Firstly, let me ask for forgiveness for not being incisive last night with the posting of my blog. I have half an excuse; I had an accident just outside Wolmaransstad.
The last picture of my bike in tact with the Vaal river in the background...
I left Bloemhof a little later than normal and got away round about 8am. After checking my tire pressure I was soon onto the dirt and enjoying my ride. The roads were like most of the other roads I had been on days before; they were wet in places with loose sand and mud making up much of the way. The riding was good as concentration was part of the journey. I was all alone and enjoying my surroundings, I saw one car in 40 km, so I was in a good place, alone with my thoughts and singing praises to my Lord. The way I choose to traverse the sand was mostly to stand up and find the best navigating line so that I would avoid the loose sand and the mud, which meant that I needed to move from the left side of the road to the right side as and when the need arose. This was the way I had done it all along my journey. About 15km from Wolmaransstad I was on a long straight and saw a man walking along the edge of the right hand side of the road; I was also on the right hand side as this was the better riding line. When I approach the man, I must have startled him and instead of him just keeping his line, he got such a fright, just like a rabbit in spot lights, he jumped into the road. I then tried to go off the road and miss him on my right and as soon as I did that he jumped back to his left and my right. Well the inevitable happened we collided with massive impact. I must of being travelling at about 80km/hour. I can clearly remember being eyeball to eyeball with the petrified man. If someone was to compile a video of the most freakish accidents of all time, this would probably feature.
I dropped the bike and I went down, when I got to my feet my neck and head was very sore and all I wanted to do was remove my helmet, I remember I couldn’t undo the straps latch because I still had my gloves on, frantically I pulled off my gloves and got my helmet off. I then saw the man sprawled on his back out cold, I thought he was dead! I think I was in such sock, my attention moved from him to my bike as it lay on its side and petrol was leaking from the tanks I was worried it would flood, go figure! I picked the bike up started it and drove it down the road in the opposite direction for about 300m and then got off it again. I then tried to gather my thoughts and made some phone calls. I had lost a saddle bag and my GPS had come off. My attention then returned to the injured man but he was now 300 meters from me, I saw him get up and walk off into the distance. I am not sure how that was possible; I am still dumbstruck on how he managed to walk away from the scene. In hindsight I appreciate that I was concussed and not to sure what had just happened. A vehicle eventually approached the sight and I waved him down. He told me that he would call the police and before long, they arrived with an ambulance soon to follow. While I waited for them to arrive, I was searching for my saddlebag and my GPS and could not find them, it was very puzzling! The saddle bag is bright blue and 45l in size! The SAP also help me look and then the medics also, but we found nothing for a while. Eventually I realised what I had done and found the accident site with my helmet, gloves and the saddlebag all together, the only thing we never found was my GPS. I was concerned about my neck but also about my bike and so we all decided to wait for the tow truck, which I think Russell the manager from KTM Paulshoff organised, thanks mate! He eventually arrived and loaded up the bike with my gear, all I took with me was my bible and my camera. I was placed horizontally in the ambulance with a neck brace on and off we went to the hospital in Wolmaransstad. I had x-rays done and they told me that my neck was still intact but the wonderful radiologist Bokkie advised me to have a MRI scan as they use the old negative x-ray machines and they could miss some things. My neck is still tender and I will decide what to do in the next couple of days.
I also broke a finger and the ring on my pinkie heightened the swelling and so they all scramble into sheds to find wire cutters to cut off the ring. The break was under the ring and everyone had a chance to get the ring off, but without any luck and me having to “cowboy-up”. The matron then suggested that her retired husband who is handy with his hands could aid in our endeavour, I jumped at the suggestion pushing the doctor from North Africa out the way, politely off course! It didn’t take her husband, a retired policeman a number of tries to remove the ring; he did it in a flash!
It is amazing how the Lord has accommodated me in my times of need. Bokkie then suggested that she help track down my bike and my gear as they would be together. She then drove me to the neighbouring police station to get my case number for the insurance company that would soon be needed. Which we got, there was still no sign of the man I hit, I wonder if he will be alright? May the Lord be merciful to Him!
Mark from the AA eventually phoned me and I found out that my bike was in Klerksdorp a town about 80km away. What to do was now my dilemma, so I phone my father Donald and he efficiently had already dealt with the insurance company and he was instructed to leave the bike were it had be towed, so that an assessor could come and evaluate the damage. Then all I needed to do was get to Klerksdorp and get Don to Klerksdorp to pick me up. This was my next hurdle, Don was in the car on his way and I was scrambling for a lift which I eventual found through good old Mark from the AA, he organised a lift for me with the tow truck company that had towed my bike to KTM Klerksdorp.
I had the accident at about 10.30am and it was now already 5pm when I got into the truck for Klerksdorp. Both Don and I left together from KTM with my entire luggage in tow at 6pm. According to the tow truck guys they reckoned that my bike would be a right off as the frame and the shocks where bent from impact.
So I arrived home in a car and not on my bike. I had intended to be home with my victory lap at about 3pm with total fulfilment. But the Lord is every gracious and I am thankful for His tender mercies, I could of lost my life and opened my eyes in heaven, but not this day! Thank you Jesus for always looking out for me, I do acknowledge your mercy and grace and I am thankful for every good gift that comes from above.
So my trip never ended as I had planned, but how often along this trip did I encounter that which was not intended. That is why they call it adventure riding! Nevertheless I would do it again in a heartbeat; it was full of great moments with lots of sobering times as well as periods of sweet fellowship with my Heavenly Father and my great Saviour.
Until the next time...
Signing off
Tyrone
PS I will let you know the outcome of Hope my bike.
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