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Why I hate sand

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drooartz

drooartz

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Deep sand is one of the most dangerous things for a motorcyclist on a borrowed bike (father-in-law's 2006 BMW 1150GS) to come across on a dirt road pretty close to the middle of nowhere. Riding in sand is very tricky, especially on a bike this big. I do know the technique, and have some practice, but not lots.

I almost made it.

Sadly, I didn't. Bike got away from me with about 10' to go and down I went. Low side to the right. Felt my ankle twist in a funny way, and the little voice in my head registered that it would soon hurt a bunch.

Got to my feet, noted the ankle issues to come, and figured I'd better ride the wave of adreneline to get the bike upright. Turns out that was not to be -- that's one heavy bike. Luckily someone came by right then and helped me get the bike back up. Other than a few additional scratches it was none the worse for wear. I was also fine other than the ankle. Riding gear works, and I always wear all of mine.

Did I mention I was 250 miles from home? And 20 miles from a town?

Nothing else to do, so I rode the bike back to town. Right foot injuries are easier on a bike -- that foot just handles rear brake. Considered trying the ride home, thought better of it and got a room at a motel of the sort you would not normally want to stay at. Folks were super friendly, though, and I even met a nice gentleman from Germany who was also a BMW rider. He insisted on taking my bags in and helped me get the bike parked safely. Good people.

Well to wrap it, called my wife and she and my father-in-law came down the next day for a rescue mission. Al rode the bike back, Jenny drove me home. Today (Sunday, 2 days since the crash) got X-rays confirming a broken ankle. My first broken bone. Yippy
grin.gif


So my riding/driving season is over. Not a huge deal as winter is close in these parts anyways. I'll be calling an orthopaedic doc tomorrow for an appointment. Luckily I have good health insurance and lots of sick time; I can work from home too as I'm a programmer. Not how I wanted my summer to end, but there you go.

So that's why I hate sand.
 
sucks! Actually did the sand thing on a borrowed beemer and made it, but more to the point, lousy end to the summer but, get better!
 
Drew,

Bummer! - Sorry to hear that.Just be thankful that
it didn't happen at the beginning of Summer.
How long will you be out of service?

- Doug
 
AngliaGT said:
Just be thankful that it didn't happen at the beginning of Summer. How long will you be out of service?
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The timing is about as good as could be. This is slow time for gigs too, so that won't be too much of a complication.

Don't know yet on time. Will call an ortho doc in the morning for an appointment. Pretty sure will require surgery, so who knows on time. Never done this before.
 
My data says six to eight weeks to heal, another four to six of P.T.

Sorry to hear this, Drew. Follow Doctor's Orders, no impatience in this case! That'd come back to haunt you when ya hit 50.

...trust me on this'n, mmmkay? :wink:
 
Will do, Doc. I can do patience when I have to. I like walking enough to listen to doctor's orders.
 
I grew up ridin dirt bikes in the sand and gravel pit out back of my house. We used to get chased off occasionally as it was not a completely abandoned site, and once in a while we'd meet up with a bucket loader.
There was a huge pile of sand we used to play on. It was definatly one of the trickier things to ride on up there.
The plus side is it gave me lots of "bad surface" experience before I ever rode on the street.
Someday I'll get a bike again.
Hope your ankle is ok.
 
drooartz said:
Will do, Doc. I can do patience when I have to. I like walking enough to listen to doctor's orders.
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Man I don't know. I'm off the crutches and the boot already. ONly been a week and I feel GREAT! You might be back in action before you now it. Screwwed up my right foot in a wreck and had to shift the bike by hand to get home. Almost got killed the last time I was on a murdercycle. Got the Midget and haven't looked back.
 
Around here 'smits says this is one of Newton's Unwritten Laws: "Doc don't ride two-wheelers." From the late '70's, on.

Minor violations have occurred over the decades but those are rare.
 
I would never fault anyone for choosing to not ride a motorcycle. Everyone's risk calculation is different, and the plusses of riding are not enough for lots of people.

Me, I'll be riding again in the spring, though probably not in the dirt. :smile:
 
Hey, at least you have gotten good training for street riding.

