Helmet Damage

I was taking photos and a video to show the damage to the helmets from my accident for the insurance company for reimbursement.

The helmet that Crystal was wearing belong to Sherri, A Scorpion EXO-100. It had some road rash on the right side and down the brim and some on the visor.

My helmet A Harley-Davidson Hybrid Ultra-Light Classic Half Helmet, received the most damage on the right side and the front of the helmet. The front right side was grind down to the fibers of the helmet and the sun visor was ripped off. Just looking at the my helmet, I could see my head with all that damage. A good reason to always wear a helmet!

Check out the Video & photos.

Spot Satellite Messenger

I was looking at my web site to see if I need to do any up dates and I found the Where Is Lone Star Rider page had me marked when I had my motorcycle accident. The site is automatically marked from my Spot Satellite Messenger (Spot).

One of the reason I bought Spot was that it tracks your location and your family and friend can track where you are on a web page and a check in feature to let them know that you are okay.

The other reason is that Spot will request help from friends or family and/or alert Emergency Responders to your location for a 911 emergency when you are out of cell range.

I have been using Spot for almost a year now and it has been by my side on all of my trips and the tracking & check in feature have been working great. On August 3rd 2009 in Death Valley the 5th day if my summer trip I had a blow out on my rear tire and I crashed my motorcycle. After I checked to see if my daughter (Crystal) was okay and I accessed our accident I decided it was time to use Spot and push the 911 button only to find out that Spot was no long clipped to my belt. I did a search and found it in a bush about 20 yards from the motorcycle. I push the 911 button and about 30 minutes later the U.S. Calvary came, well the California Highway Patrol (Chris) and the Death Valley National Park Ranger came to the rescue. They all were great!

Spot cost $99.00, one year subscription $99.00, and $49.99 for tracking. I think the $250.00 is worth every penny and I will never leave on trip without my Spot.

You can buy one at http://www.findmespot.com/

Port Arthur Ride

Sherri did a pre-ride for the Southern Cruisers that she is leading in a couple weeks, so a few of us joined her on her ride.

Since my bike is still in Vegas, A friend offered one of his bike for me to ride (Thanks Berk!).

Our ride started at Sabo and Beltway 8 at 8 AM. We headed towards Baytown up to Dayton and over to Port Arthur to Ester Cajun Sea Food.

When We Arrive at Ester it seemed that Hurricane Ike got the best of Ester's with a lot of damage to the building and they were closed.

Now with no place to eat lunch (And getting hungry) we went on a search for another restaurant. Most places were closed. We ask a guy working at one of the local gas station where was a good place to eat, he recommended La Suprema Mexican Restaurant eight miles from the gas station.

The place seem busy and the food look good, but my tamales tasted like they were store bought from the gas station down the street, otherwise the rest was good food with great service.

We headed back on 73 in to Anahuac and stopped there for fuel. After fueling the group broke up and headed on there way back home.

This was my first day ride since my accident about three weeks ago. I did fine on the way up there and about half way back my shoulder on the right back side started to hurt. When We got back home Sherri took a look and said there was a little swelling. I will stay off a motorcycle for a couple of weeks and be a little more careful with my right shoulder until it heals up and then start off with some shorter rides next time.

It was good to get back on a motorcycle and I had a great time today despite my shoulder pain.

Thanks to Sherri for leading her Pre-Ride.

No Photos excepts for the above • Route

Motorcycle Status

Last Friday the insurance adjuster called me late afternoon and let me know that the bike will cost $8301.92 to fix. My part will be $543.00.

The bike is in Las Vegas, NV at Arlen Ness Motorcycles service department and will be repaired there. The really bad part is that the bike will not be ready for 6 to 8 weeks.

I have been in San Francisco for the FileMaker DevCon all this week. This is my last day here in San Francisco and I will be heading to Las Vegas, NV to check on my bike and get more details on how long it will take to fix my bike.

Tuesday or Wednesday I'll fly to Ft. Worth, TX to visit with Crystal and the rest of my family.

