Thank You Sidi and my Guardian Angel

[Tool Man]

I've been riding Ca. Hwy.2 for 30 yrs. and have just about seen everything that could happen up here. We bought our future retirement home in Wrghtwood Ca. 6yrs. ago were we spend 3-4 days a week every week. It made sense to keep my GS up here and I leave my RT down the hill in our full time place of residence. It's so nice to be able to hop on the bike and hit Hwy2 within a mile of our house. No traffic, idiots on cell phones. But there are different dangers. I've had deer, fox, coyote, bear, bobcat, mountain lion and pine cones drop in my path. However yesterday, I had a new experience. I had no idea what happened that grabbed my left foot off the peg and fracture my foot. Fortunately just for safety I carry my Forest Service radio with me should I come upon a fallen rider or other type of emergency. Also fortunately, I was able to limp myself back home. My riding buddy saw the whole thing. As you know you scan the road for debris and also are looking ahead through the turn and down the road.

 

Evidently, a rock the size of a soccer ball rolled down the embankment at just the right moment that it passed between my front tire and rear tire and it hit my left foot yanking it off the peg sending excruciating pain up my leg. He said the rock exploded when my foot hit it and he had to dodge the debris. We were traveling approx. 70mph at the time of impact. I can't imagine what or where I would be if it hit my front tire. What are the odds that the rock rolling down the embankment happened to pass between my front and rear tire at that rate of speed. It obviously wasn't my day to crash. I slowed way down wondering what the heck just happened. I didn't bother stopping, I just wanted to get back home.

 

We made it back to my house and my buddy new I was in pain and he helped me off the bike and rolled it into the garage for me. Then we examined the bike for evidence of the rock hitting anything. I'm avoiding taking my boot off. The rock never touched the bike's skid plate, or foot peg. I never heard the rock hitting anything either.

 

So my pal says we should have a look at that foot and notices all the protective plastic on my Sidi boot is demolished. We get the boot and sock off with some few choice words in the process. Big, swollen and purple already is the big toe, toe nail ripped partially off and the tow next to it swollen and purple also. I'm also feeling pain now in the upper foot and more swelling and some colors taking shape. I could have more going on down there than just a couple broken toes. massive amounts of Ibuprofen is cutting the pain a little bit.

 

I can't imagine what my foot would look like without a quality riding boot. I've crash testing plenty of gear in my racing days and it all works pretty well. I cringe when I see people riding with very little if none protective gear. Yea my foots a mess but it would be worse if I didn't believe in proper riding gear.

 

I'm not going to bother with the emergency room at this point. We're cutting our vacation a little short for an event I have to appear at in Mission Viejo but I'll call and make an appointment with Torrance Orthopedic group Tuesday morning. Problem is, I have to perform at this event and standing isn't big on my want to do list at the moment.

 

 

ride safe and wear your gear,

Mike

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

What are the odds? Exactly! That is bizarre.

 

Hope there aren't any broken things in there Mike. Watched a guy on a HD with boat deck shoes on the other day. He couldn't go ATGATT because it might have made his Jamba juice fall off the steering head.

[David13]

Riding that road, and others like it, I have often thought, 'what if ...'.

Your number happened to have come up. You were just in that right spot, at the wrong time. It could have been worse.

dc

[Marty Hill]

Hey Mike/been too long. Glad it wasn't worse. I finally rode the 2 to wrightwood last sept. What a road.

[tallman]

Mike,

Glad it wasn't worse.

Find out what is wrong before trying to do too much.

Best wishes for a quick and complete recovery.

 

You are correct, no substitute for the right gear when you need it so plan on having it all the time.

[Tool Man]

Marty... so glad you finally got to ride the 2 when you came out last year... told you it's amazing. Kerin still thinks that's why I bought the house up there.

 

I wish I was still teaching at Wilow Springs, it would have been another story to bring to the students.

 

I had today scheduled for vacation and will pick up the phone when the orthopedic group opens this morning. It's developing some nice color but I don't think the foot is broken but the big toe and the one next to it definitely is. I have them taped them together and that's probably all they will do but best to be sure.

 

I showed up at the gig yesterday with a cane and my buddy carried in my guitar for me. Everyone wanted to hear the story. Fortunately, it was a big get together of musicians that were round tabled in so my part wasn't very long, about 5 songs. I sat and enjoyed the rest of the show and hobbled out of there.

 

I have a lot of miles logged on that road as well as others available to us in So. Cal. and it was just a story to weird not to share with others who ride mountain roads often. I am always scanning for wildlife and debris in the road. I've heard stories of rocks coming down on top of cars which happened to our neighbor once. It could have been much worse, a bigger rock could have come down and knocked me off the bike. This is the time of year with snow still melting and land shift so I expect debris around every corner.

 

I'm sure I'll be fine thanks to protective riding gear and someone sitting on my shoulder watching over me.

 

Thanks for the well wishes.

[Marty Hill]

Remember the video of your ride?

[Sonor]

Tool Man,

All the best and heal well and soon.

