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Yep, she's in there for a few weeks. Had a bit of a spill up near the TN/NC border Monday night.

After a fun-filled week of riding topped off by the fantastic GA rally, I spent a full day Monday riding the back roads northeast of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Planned on spending the night at the GSMNP campgrounds at Cosby, TN.

Right at the end of the Foothills Parkway, just a mile from my tent, I blacked out and left the road. Doctor said he thinks I had a 'little' stroke.

Since I was approaching the end of the road and on a sweeping gentle left curve, I was off the throttle. Laid it down in the grass and did minor damage to my bike. Broke the tibia? fibia? (little bone) in my left leg just above the ankle, clean break, no pins or surgery.

Weird thing is, as I left the road my mind flashed, "We're leaving the road." Yep, first-person plural, no emotion, just a statement of fact.

I did not ride it out like a regular accident, in slow motion, infinite detail. I saw myself, shoulders and helmet, from behind, like I was a passenger on the pillion. There were no physical sensations, like the bike bumping through the grass or the bars in my hands. (The nurse called it 'dettached'.) When I tried to pick up the bike I couldn't, unlike that accident in '82 when my bike felt like it weighed only 10 pounds with the adrenalin pumping.

I will be getting a battery of tests to figure out what's up. With my heart history, a stroke could be just another thing I have to deal with. Might end my motorcycling, though, since this is a factor I don't have control over and it is potentially pretty dangerous for myself and for others on the road.

For now, I'm feeling mighty lucky. If it had happened at almost any other time or place on the road than when it did, things could have gotten really ugly. As they say, someone was definitely looking out for me. Marlene and Kelly are awfully happy to see me back home and I'm glad I'm here, too.

Hope everything checks out fine for you. Glad someone was looking out for you. Take care and God bless.

Good that it wasn't worse. Here's hoping you come out OK. You know, it's possible that was something you can work with like low blood sugar or a glitch in your blood pressure regulation, so keep your hopes up.

All in all, that sounds fortunate. Hope everything (tests) turns out for you. Just had a doctor "tune-up" myself this past week. All manner of imperfection among us "cruiser types". You "kids" out there can just be quiet . Good luck.

JH

i have been looking at the calendar; wondering when you were going to make it home--remembering you had extra days to be on the road.

releived to hear your accident didn't create worse injury to you(tibia) or the bike. glad to know you are back with your family and will go through the necessary medical poking and prodding to find out the cause and where to go from there.

gary, we were so glad to have you ride The Rally with us. Your company was a pleasure.

once again; glad you are home and safe.

mert

Glad to hear you made it out ok Gary. Rest up, heal up and chill awhile.

Aye, that's is a really scary story!
Glad to hear you made it out, with minor injuries...you know...all things considered.
Hope the test results yeild nothing serious either.

I also hope that you come out OK and that it was something minor like fatigue-related or something.
All the best!

I'm sorry to hear that Gary, that's certainly not a nice way to end a trip. Hopes for a speedy recovery sent your way. It was great meeting you and hanging for a couple of days.
You made our local paper on the write up about the rally... at least they spelled your name right.

Dang Gary, that sucks and I am also glad it was not any worse. Get the checks done and I hope they can figure it out so you can ride. It was great meeting you in GA.

You are in my prayers brother.

Gary, glad the circumstances worked out the way they did, shame it happened, but thankfully it could have been much worse. Definitely get that ironed out and keep us in the loop on what you find out.

hey texas!!!! it was great meeting and rideing with you!!! so sorry to here this news !!! i hope it was nothing serious and something that can be controled!!! technoligy is a wonderfull thing and its amazing what they do for people these days . sounds like an acid flashback to me hahahahahahahahaha but if not i hope all works out OK and that we get to see you next yr. in Ga. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

glad to hear it was not all that bad.
heal up, get checked out and hope you can still ride for years.

I always get that knot in my stomach thing whenever I hear about one of us going down but since I met you (heck, even liked ya, hehe) it has that added personal note to it, makes the knot a little bigger. Glad you came out of it with no more damage, to YOU and the bike then ya did....
The "detached" thing you mentioned, know it well. Had an accident several years back where I "watched" the whole thing happen. Freaky, eh?
Glad you're on track for getting everything checked out, and hoping for you that all is well... Speedy recovery friend.

Steve

The little bone is the fibula... Be glad you didn't break the big one! (tibia) I did, and when it's broken down by the ankle like they they have to make sure it's just right (in my case a 6" plate and 6 screws) or else the angle it hits your ankle could be wrong and cause WAY more problems..

I'm REALLY glad to hear you made it home! Get well soon bro.

Hey Gary,
Glad your home safe now. Man you and I rode through the Smokies with Zero visibility and we dropped into Pigeon Forge with no problems. I was watching your taillight to guide me through the wet mountoun rains. Remember we got hail at the peak.
Hang in there there buddy.
I was getting worried when I had been home a week and haven't heard from you. Hope the Docs can give you a clean bill of health. Hope to see you on the road again. Like you, I don't have that many twisties in the midwest. You and I did a h@ll of a job crossing the mountains in pouring rain. Keep in touch and a monthly progress report would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers Steve_sixmil

Wow! scary stuff hope all works out fine.

Gary,

Sorry to hear what happened, but am glad it wasn't much worse. I hope everything works out for you. Good luck.

Man, you are way lucky!! Hope it's something controlable.
ModelMaker

Gary,

That little known section of the foothills parkway is, thank goodness, lightly traveled. Good to hear that you are OK. Things have a way of turning out better for the good souls. How in the world did you travel the thousand miles to get home after the spill? Take it easy and soon you will have a better assessment of your situation vis-a-vis riding.

Your title led me to believe we were about to get the story of your member name. Or to describe a situation like, "A bee in the bonnet” never would the thought have occurred of an encounter with the three sisters.

Gary here hoping and praying that everything works out for you pard. Take care.

Dave

Update:

First of all, thanks to all y'all (yeah, that is correct Southernese) for your support and well wishes and prayers and such.

I have a broken fibula near the ankle, clean break, should not cause a problem. Also a broken tarsus, one of the bones in the top of the foot. A clean break, but this one could be a problem if it gets out of alignment. I have a removable cast, the walking type, but must use the crutches for at least 5 weeks so I don't mess anything up.

The monstrous knee and double-size leg are getting back down to near normal bird-leg size. Knee still hurts like h3ll but they haven't said anything is wrong with it, just banged up.

First appointment with the neurologist is 05/27 so I don't know anything about the cause of the blackout. Wait 2 weeks, no problem, I really wasn't all that concerned... amazing how fast these HMO's schedule things, huh? (This is the same doctor who booked me for a walking stress test for 11 days after the day I went in to tell him I had unstable angina. I was in the ER that night and the cath lab in the morning.)

I'll keep y'all posted when I find out more.

Wasp,

Not another one!

I broke my ankle on Feb 02 (3 and a half months now) and have metal plates on both sides.

I was bed ridden for the first 2 and a half months and it has been around 4 weeks that I have been able to hobble around on crutches. The surgeon also told me I would need to use crutches for 5 weeks but it looks like it's going to be a whole lot more.
So, I wouldn't count on 5 weeks only, although I do wish that that is the case for you.
I just thought I would warn you ... brother in arms (on crutches).

Gary,

Sorry to hear this, Bro! I hope you heal fast, and they soon find the reason for your blackout.

Here's to another day back in the saddle, REAL SOON!!!

Cheers,
Dwight
(BTW...any problem with "blood-sugar"?)