Bike Down

Last Saturday Jeremy biffed his bike....the Dakar! He was going around the loop on our property with the boys, and all of a sudden he is on the ground, facing the wrong way! He pulled his bike up and sees extensive damage. He can ride the bike home...comes in and tells me to come out so he can show me something. On the way out, I notice his rear end is soaked...and I ask if he wreaked! I was somewhat joking cause I was attempting to ride Kaleb's bike the day before and dropped it when I went through my first puddle...and mudd. Anyways, J just keeps walking...and we finally came up to his bike, and it was mangled a bit. We assessed the damage and then walked out to the crash site:
this is where he ended up. This strip of grass was wadded up right where he landed..

this is where it was taken out.

We think he leaned to avoid a branch hanging out into the middle of the road. On the street, his foot peddle would have scraped, but on the dirt, it dug in, and then his box probably hit the ground, ripped off the bike, and whipped J and the bike around. As you can see, he had a soft landing.

This is where the box was attached.

Here is the box. You can see where it was attached previously.


And look at the lean on that bike. You can also see where the box should have stayed! We were most worried about the lean.

Thankfully, J had his bike insured. He had it taken up to Southsound BMW as soon as they were opened, and it is in the works for being repaired.

J had a few minor injuries...a sore wrist, and scraped up leg. but mostly he went into a minor depression. He loves his bike, and drives it everywhere. I am grateful if he was going to go down, it was right here at home, on a soft landing. I am also grateful he is able to get it fixed. It was hard seeing him so down.

On other bike news.....A few weeks ago, J purchased the dvd set LONG WAY AROUND and LONG WAY DOWN....they are the documentaries by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman who rode a couple of BMW's around the world...from England, through the Soviet Union, Alaska, Canada, down to New York...and then flew back to England....and then a few years later the rode from Scotland down to the tip of South Africa. We have been having a LONG WAY fest...watching for hours on end, not being able to go to bed, cause we are caught up in it...etc. Reminded me a bit of the BBC Pride and Prejudice....only intend to watch one or two episodes and end up watching it all in one setting....well, one of these were 10 episodes with extras, so it was quite a bit longer. One day J and I played hookie all day and cuddled on the couch and watched. and only got part way through it was crazy, but also very interesting....we also did a bunch of dreaming, of trips we would take.

I joked with J that it was a good thing we didn't see this before we had kids, or I am sure their names would have been Ewan and Charley... and Tarmac or something like that!

I have to say...it still amazes me that motorcyles have become such a big part of our lives. I never would have dreamed it....which reminds me...I am taking the motorcycle class the beginning of may! wish me luck...I am nervous!