July 28, 2001

Well boys and girls a years planning came to a sudden end on Saturday July 28 at about 7:15 Central time. Dick Seng and I left NY/CT on
Thursday AM planning on attending WESTOC in Kimberly. I was so looking forward to this and possibly going to see Crater Lake on my return trip. We were making good time/distance on the trip. We left Saulte Ste Marie Sat AM and got to Duluth at 4:15PM. WE visited Riderwearhouse as they were closing, but they still let me purchase a couple of things ( I wanted my 10% discount :-) ). We left there and stopped for a nice dinner about 10 minutes up the road. We planned on stopping in Grand Rapids, MN for a good nights sleep, planning on getting to Minot on Sunday.

Well about 4-5 miles East of Grand Rapids, traveling at about 60 MPH, a Road Rat suddenly picked it's target, that being me. All I saw was a brief flash of tan, before my world came crashing down. I saw the flash of tan just in the edge of the PIAA as I head a loud POP and watched my windscreen leave the bike over my left shoulder. At that point I knew that, this was NOT GOOD. I then saw the sandy road side coming closer and closer, faster and faster. The bike was not doing well and I knew if I hit the sand/gravel, that that was a VERY BAD thing. The bike weaved from left to right for about 250 yds before coming to a stop in a cloud of steam. Radiator busted and my WeSTOC dreams crashing down.

I think back on what took place and can't think of one thing that I did wrong. I was consciously scanning the road all the way after seeing a Buck on the other side of the road earlier in the ride. This was so fast and close that I never had time to react. How I was untouched and unscathed is remarkable and a miracle. The bike is a tremendous piece of equipment that handled hitting a 80-90 lb animal and kept on going. The bike is not in good shape as it is sitting in a U-Haul on my way back to NY. I am currently in Janesville WI.

Anyone who has had a problem with HRCA, well I can't say enough on what they did. They took the info, called me back (automated) telling me about how long the tow truck will be there, and called back at the time they said it would be there......as my phone rang, the tow truck showed up......Jim's towing in Grand Rapids MN, was splendid, helping that night as well as meeting me on Sunday (they are normally closed) to load it into the U-haul. The SawMill Inn was equally as great, as due to a car show in the town, there was no room to be found. The fantastic State Patrol officer called 8, count 'em 8, Hotels looking for a place for Dick and I to stay. The SawMill put 2 cots in a meeting room and let us sleep there. We stayed another night and they gave us a pretty good discounted rate for that as well.

Dick has continued on to Kimberly and my thought and good vibrations/prayers are with him as we both feel very lucky. He was torn
on whether to continue on or come back with me, but decided to go on. Which I think was great. Dick stayed with me all day Sunday as my ordeal of getting a U-haul was an all day affair, and I thank him for all of his help and support....Here on Monday, I can almost still feel myself shaking as I re-live everything that happened.

There is one less White-tail in the MN woods, that's for sure....the flies and other scavengers are now having a field day......

ALL PICS ARE THUMBNAILS SO CLICK ON THE PICTURE AND IT WILL ENLARGE