 

Is tool for the band or for your hobby/job? Knowing Tool and guitar is why I ask.

[tallman]

OMG, here come the garage pics...

bring 'em on, I haven't cried today, yet.

[AdventurePoser]

Mike,

 

Glad you weren't injured worse than you were....broken toes can be bad, so take it easy. I shattered my big toe hiking up on Black Bear Pass last summer. It's never felt the same since.

 

Let's here it for wearing the protective gear...

 

Best,

Steve in Glendora

[Dennis Andress]

It's nice to hear from you, but this isn't good news. Glad you're okay.

[Tool Man]

Steve.... holly smokes... good to see ya man!

 

Marty video? you didn't see that did ya? I finally got a go-pro... another story.

 

Got to the orthopedic group today at 1pm. Left at 4pm. Walked in under my own power. Left with a knee brace because of a possible ACU tear (MRI on Friday) and X-rays showed three broken bones in the foot and big toe is shattered. Not much they can do for it other than pin it together. I left on crutches, knee brace, a friggen foot stabilizer that is gonna be a PIA. and couldn't bend anything..... should have stayed home...jus kidden.

 

The good news is, I have no evidence of arthritis or any form of bone structure aging damage.

 

So when I go in for the knee MRI I will confer with the DOC and get a cortisone shot for my tendon in my arm from all the guitar playing. In fact I saw this guy last year for trigger finger ( look it up) and he fixed that. He couldn't believe the story.... and my tenaciousness about wanting to get back on the horse.

 

My guess is we'll get the surgery done for the knee and let the foot heel on it's own without pining it.

 

Got home and played / practiced for three hours and iced the for arm after. I have another gig tomorrow night and am gonna be hobbling a little but I'm not wearing all the apparatus they sent me home with. I'll get my gear up there and do the best that I can.

 

Problem is, I have a Forest Service S&R repelling training program coming up in two weeks....jeesh.

 

I have to do another gig in Wrightwood Friday Night.

 

Saturday, I'm planning to ride over to Newcomb's ranch again before I get the surgery.

 

I don't put a price limit on protective gear. I can't imagine what my foot condition would be like in simple work boots or worse yet the tennis shoes I see being worn.

 

The knee injury was not from this unfortunate encounter with the rock. It was an accumulative over indulgence from other activities.

 

 

BTW, Nice getting on the forum again and good old friends that remember me.

 

all the best to all of you,

Mike

[Tool Man]

OMG, here come the garage pics...

bring 'em on, I haven't cried today, yet.

 

You don't want to see..... you'll have to take out a third on your house.

[Tool Man]

Ok.... I've kind of disappeared from the planet / forum since we bought the house in Wrightwood 6yrs ago. I've held an event at the Hawthorne place before but I didn't think people would be interested in riding so far up in the San Gabriel mountains. I still ponder the idea since we have the best riding area in So. Cal. My wife is putting together what will be known as the "Wrightwood Historical Rose Garden" (300 roses). Which means my undivided attention as well as putting my reserve patrol time in with the forest Service and decompression time plus my music and machining time at it's maximum.

 

I need to retire to fit all this in.... It ain't easy being me. But I do miss my friends I have met here.

 

Maybe I should put a band together and hold another event.....hmmm

 

Thanks to those that remember me,

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Marty Hill]

Might stop by to say hi in sept. Don't want to see a limping dude. Heal quick!

[Tool Man]

Might stop by to say hi in sept. Don't want to see a limping dude. Heal quick!

 

Aabsolutely ! Even if they do surgery on the knee I'll be good to go by then. I'll shoot ya the address for up there. Very easy to find if your eyes are still good 'nuf to read your GPS.

[Reddog900]

A friend of mine had a similar occurrence on Kanan Road that runs from PCH near Pepperdine Univ over to 101. Rock slide down embankment and landed in front of his passenger tire as he comes around corner, threw his Ford Expedition on driver side/top of vehicle and he skidded off road into ditch. Fortunately, other drivers stopped to offer assistance, minor injuries, vehicle totaled.

Be Safe - things we don't control happen all the time.

 

[Jack Herbst]

I've been riding Ca. Hwy.2 for 30 yrs. and have just about seen everything that could happen up here. We bought our future retirement home in Wrghtwood Ca. 6yrs. ago were we spend 3-4 days a week every week. It made sense to keep my GS up here and I leave my RT down the hill in our full time place of residence. It's so nice to be able to hop on the bike and hit Hwy2 within a mile of our house. No traffic, idiots on cell phones. But there are different dangers. I've had deer, fox, coyote, bear, bobcat, mountain lion and pine cones drop in my path. However yesterday, I had a new experience. I had no idea what happened that grabbed my left foot off the peg and fracture my foot. Fortunately just for safety I carry my Forest Service radio with me should I come upon a fallen rider or other type of emergency. Also fortunately, I was able to limp myself back home. My riding buddy saw the whole thing. As you know you scan the road for debris and also are looking ahead through the turn and down the road.

