Heck, I haven't even gotten to the really bad parts yet. Don't kow if the Spanish rider was a cop or not. Bugwife prolly wouldn't be too happy if I hit on her though. I am asking the organizers how I can contact her to say thank you. I'll be home in a bit and work on the next installment.
Ok, the docs have deduced that I have dislocated my left hip. The top of which is stuck up into the area of my lower back. Yeah, ouch. I have suffered a concussion. They arent sure about internal injuries but the middle of the desert isnt the place to probe further. I have been plied with very good drugs and am now laying in the back of an airplane headed for the Canary Islands. The doc is sitting back against the rear bulkhead of the airplane keeping a close eye on me. They have put in an IV catheter and I am receiving fluids. Best of all when I start to hurt the doc hits me with the good stuff. I dont remember landing in Las Palmas but woke up in the ambulance. At the time I thought it was the worst ambulance ride ever. I have never been to the Canary Islands but the ride over the roads to the hospital hurt like hell and I was on some serious controlled substances. That son of a bitch had no suspension whatsoever. We get to the hospital and they wheel me around a bit. Im parked in a hallway while the doc and the head nurse talk a bit. Theres quite a bit of talking, head shaking and consternation. I was a little fuzzy but knew something wasnt right. Apparently the head nurse was put off by having to lock up all my stuff which the doc wanted signed for. The guys had pulled the Iritrack, GPS, Sentinel and balise off of the bike and put them in a bag with my helmet (you should see it, ugh) boots, gloves and miscellaneous other stuff. There was also my passport and several thousand dollars in dollars, euros and Dinars. She seemed very concerned and couldnt understand why I was traveling with so much dosh. The doc explained the race and that you never know what might come up. They counted it all up and had a paper for me to sign. Like I was in any condition to be signing any kind of legal document. Now that brings up another story. It was day 4. Day 4 was a bad day. It is the day Elmer was killed. I was very upset and sat in the dunes for awhile. I decided I would ride to the next check point and quit. When I got there Robby Allen talked me into at least finishing the stage. There was a dune section left and it was all torn up by the earlier bikes and cars. I decided to head off to the left into unmolested territory. I would come back to the right from time to time to make sure I was paralleling the course. I came up to the top of a dune and a native (I dont know if they are Bedouins or not) was standing there. Hes wearing a blue robe and white turban. He speaks great French and we have a pretty good conversation. Weird huh? This is 50 miles out in the middle of nowhere, this is where nowhere goes to get away from it all, in the middle of an erg. He calls his son over and we talk about the best way to go. They point around to the left where I had been riding. We talk a bit more about sand, camels and all sorts of helpful desert type stuff. Then they ask for money!! They point out that they live out here and they dont work. They have helped me and when they helped Robby Gordon he payed them. Thats right. Im getting shook down in the middle of this erg in the definition of the middle of nowhere. They dont put that in the brochure. Evaluating the situation, I looked at them, the area, and the relative income level to be had sand farming. I figure 10 euros is probably a pretty decent wage for a few helpful tips. I mean its not like I called Triple M and they came out just to help me. They were already there for Christ sake. But no, they SCOFFED, yes scoffed at my 10 euros. Thats like 13 bucks just to point and give a few lessons on Camel prints. It's not like the place was jamming with incredible employment opportunites. I gave them 15 and rode off. You thought you wouldnt need money here, you would be wrong. You just never know what might come up. But I digress. Back at the hospital they wheel me into a room kind of like a waiting room but not really. Imagine a relatively large room with 3 double doors. They just kind of roll you in there with a couple of other people in beds and leave. Youre just kind of rolled in there all willy nilly and left with no chart or name or wrist band. I mean you could be mistaken for anybody. Soon a lady comes out of one the sets of double doors and wheels me into the x ray suite. Bugwife is a doc so I know a bit about x ray equipment. These kids have a pretty nice set up. There follows a bit of mis communication while the nice Spanish speaking ladies try to convince me to slide off of the bed onto the x ray table. There is no way in hell Im scooting anywhere. Hit me with some more morphine and I might fly over there but no way this kid is shuffling, scooting or anything else. They decide to gang up on me. They get a couple more people and lift me up in the sheet and move me over. Holy shit that hurt. The films are shot and Im rolled out into a hallway to wait. I seem to have stayed fairly well entertained. I cant remember how but it really didnt seem like a big deal to be watching the ceiling. The Dakar doc and the hospital doc come and wheel me into surgery. Good news is they dont have to cut me and it doesnt look like anything major is broken. Bad news is they have to put me really out to put it back in place. I ask about being put out and the doc says. And I quote "If we dont put you out youll die from the pain". Ok, my vote is to be knocked clean out. Dont spare the ccs. Make sure I dont feel shit. I wake up to be told that everything is pretty much back where it started the day but in a different time zone. It is only down hill from here.
my skin is crawling. But for some reason I can not look away from this accident as it unfolds. Great telling of this tale.
Tim I don't know if you are great rider or not (I think you probably are). But I do know you are a great storyteller.
WOW Tim, :eek1 Was the "spanish lady" Ausina Amparo? If I am not mistaken, she was the only Spanish female rider this year.
Yup, that's her. She was riding a blue bike this year though. Now that I know exactly who it is I shall be sending a very heart felt thank you. Not me in the Versus video. I wish mine looked like that. Judging from how far I landed from the bike I think mine had more air time. Bet that one hurt though. The next installment starts the really scary part.
Damn dude, I'm just glad you are still breathing. And I would also like to offer my deepest condolences to you and all of Elmer's family and friends. I'm not sure how you kept going after that, and to be honest I'm not sure what I would have done in your place. Get well soon, and keep the story coming!
If its any consolation we are all very proud that you represented the riders of the US, you rock dude. As a very good friend once said, only take rides you remember, your going to remember this one. I wish you a quick recovery and hope to see you riding again. Tell Jim hello, I had a great time riding with both of you the last day of the NRE. Taking a few G-outs on Kellons bike and having you right next to me was way fun. cheers. john in idaho