I should be back in Houston Thursday or Friday.

The Day After

We are still in Pahrump, NV at the Nugget Hotel & Casino. We slept in late and had breakfast at the hotel. The medicine that the doctor prescribe tend to make me sleepy so I took a nap.

Enterprise Car Rental picked me up and took me to there office around 11:30 AM I rented a car for two day.

Back at the hotel I took another nap. And around 3 PM we went over to where the motorcycle was towed too to get a few thing and take some photos of the bike. The bike was up on it's kickstand (Harley calls it a Jiffy Stand) and it did not look to bad until I got up closer. I hope it is repairable, I really love that bike. I felt really sad looking at it and about my motorcycle trip coming to an end.

Back at the hotel I took another nap. And around 8 PM we had dinner at the hotel. The hotel and the staff have been great here and have gone out of there way to take care of us. One of the managers gave us a free night.

After dinner removed all my bandages and took a stinging shower (Ouch, Ouch, & Ouch Dammit). before I put on some fresh bandages Crystal took a couple of photos of the road rash.

Will be taking Crystal to the airport in Vegas, she will be flying back home to DFW. Despite the accident I have had a really good time with my daughter.

I will stay in Vegas one more day and will be flying to Portland to meet Sherri and to continue the trip in a rental car down the coast to San francisco.

Time for another nap.

Photos

2009 Road Trip Day 5

We had breakfast at the hotel to get a early start to beat the heat in Death Valley.

Just outside of Indian Springs, NV I could not shift up, so I turned around and headed back to Indian Springs and stopped at the local gas station.

My hill shifter came loose, I tighten it and we were back on our way.

About 15 minutes before arriving to the East entrance of the Death Valley National Park. We heard a loud pop, Crystal said I think we have a flat. I already knew that we did and I was fighting to keep the bike up. We were traveling around 55 MPH and the bike rear end was swaying back and fourth on it rear rim. I was not able to keep the bike up and told Crystal to hang on. We hit the ground hard and slid with the bike to the opposite side of the road. I laid there on the road face up trying to catch my breath. When I got up I saw crystal picking things up in the middle of the road and moving our stuff closer to the motorcycle.

After looked for my Spot, which I found in the ditch, I pressed the 911 button and we waited.

A French guy stopped and ask if we need help, I said yes and that he could go get us help, but I don't think he understood us, he went on his way.

After about 30 minutes a California Highway Patrol (Chris) arrived and then about 45 minutes later the Park service ambulance arrive. Crystal and I were transported to the hospital.

Both Crystal had road rash on our arms, Crystal also had road rash on right leg, right and left fingers and her stomach. My shoulder had some pain, the xray show no broken bones.

This is my first accident on a road bike, I had a couple of blowout on other bikes and was able to keep them up.

I have many mix feeling, I'm glad our injuries were not worse, I'm mad and disappointed I will not be able to finish my trip, and I'm sad that my bike is in bad shape.

I'm not sure what will happen in the next few days, but I'll let you know.

We are staying in the Nugget Hotel and Casino in Pahrump, NV for the night.

Just a note, my Spot Satellite Messenger worked as advertised!

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2009 Road Trip Day 4

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express last night and I wanted to say thanks to Debbie for going out of her way to let us park the bike out front.

After breakfast at the hotel we took off towards Zion National Park.

Zion National Park is one of my favorite national parks. I will come back here and stay a week to enjoy this park.

We stopped for lunch at Oscar Cafe, Sherri and I ate here last year and it was just as good last year. Crystal and I got waited on the same person (Grant) who waited on Sherri and I last year.

We did a straight shot to Las Vegas, NV and arrived around 3:00 PM. When we arrived at our hotel and checked in, and we jumped in the pool to cool off.

After a swim and a 1-1/2 hour nap, Crystal and I went to the strip for some dinner and to check out the sites.

Today was hot, but tomorrow will be even hotter going through Death Valley National Park.

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