Day 7-Copperfield to Hells Canyon Dam then back-60 miles

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I had driven downstream to the dam sometime in the 70s and then rode a jet boat in the 90s from Lewiston. In 2023 I told a friend about the road and he came back raving about the scenery. So I decided Ralf and I should check it out. The scenery is indeed dramatic-

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This goat ran across the road and then did his amazingly effortless climb up the mountain-

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The view downriver toward Lewiston from atop the dam-

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Local resident at the Visitor Center-

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The viewing deck where you can watch the tour boats come and go-

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Day 7-continued

Ralf and I talked to some other bikers and they mentioned an old train tunnel on the west side of the river north of Copperfield. I have been up that road to Homestead a couple times but didn't remember the tunnel. Ralf wanted to see it so off we went-

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What would Freud say?-

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Back at camp it was a nice afternoon so time for another walk. Even four months after my kidney was removed I was still tired after a three mile walk. More rock columns-

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The gnat were in full flight late in the day. They only flew above certain plants forming clouds-

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I checked the weather forecast and rain was in the future along with cooler temperatures. I had booked us a campsite for two nights just east of Portland in the Columbia Gorge. The report predicted 50s and rain. I decided to cut the trip short and head toward home instead of sitting in a cold tent for two days. We were treated to another lovely sunset-

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The picture of the gnats is the closest representation of the view my right eye gave me from within last October when I had a problem with my cataract surgery.

Day 8-Copperfield to X-230 miles

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A guest on my tent as we packed up in the morning-

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The weather looked iffy but I don't remember when we put on rain suits-

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We had been riding in the rain so a stop was in order for breakfast in Baker City, OR-

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As we headed west from North Power up over the Little Alps area and Anthony Lakes, the temperature dropped to around 40ºF. and we were in rain again-

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As we started down the west side it warmed up and the rain stopped-

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There was a much needed gas station in Ukiah, OR then we headed toward Condon, OR-

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Day 8-continued

We were traveling on Hwy 206 between Heppner and Condon, OR. on a flat dry road. About ten minute after this photo was taken the trip took a major twist-

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The Africa Twin had a wobble then went into a violent head shake. In a heartbeat I thought 'This isn't going to be good'. I woke up on the side to the road and knew it wasn't good. My helmet was full of gravel and Ralf who had been following me was pretty freaked out because he thought I was dead. I could see both hands were damaged and could feel my left leg was not normal-

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To add to Ralf's alarm there wasn't any cell coverage and my SPOT device no longer worked to send an SOS. A local couple came along in a truck, covered me with a blanket and then drove back up the road to an area that had a cell signal to call for help. EMTs arrived and went to work getting me ready to be airlifted to Kadlec Hospital in Richland, WA. During this time Ralf was collecting all my stuff and loading it in the couple's truck to be picked up later. Even though I was awake and talking, my awareness only took in things about two feet in front of me. I was loaded into an ambulance for a move to a spot where the helicopter could land.

Once we were in the air, the drugs were kicking in and I complained that I was on a helicopter ride but couldn't see anything. The flight nurse said my phone was above my head and would I like him to take some pictures. Yes, please. Crop circles and the Columbia River-

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After two weeks at Kadlec I had an ambulance ride back to Seattle. My new casts and neck collar at Kaiser Bellevue Clinic-

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It appears the Honda jumped up and then came down on its head. With all the damage it was totaled-

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Because I was non-weight bearing on three limbs I spent three months at Redmond Rehab unable to walk. I survived rehab and all the horrible food. I came home in the beginning of December. I only missed one cancer treatment because of the accident and received good news in January when a new scan shows the cancer nodules in my lungs are shrinking and there were no new growths. I still wear a fracture boot and I am working with PT/OT. Five months post crash and it is a slow recovery but I am still here. Thanks for following along with me on life's trip-

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It wasn't one of the better moments of my life...

