We've all done it, gone tearing down a firebreak without too much thought to what might be around the next corner.

Last Friday something did come around the corner, I looked up from the ruts I’d just ridden through and my vision was filled with a 4WD, combined speeds about 60km/h.

I don’t remember the impact, the next thing I remember was sitting a wet ditch trying to breathe through lungs that didn’t want to work. There are various other injuries but the pain in my lower chest / upper abdomen blocks them out. I work out that my back neck and head feel OK, I manage to stand up.

My riding buddy and the driver of the 4WD put me in the vehicle and he drives me back to the road, whereupon I get whisked off to the medical center. They take a look at me and refer me to Hutt Hospital.

At the hospital I go through the usual barrage of tests: CAT scans, X-Rays blood tests, you name it. It transpires that there is a tear in my spleen, apparently, this is not good. By now I’m filled with morphine and even less lucid than normal.

Up in the ward getting woken every four hours for BP, HR and temperature checks, plus the odd blood test. NIL by mouth just case they need to cut my spleen out. 2 days pass and things appear to have stabilized, I’m allowed to eat again. After 2 days of eating through a tube in my arm even hospital food looks appetizing.

5 days after the crash I’m allowed to go home. Now feeling useless unable to help out with anything. Another week off work and 4 weeks before I can ride a bike again

In the end I consider myself lucky, no head or back injuries and no broken bones

Injuries:
Ruptured Spleen
Bruised Liver
A tongue that looked like something on display at the butchers
A bung knee
Various bruises and scrapes

Damage:
1 broken camelbak
1 Bent frame
1 bent wheel and busted cables
1 broken 4WD

I would like to thank all those that helped me:
My workmates
The Driver of the 4WD
The staff at Ropata Medical Centre
The staff at Hutt Hospital Emergency dept, Radiology, and the staff on the General surgery ward.
My wife, family and friends
And anyone else I may have forgotten

You poor bugger. As you say, things could have been a lot lot worse...

Get well soon grumpy.

shit, all the best for a speedy recovery

you really fucked that 4wd aye

Hope you are feeling better dave, sounds like you had quite an ordeal. I'm not sure which came out better off, you or the 4wd.

Ropata medical centre?

You're not in Gutemala now.


Glad you got off as lightly as you did dude, could have been a whole lot worse aye. All the best for a speedy recovery.

shit man, hopeing for a speedy recovery!

Wow. You're a hard man, look at that 4WD!!
All the best for your recovery, that was quite a story!!

Glad to hear it wasn't any worse. Get better quickly Dave.

It's amazing how differences in speed can change the result. I hit the side of a Merc that pulled out in front of me head on at 30km/h and only left a small den in the car, only bent the folks and buckled the front on the bike and left one small bruise on me. Double that = your result

Where did it happen?

mob: First Vorbite I met not counting Conners who I already knew. You're an awesome dude Dave, always a plus to see you on a ride. Heal up good.

hickie wrote:

Where did it happen?

Between Summit Rd and Fitzherbert.

4WD had to be towed from the top of the Wainui hill.

Jeepers, Dave! That's nasty - glad you're not worse munted. Get well quick, Oli

Has been a fair bit of traffic up there recently, I think Kordia or whoever they are have been install some equipement as well as contractors maintaining the road....