 

Evidently, a rock the size of a soccer ball rolled down the embankment at just the right moment that it passed between my front tire and rear tire and it hit my left foot yanking it off the peg sending excruciating pain up my leg. He said the rock exploded when my foot hit it and he had to dodge the debris. We were traveling approx. 70mph at the time of impact. I can't imagine what or where I would be if it hit my front tire. What are the odds that the rock rolling down the embankment happened to pass between my front and rear tire at that rate of speed. It obviously wasn't my day to crash. I slowed way down wondering what the heck just happened. I didn't bother stopping, I just wanted to get back home.

 

We made it back to my house and my buddy new I was in pain and he helped me off the bike and rolled it into the garage for me. Then we examined the bike for evidence of the rock hitting anything. I'm avoiding taking my boot off. The rock never touched the bike's skid plate, or foot peg. I never heard the rock hitting anything either.

 

So my pal says we should have a look at that foot and notices all the protective plastic on my Sidi boot is demolished. We get the boot and sock off with some few choice words in the process. Big, swollen and purple already is the big toe, toe nail ripped partially off and the tow next to it swollen and purple also. I'm also feeling pain now in the upper foot and more swelling and some colors taking shape. I could have more going on down there than just a couple broken toes. massive amounts of Ibuprofen is cutting the pain a little bit.

 

I can't imagine what my foot would look like without a quality riding boot. I've crash testing plenty of gear in my racing days and it all works pretty well. I cringe when I see people riding with very little if none protective gear. Yea my foots a mess but it would be worse if I didn't believe in proper riding gear.

 

I'm not going to bother with the emergency room at this point. We're cutting our vacation a little short for an event I have to appear at in Mission Viejo but I'll call and make an appointment with Torrance Orthopedic group Tuesday morning. Problem is, I have to perform at this event and standing isn't big on my want to do list at the moment.

 

 

ride safe and wear your gear,

Mike

 

Just a thought, but could someone have rolled that rock off at you. Timing is strange. Are you sure it was a rock?

 

Reminds me of an incident in Seattle where kids threw a brick off an overpass and hit a rider in the chest that killed him.

 

Jack

[Bud]

Wow, so glad to hear that it wasn't any worse.

 

Good gear is worth every penny.

 

I remember one of my first posts on this site. Someone suggested that I should budget about $1,000 for gear. To a NOOB rider, that seemed like non-sense.

 

It was most likely the best advice anyone gave me.

 

Heal quickly!

[Tool Man]

Just a thought, but could someone have rolled that rock off at you. Timing is strange. Are you sure it was a rock?

No, it wasn't intentional. My riding partner behind me saw it coming down on it's own. Yes it was a rock, he dodged the remnants after I hit it. I patrol that road when on duty and ride it often. We don't typically get that type of element up there.

 

Physical update, they drained 43cc of fluid from the knee and surgery isn't required at this time. They want to see if the damage will heal itself. Still wearing a knee brace though. The foot is mending well and in a walking booty. Only took off three days of work but got lot's of guitar practice in the down time and played a gig last night

 

[Tool Man]

A friend of mine had a similar occurrence on Kanan Road that runs from PCH near Pepperdine Univ over to 101. Rock slide down embankment and landed in front of his passenger tire as he comes around corner, threw his Ford Expedition on driver side/top of vehicle and he skidded off road into ditch. Fortunately, other drivers stopped to offer assistance, minor injuries, vehicle totaled.

Be Safe - things we don't control happen all the time.

 

I'm gonna get sha'laped by members here that I've ridden with up that way with but here goes.

 

Repeat after me.... do not ride the Malibu / Santa Monica Mtn. roads. The roads are littered with debris, squids, and knucklehead cagers crossing the line. I hate that place. Especially the Rock Store. It's a pit. I almost met my maker on Kanan Rd. by a dip $hit crossing over. A very good friend of mine is in a wheel chair because of some knuckle heads that rode over their heads, tossed themselves down and took him out coming the other way.

 

I'll ride the coast occasionally up to visit a friend in Newberry Park or grab some soup at Neptune's Net but I stay away from that area. If I ride the coast, I'll do it north of Ventura.

 

I find it amazing some guy sets up video cameras up there to catch the carnage to post on You Tube. It's a discrase to motorcyclist's.

[Tool Man]

Yesterday was my first ride after the rock incident. Got my foot into the boot and decided it was good enough and put my gear on and rode over to Newcomb's Ranch. It was kind of weird, now scanning the slopes for possible debris. I'll get over it I'm sure because it was a freakish sort of thing but it lingers in the gray matter.

 

I decided to take some pictures along the way to do a post on Ca. State SR2 at a later time. I stopped at Newcomb's for an Ice Tea and chatted a bit. Still limping, people would ask and I'd have to tell the story. I think some will be scanning the hill sides also on they're way back down. I had to return to Wrightwood to complete some drip irrigation and planting. I'll get the rest of the pictures from Newcomb's over to west side another time and put a post together of the complete Hwy.in the near future.

 

Maybe those who haven't been up here or are planning to come to Ca. will consider riding this slice of So. Ca. Hwy.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angeles_Crest_Highway

 

 

best,