Yarns ago, would take the family, load up the Winniebago and head south for Glamis... Talk about sand... Found it was easier to ride on the smaller bikes than the big one(course big one was only a Kawa Trials 250).. Riding on soft stuff you do learn to stand up and lean forward and steer by shifting the body weight.

Glad the ankle was all that incurred damage..
 
Glad you're OK. I did a lot of sand riding in the South Jersey Pine Barrens. I'm sure that in Utah, the sand areas are immense, but we had sandy fields separated by cranberry bogs; not easy either.

I wish I could still ride ~ECEA~ enduros here on the east coast, but frankly, it started to take me too long to recover. And that was assuming I didn't actually break anything (I have plenty of keloid scars and knitted bones including an ankle, thanks to motorcycle enduro.

By the time I hit 40, it would take me several days to properly straighten my fingers.......especially after something like ~The Sandy Lane Enduro~.

But I do miss it; especially the guys. I got to know Ed Hertfelder, Harry "Cigarz" Leale, and many other old-time enduro riders. I'm an earned lifetime members of the AMA (I'm over 30 years in it now).

Still have a Honda FT500 Ascot "thumper", but rarely ride it these days......I ride my pit-bike a lot more.
grin.gif
 
Drew, sorry about the crash.

I've been thinkin' about selling my bike, too. Rode yesterday, traffic was bad and almost got rear-ended by a soccer mom in a van yakking on a cell phone.

Makes you think . . . :yesnod:
 
aeronca65t said:
Still have a Honda FT500 Ascot "thumper", but rarely ride it these days......I ride my pit-bike a lot more.
grin.gif
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Man those are great bike and you NEVER see any of them anymore. My buddy said they used to race them somewhere. I believe it was in Austin. IIRC, he said they would put street tires on CR500's and run them through the middle of Austin too in some sanctioned event.

Mark, my vote is to sell. I've had them all my life and the last crash was it for me. Two crashes in two months. "Someone" had been trying to tell me something with the first. I knew the next would be worse and it was. I heard that same little voice say if I kept going the next would be my last. I said, "NOPE, ~THIS~ one is !!!"

Aint looked back since. I was telling Kelly yesterday I'm glad I don't ride anymore (although I do miss it) and the Midget is so much more enjoyable. Good seating possition, good storage space, radio, HEATER and I can eat on the move.
 
Sorry Drew, 8-10 weeks, broken is better than a fracture.

Nial ever ride the old sand pits in H-town, we used to take the high tracks to 206 get down and ride the low tracks there.

Pat
 
aeronca65t said:
Glad you're OK. I did a lot of sand riding in the South Jersey Pine Barrens. I'm sure that in Utah, the sand areas are immense, but we had sandy fields separated by cranberry bogs; not easy either.
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I was on a standard dirt/gravel road, just hit about a 40' stretch of sand. It was enough.
grin.gif
 
kellysguy said:
I was telling Kelly yesterday I'm glad I don't ride anymore (although I do miss it)
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I think everyone who rides will hit this point eventually -- whether from age or risk concerns. The key is to recognize that moment (as you did) and move on. Me, I'll keep on riding for a long time to come.

I've got a doc appointment at 9 am tomorrow with the orthopedic folks down at the University of Utah. Y'all keep your fingers crossed for me.
 
GeeBee1 said:
Sorry Drew, 8-10 weeks, broken is better than a fracture.

Nial ever ride the old sand pits in H-town, we used to take the high tracks to 206 get down and ride the low tracks there.

Pat
Click to expand...

Yep. We have a summer house near Andover, right near the high tracks as they cross Rt 206. Been on those plenty of times.

I'm guessing you're talking about the sand pits on Waterloo Rd. Yep...been to them many times.

~Here's~ the Waterloo Concert field (taken from the Aeronca). There's another big field "above" it (in this picture) that's used for flying R/C planes, and then the sand/gravel pits are above that.
When I first bought the place in Sussex County, you could see dozens of people riding in a field right at Exit 25 on Rt. 80.....but they shut that down 25+ years ago.
 
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