Gotta say, RBMann, that you're looking a lot better than the bike. Glad you made it.

Thanks, it is a work in progress.

Damn, wasn't expecting that ending. Glad you're recovering. Any idea what caused the wobble/head shake?

Can only say, regardless of how safe you are, sometimes things just happen... I keep thinking how deserted that road is, and if that couple hadn't coincidentally come by how long the wait might have been... Hope you make it to TOR this year.

I do like the cane.

The cane was my grandfather's but he never used it.:)

I wish I knew the answer to that question. My best guess is the way I had it loaded but this is not the first trip on the bike(53,000 miles). Was there something in the road I hit, a wind gust or a pavement irregularity. I don't know. In three photos I received from my insurance company there is a finger pointing to a nick in the front rim. Did I hit something? I can't even trust my memory which ends when the shake went violent. In my memory I see the front wheel wobble but you can't see the wheel when you are sitting on the bike.

Ralf has a GoPro video which he has only watched once and said it was really difficult for him. I am currently receiving Mental Health counseling for the accident and cancer. I asked if I should watch the video to hopefully get some answers. I didn't get a yes or no from them. They suggested my brain might have a reason it wiped the memory. Watching the video might recall thing better left forgotten. I haven't decided.

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While I am at it, Progressive Insurance was great to work with. I feel their settlement was more than fair. Everything was done through my wife as I had trouble even holding a cell phone at the time. We told Progressive there was a small Pelican case under the seat with the registration and some cash. I gave them the location of the spare key hidden on the bike and they sent someone down to their yard. The case was found and they mailed the cash and everything back to me. Outstanding! Progressive paid a towing and storage fee of about $2500 to get the bike from the accident to Boardman, OR. I don't know how or how much it was to get the bike to Progressive's shop in Portland.

I would have had to do the unthinkable... leave him alone to get help. He wasn't really in a condition to be left alone.

I was trying to figure out all sorts of workable scenarios... none seemed right.

Wow!!! I'm glad you are ok Rick!!
As I was reading your report, and you got to the Anthony Lakes area, I was just thinking you guys were only a couple of valley's over from where I had my wreck in June!

Then I saw the wrecked bike.......wow.......so many similarities in our wrecks...deserted roads.......no cel service...no real memories.....strangers just happen by and go out of their way to help! My Inreach was on me but I don't think I would have had the brains to hit the button.

Thanks for writing all this and letting us know you guys are both ok!

Cheers

My earlier reply about glad you're here to tell the tale was only about the cancer.
Same message again but triple!
I DO like the way you narrated the trip that this was just another,
though very different, part of the journey. Lalalalala, here we are riding here and there,
seeing and photographing all these cool things, then WHAM!, here I am,
riding in a helicopter.

Well Tom, I kind of wanted the story to unfold the way it did for me. Had I known how it would end, I would not have left home.

I had a fractured C2 vertebrae and another fracture at the base of my skull. Either one of those could have been a complete end of my trip(life). There were another 16 bones that were fractured and some into multiple pieces. So that is where I am right now.

Emotionally I want to ride again but intellectually maybe I should hang it up because I don't think I could go through this again. My family would like me to stop. After 60 years of riding and 500,000+ miles on motorcycles it is the only injury accident I have had so the odds of it happening again are really low. With my stage of cancer they say the average is about three more years. I figure with good life style and being on the the healthier side of my age group maybe add a few more years. With that in mind I want to enjoy the years I have left and riding the bike on these trips is probably my favorite thing to do. I don't have to decide right now so I am just hopefully letting the right answer come to me.

I reread Droptarotter's R1200S crash report then called him. So many similarities. memory loss, new helmets and don't know what happened.

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There is a lot to be said for doing the things that make life worth living.

Ricardo; if you decide to ride again, I will be there with you.

Thanks buddy, we should both feel lucky if we get to do this again.SmileWavy

Thanks so much for the call Rick!
I sure am glad you are ok!

Take care!