Ok, so Saturday was a great day. I had been debating whether Sunday I was going to go Southwest and do another ride by myself, or go Northwest and meet up with the Steves in Trempaleau. Steve called me that morning and we decided to meet up at noon then ride back together and they would stay the night at our Hotel before they had to leave for home Monday. Monday the wife and I would go for a ride, since it was our last day before we had to go back home on Tuesday.
By 9:00 the temperature was up to about 51, so at least the day would be warmer. The ride to Trempaleau was uneventful and fun, although I can't remember the last time I've dodged so much gravel and horse manure on the back roads. I arrived there right about noon and the Steves arrived about 15 minutes later. It had warmed up nice and it was a crisp sunny day. We sat around for a bit while the Steves caught up on their smokes and we talked. Figured we'd get on the road, get some gas, and grab lunch along the way.
Unfortunately the gas station in town was closed so we had to do some searching around. Then when going trough LaCross my GPS decided to play adventure and had us going down every stupid side road... Anyway, we finally got out of town and started hitting the roads back...
The only stop we made was at a roadside bar and grill to grab that much needed lunch...
Waiting for our burgers...
The place was a dive and the waitress seemed kind of put off... but she cheered up a bit by the time we left.
After eating I assured the Steves there would be no more stupid tours through towns. That's that thing about "scenic" mode on the GPS, works great out in the country, but it doesn't seem to have enough brains to just get you into the country fast as possible. Well, that problem was solved when we got back out to the bikes and my GPS was dead. When I got it home later I found that it charged fine... so it was probably just a loose power connection under my seat. Steve lead the way, and as he already said... the rest is history.
Less than 30 miles from the Hotel... the dreaded event happened on County G, just outside of LaValle WI. One of the Steves also didn't make the corner... he just bailed into the field and did some 4-wheeling... Lucky for me a couple in a minvan came by not seconds after the crash. I couldn't put any weight on my leg and they along with the Steves helped me into the van and drove me to the hospital. An Amish farm owner who owned the farm right on that corner was more than glad to allow me to keep my bike in their yard until we could figure out what to do.
There were multiple problems. My car was a stick and my wife hadn't learned how to drive it. So, the Steves went to the Hotel, picked up the car and trailer, and came to pick up the bike and meet me at the hospital. Also, to get the car and trailer home one of the sons had to come up with my wife's car and then drive my car and trailer home...
This is one moment I wish I could take back...
The next day the wife and I drove out to that corner in the car... (to add insult to injury she got pulled over for speeding in the middle of nowhere... luckily she was let off with a warning)... There was a slight downhill corner before it... and the corner it's self was was a slight uphill and then went flat at the exit... I think that's what did me in. I judged the corner by the entrance, but the elevation change at the exit caught me by surprise. As I came to the exit of the corner the bike drifted out while I was leaned over and when I realized there's was no way I was going to stay on the road, at the last split second I stood the bike up on the gravel shoulder... I should have just stood it up completely and shot into the farm field, but I thought I could save it... The next thing I know the rear is drifting around, then it gets completely sideways on me, like I was flat tracking, and the next thing I now I'm over the bars. I could literally conscious of something happening to my leg... I'm still not sure what, but it took a big impact.
As Steve has already said... the rest is history... I'm now BMW-less, on shot term disability, trying to keep myself from going stir-crazy while I spend six hours per day on the knee bending machine...
First getting rear ended in California, that bike being totaled, and now this... less than a year apart... that has to be some kind of record...
The even more unfortunate news at the hospital was that I was not the only one at Christ Hospital involved in a motorcycle accident that weekend... the doctors and nurses kept telling me it could have been worse... SIX riders died at the hospital this last weekend... one was on a quad, the others were on street bikes and not wearing helmets... that's a sobering thought...
Be careful out there...
Glad you got the goodies from the Rock..... 
Oh, never mind... it was speed that got me into this position anyway... 
