to the bridge and you have to slow down and make a 90 degree turn to get on it. I did and that was when...................
I hit a patch of ice that must have developed as the temps dropped and the precip amount had accumulated at a low spot on the bridge surface.(The bridge surface was colder due to air flow underneath than normal ground) As I hit the ice patch that was not visable to me........it caused my back tire to spin and move left. My body weight was shifted to the right......and that caused me to involountarily pull back on the throttle. My position on the seat was now much more towards the rear of the seat and the engine was screaming spinning on the ice.
I then hit dry pavement and the bike wheelied so fast and sharp that I didnt realise it until I was almost vertical. I panicked and squeezed the brake lever very tightly.....(This is where it gets bad)............. By slamming on the rear brake it brought the front of the bike down violently and quickly....and unfortunately for me.... it threw me forward.... and into the metal railing of the bridge. It was like a pile driver... head first... into unforgiving metal.
I was knocked out....but only temporarily. I got up and the only thing I could think about was turn the bike off so as to not damage it. I had a lot of trouble focussing... but I got it turned off. As I stood... I felt very dizzy and then realised that a large pool of blood was at my feet. I knew that head wounds bleed a lot. (ive had several)... but this one was pumping blood like crazy. I began feeling weak and very tired. Thats when I knew that my body was going into shock!
At this point I just thought it was a deep cut to my forehead (I could feel it under my mask) But I knew I had to get out of there and stop the bleeding or I would lay down and go to sleep. So I began the mile and a half walk back home.. all the while putting pressure on my forehead to hopefully stop the bleeding. (It didnt though. Just kept pouring)
The whole time while walking I wanted to lay down and sleep. I was more tired than ive ever been in my life. I had finally realised that if I didnt make it back to the house.... I was a gonner.
I made it to the house somehow.....No easy feat let me tell ya! My son and his friend were in the garage and they saw me and began screaming. I asked them for some ice and I laid down in the garage. They got my wife up and she came out and said that I had a nasty cut on my fore head and that she was calling the ambulance. I said NO....just drive me to the emergency room.
The rest of the story has been told to me and I will relay it just as told by them. (I was in and out of consciousness at this point and still had my mask/face cover on. She brought me in the emergency room and there was no one there. Literally no one. In the waiting room or behind the counter. MY wife walked back behind the doors and yelled for someone to come out. A volunteer came out and saw all the blood on me...and still pouring down face... and screamed Get your asses out here there is a guy bleeding to death out here.
To make a long story short. They got me back in the ER and pulled my mask off......which revealed a VERY large opening in my skull! My wife almost fainted and she said that all of a sudden there were lots of people running around me and they shoved a tube down my throat and inserted a catheder and sped me away for an MRI. MY blood pressure was 69/38. They thought I was going to die... so they stitched the vein in my head that was causing all the leaking and air lifted me to a trama center with brain specialists on staff.
I guess you know by now that I survived. Im very thankful for that. I almost died that night. Actually....... had I not made it out of those woods.... I most certainly would have. Im not as pretty as I was before that night. :laugh: But hey... Ya cant have everything right? My entire family has decreed that I shall in no way be allowed to ride that mini bike again. And even though it was a fluke of circumstances that caused the wreck........with what they were put through that night.... and pins and needles for a few days after..... I am going to respect their wishes.
Its funny though.... you never know what can take ya. I certainly never thought a little mini bike accident would turn out to be the closest to death that ive ever come. Ive been street racing and track racing for years. Much more dangerous than a 10mph mini bike crash.......or so you think. Anyway. People have said for years that ive been the luckiest guy theyve known. The way I see it...... Im going to walk away with my winnings before my luck runs out.
Im not a wimp or wussy by any means. But I am getting older.... and I think its time for foolish things to come to an end. So im selling my mini and my car and focusing on life ...love.. family and responsibilities. Here is a pic that my wife took of me in the hospital. I still havent really looked at it yet.
ut::doah:
