Thankful 2 B Alive! (Motorcycle Accident)

Wow!  WHAT-A-NIGHT!

First of all, I’ve got to say that I was super pumped this evening to finally get an evening with Deanna for some alone time.  That’s hard to get these days.  Big thanks to Amy for offering to watch the kids.

Anyhow, Deanna and I decided to go for a motorcycle ride, since we haven’t had the chance yet this season and it also happens to be the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally week here in the Hills.  Fun!  We both love to ride!

We drove out to Hill City and ate at the Route 16 Diner, a fun 50’s-style diner featuring burgers, pizza, malts, and fries.  Deanna had a really tender roast beef sandwich and I had fish and chips.  Good meal all around.

When we walked out of the diner, it started to rain a few drops.  Deanna and I discussed if we should wait it out and go for ice cream or try and beat the storm.  We decided to head out and try to get home before the storm worsened.  That might have been our first mistake.

We took it slow because of the heavy traffic and slick roads.  It wasn’t all that bad until we got past the bridge at the Keystone turnoff.  After that it starting pouring pretty hard, with really high crosswinds, and even a few hail stones.  Ick!  The wind got so bad that it started to get harder and harder to keep the bike on the road.  The clouds were dark and swirling and we both mentioned to each other later that it felt like we were in the middle of a forming cyclone — being blown from side-to-side of the road.

Two times the wind was so strong that it actually forced us off the road and onto the shoulder.  On the second time, I decided that it was time for us to pull over and stop — even if there was no nearby shelter.  It was just getting too dangerous to be on the road.  Well, as we were slowing to a stop in the shoulder, the bike hit a slick spot (I’m guessing either a water puddle or mud slick) and very quickly veered into the ditch with enough force to throw D and I off the bike!  This all happened in a matter of seconds.

I somehow managed to land on my feet — at least, I think I did because all I remember is seeing Deanna quickly tumbling/rolling down the steep slope, probably at least 20 feet in front of me.  Very scary to watch!  Even more scary when I walked up to her and she was curled up in a fetal position, crying uncontrolably.  I asked her several times if she was okay.  I think she said, “yes” but I was frantically trying to figure out if I should call 911 or not.  D recalls it as if I was yelling everything at her.  I probably was.  It was a pretty frightening scenario for both of us.

Just minutes after the crash, as I was still trying to get a verbal response from Deanna, two gentleman who had witnessed us fall over stopped their car and were joining us in the ditch.  They were asking if we were all right, offering to call 911, and also offered us their car as an alternative way to get home.  What a Godsend!  Who knows… maybe angels in disguise?

Anyhow, Deanna finally got up (after what seemed like a lifetime of coercing and encouraging her to try).  She said that she had landed on her knees and that one, in particular, hurt more than the other.  We grabbed her by the hands and escorted her to the gentlemen’s waiting car.  One of them ran back to get her purse and another one helped me get our bike back in the standing position.  I asked them if they would mind giving Deanna a ride home with me following behind them on the bike.  They said, “Of course!” and off we went.

I had a little trouble getting the bike started initially, but after that, it seemed to run okay.  In the dark, I didn’t see much physical damage to the bike itself.  I guess I’ll get a better look at it tomorrow morning.  The rest of the ride home absolutely drenched me.  I was soaked head to toe and, of course, was a little stressed out from the fall.  A long, wet, embarrasing ride home…

Upon our arrival back at the house, we thanked the gentlemen and offered them some recompense; they gently refused and went on their way.  Angels indeed.  We got into some dry clothes and, after talking D into it, got back out in the weather and headed to the Sioux San Hospital’s ER room.

Long-story-short there… we checked in, got D’s knee X-rayed and examined, the doc says that she didn’t see anything troubling, but gave her some pain meds and muslce relaxers to help her with the pain.  She was also sent home with a knee brace and crutches.

As for me, my back feels all out of whack and my musicles tight in a few areas, but all-in-all, I’m just happy that the accident was what it was and nothing more.  I’m so looking forward to hugging my girls in the morning — who, at this moment, still don’t know that anything has even happened.