He was wearing a helmet. He was wearing Cordura, stronger

[northofdenali]

than leathers, that doesn't melt like nylon - or tear like leather.

It was Friday about 1:30 pm. I can just now write about it.

He was coming around a series of switchbacks, headed north on the Steese Highway just 18 miles from Fairbanks - and a million miles from nowhere. No services, no ambulance, no way to land a LifeFlight chopper in Skoogie Gulch, the reason for the switchbacks.

His fellow rider was about 1/2 mile ahead and turned around when he realized Jake wasn't following. He found Jake.

Jake hit the guardrail on a 7% grade hill ("Trucks use Lower Gears") going up, then sideways on switchbacks I've ridden - as fast as 35 MPH - since I was 14. These switchbacks are NOT fun to run; the road grade is completely backward, and the road surface sucks.

He was doing 75 to catch up to his buddy. We think.

He hit the guardrail. He was only 26.

He leaves behind a 23 year old wife and 1 year old daughter. He'd gotten his BS in Justice 2 years ago and was studying for his Masters in Justice Administration. He worked security at Ft. Wainwright - and not being a soldier, that's hard to do. He also worked at Fairbanks Correctional Center - on research, not as a guard. He was going to be an Alaska State Trooper.

We were about the 3rd or 4th on scene. Everyone who stopped had tried to help, using CB's, cells, and directing what little traffic - the wreck was all over the 2-lane road. There was NO cell phone reception, and NO landlines within 5 miles down (or up) an extremely bad, twisty road. We did 70, 2-up, anyway. Made the NOAA station at 5 mile; the security guys were NOT happy to see us pull in and do a full stop; but they listened, called the only available ambulance/fire/emt folks even remotely close - all of 'em volunteers, and all of 'em very good at what they do. He still didn't make it.

Guys, gals, PLEASE slow down - it's just as damn much fun to come home to your families and friends as it is to ride the twisties a little fast.

If you'd like to send condolences to the family, the reporter for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner who wrote it up can be reached by email at [e-mail]. The article is at http://newsminer.com/2007/07/01/7717

We didn't know him, but I'm still crying. Steve is stunned. Could we have done more? I'll never know.

But I'll cry for a long, long time.

PLEASE SLOW DOWN. TAKE AN MSF COURSE http://www.msf-usa.org/ - they're cheap and could save your life - yes, even you folks who sensibly ride scooters instead of 1600 CC cruisers, Ninja bikes, and trials bikes. The course is offered free at most military bases for those who are serving.

It'll take me a long, sad time to get over this one, and I don't want to hear about any of my brothers and sisters on DU suffering the same fate.

PLEASE. :cry::cry::cry:

[Robb]

1. You don't have to have known him.

There's something profound about other riders going down. The only thing you can do is try to learn from it.

I was riding into work two weeks ago. Perfect weather, a little before 8 a.m. Coming the other direction is a lone rider on a bigger BMW road bike. I presume he was accelerating from 50 to 60, because that's what was happening with the speed limit in his direction.

Down the cliff next to the road come two deer, pretty much out of nowhere. We're about 30 feet apart and closing when he hits the big buck in velvet. Fairing and headlight just explode, he goes down, low side. Plastic cases fly apart, somehow on both sides, bits of bike everywhere. He comes to rest with one leg under the bike, and doesn't move.

I stand up and stop, hop off my bike and run over -- I look back when I hear the crunch of my 640 falling into the ditch, clearly I hadn't set it on the stand right in the rush. Gloves off, cell phone in hand, already had the dispatcher's direct line in my cell phone, it's out, I have service, I call it in.

Older guy, conscious and responsive-ish, mostly on his back. Blood from his wrist where it looks like his watch tried to go through his hand, breathing, eyes open. I tell him not to move a muscle, I'm on the phone with dispatch, ambulance is about two minutes out from there, great place to lay down if you have to, what's your name, where you from, welcome to Colorado, damn mountain rats jumping out trying to kill us, etc.

Response was super fast as advertised. Of course I knew all the responders, helped get him in the ambulance pronto and off to hospital. I found out later in the day he got a helo ride to a bigger hospital for some internal damage. He's going to live.

