Our intrepid member Laura has a story to tell about riding gear.
Hi,
For the last 4 weeks, I've been in south central Colorado (where the temps are
in the 50's at night), building with Habitat for Humanity. The physical work
is good for me, the goal is worthy, and I've met many kind people. I've attached
the story of why I'm suddenly in the market for a new motorcycle.
July 11, 2009
Laura: "Da Judge"
I parked my RV at Vallecito Lake north Bayfield, Co. (on Hwy 160 between Pagosa Springs and Durango in south central Colorado) and worked three weeks on a build with Habitat for Humanity. The day before we were to leave, I rode my FJR and Steve rode the Yamaha XT 250, heading south to the Aztec Ruins National Monument in New Mexico. It was hot, so I took off my mesh riding pants and headed home in blue jeans (mistake #1). Around 7 pm (mistake #2), we were riding north on Hwy 501 – a rural road that gains about 2,000 feet in altitude as it heads towards Vallecito Lake and our RV Park. It was the 4th of July, and the traffic was heavy with folks going to see the fireworks over the lake. As I rounded a curve, a VERY large deer bounded down the embankment to my left in front of an on-coming pickup. I hit the brakes; the deer did a shuffle step, and then hit me. It was over so fast I don’t really know what happened. Apparently the deer got tangled in the front end of the bike, we fell, and he kicked free. The only direct “deer damage” is where he kicked above the front fender and below the headlights, making toast of a lot of expensive plastic. The bike fell, skidded on the left side, grinding the frame slider to a nub and all but erasing the saddlebag. After the left side was transformed into scoured plastic, the bike flipped over and ground down the right saddlebag and other miscellaneous plastic and metallic parts.
And the deer? I don’t know. I was busy sliding down the highway. Steve
stopped in the middle of the highway to keep the traffic off my downed butt ‘til
I crawled to the edge of the road. He said the deer was caught in the bike,
kicked free, stood up, fell down, and then skittered down the steep embankment
to the right.
After a brief assessment, I decided I could ride the FJR the 5+ miles back
to my RV. Most of that ride was over gravel, and as I rode with my left leg
as stiff as Chester’s, I swore I’d never ride again with just blue
jeans.
Progressive Insurance totaled my old friend – too much expensive scoured
plastic and probable damage to the forks. So, the Gypsy Rocket, bruised and
battered, was unceremoniously hauled off for salvage. I feel like my favorite
horse was shot out from under me – one with whom I’ve shared many
an adventure, one who taught me many lessons of freedom, self-confidence, reaching,
risking. I’d rather have skipped this entire learning opportunity, but
the Gypsy Rocket is gone and the ample check from the insurance company is
in my pocket.
Unlike the FJR, I didn’t get totaled. I have some nasty road rash on
my left knee – thus the belated New Year’s Resolution to Never
ride again in only blue jeans. If you’ve never experience road rash – it
burns, and burns, and burns. A week later, it’s still burning. It’s
much hotter than those riding pants could ever be. (Plus it oozes, sticks to
the sheets, and hurts – the riding pants do none of that.) There’s
more road rash on my left shoulder – I don’t know if the pad in
my Joe Rocket jacket turned on impact, or if the impact itself caused the injury.
I’m sporting miscellaneous bruises and a knot on my wrist from my bangle
bracelets. So – I’m one lucky rider, now without a horse.
From Bayfield, we moved over to Pagosa Springs, Co. for another two-week build
with Habitat. On the 19th, I’ll head up toward Denver to test ride the
BMW F650 GS. I’m also looking at the Suzuki Vstrom 650 and the Kawasaki
KLR 650. I’m vertically challenged, and many of these bikes require a
stepladder. But I’ll probably buy something that is more comfortable
with dirt and gravel than my FJR was.
Lessons –
Last revised: July 11, 2009 |
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