He had one of those flip-up full-face helmets, it appears to have done its job. Good boots, leather jacket, chaps and jeans. I'm not sure what he could've done to avoid the deer, frankly. Real steep next to the road there, not much warning. Might've had his mind on waving at me, 'cause I had my mind there instead of watching for deer. Maybe that was the lesson.

In your case, it sound like a reminder to ride your own ride. Catching up with people is never a good idea, the reason they're ahead is they're out-riding your skill level, and if you out-ride your own skill level trying to catch up, bad things will happen.

I'm so sorry, it's hard to witness these things. When I crouched over the guy who hit the deer, I saw something pass over his eyes when he saw the guy above him had a motorcycle helmet on. It's like he knew the person who was trying to help him knew the gravity of the situation better than someone else would.

That same camaraderie is what you're feeling. Embrace the fact that you cared on a deeper level than other people would. And move forward with whatever lesson you were supposed to get from it. :grouphug:

[northofdenali]

2. Robb, hugs right back to you and yes, it does make a difference

when it's another rider who stops, but this was the worst.

Poor kid.

Thank you.

[guitar man]

4. 100% correct

In your case, it sound like a reminder to ride your own ride. Catching up with people is never a good idea, the reason they're ahead is they're out-riding your skill level, and if you out-ride your own skill level trying to catch up, bad things will happen.

From your lips to God's ear, that's the best and most useful advice I have ever read on the internet. :thumbsup:

Blessings and peace be with that young man's family, it's never easy to lose someone :(

[SeattleVet]

3. Damn. Just... damn.

It's always hard to see a rider down. It's harder when it's someone so young. The absolute worst is when you realize how preventable this one was....

Ride your own ride, and don't get yourself into unsafe territory by trying to 'catch up' to someone, or a group. They'll get to a point where they'll either stop and wait to regroup, or ride back looking for you.

And yes, the MSF program is a good thing to go through. Even if you've been riding for years, you can still either learn something or get help in correcting some bad habits that you've picked up along the years.

Thank you for stopping to help; it's always good to see a friendly face that *knows* what's going on.

Damn.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

6. Ride your own ride

Took me years to learn that.
If they are ahead, they will wait at some point.
If behind, they know where to go.

[happyslug]

5. On or about June 15 I had a severe Accident.

Thus I understand your lost and I am sorry for your lost. Even the best protected people and the most skillful riders get into accidents. Fatal Accidents are always a Tragedy and a great loss to all who knew the person who died.

As to my accident I do NOT even know what happened. I can not even remember my three day stay in the Hospital afterward (Nor my sister taking me out to a local farm/supermarket on the fourth day after the accident).

I was riding a 80 cc Honda Elite (A motor SCOOTER). I suspect based on the location of the accident (From Hospital records NOT from memory which I have none) my bike wheels slipped on some streetcar tracks and my Head ended up smashing the concrete road bed (I had been visiting my mother, and she lives on the last active Streetcar in Pittsburgh). The streetcars come quite often (Every few minutes) so that the tracks are shinny and slippery. I have NO MEMORY of the time just before the accident, the accident itself, and for about a week and half afterward (Yes I was wearing a helmet).

I always wear a helmet for something told me YEARS this simple rule:

Ride as if you had NO protection, while wearing the best protection you can get.

Following this rule you will avoid most accidents AND the accidents you are in will be minimize by your riding AND your helmets and other protections. Riding skills do NOT prevent all accidents, nor helmets (and other armor/protections) prevent ALL harm in an accident. Thus you MUST do both, ride as if you had NO PROTECTION and then wear the best protection you can get.

In my accident I apparently just fell down (after the bike slipped on the tracks). My helmet prevented any SERIOUS damage to my head (Through I was out for 2-3 days). My driving practice prevented me from getting into a situation where the Helmet would NOT have done any good, and the helmet did its job.

As I said above, I am sorry for your loss, helmets can NOT always correct for bad riding (You friend going 75 mph is bad riding).

[ikojo]

7. Hugs to all of you who are there when

our motorcycle (and scooter) brothers and sisters need us the most.

You are all mensches! :hug: :grouphug:

I cry when I hear of one going down. :cry: never to know the joy of riding again.