Rick & I rode Guacamole & Rockville Bench then Gooseberry in perhaps 50 mph winds, and Little Creek in excellent S Utah weather.

Cut to chase: I had a hard crash on Little Creek; front wheel trap threw me over the left handlebar if it was still there, i landed hard on the rock on my left thigh, left arm, and left side of my head. My Spot stopped partially over the cliff. I laid splattered on the rock checking for damage. My shoulder hurt first and thoughts of damaged rotator cuff &/ or collar bone flashed. I moved my arm and everything worked correctly. My thigh was just horribly bruised, and my head hurts. The trail was right on the edge of the mesa and was turning to the left. the bike went right and fortunately i fell to the left onto the mesa side. the bike was 2 lambs tails from a plummet off the edge. We rode another 30  mins back to TH. I managed to ride most of the remaining tech stuff w/ my left leg protesting spinning. At the TH I opened my ride concluding beer and took 2 sips. I needed to pee. The first stream of pee was blood red, not the yellow i expected. I hollered to rick that we had to go. I dumped the beer. Rick had driven to the TH from our camp out near the highway to save my driving on the rough road. I loaded my bike & gear back in my van and drove quickly for me back into Hurricane to an instant care clinic outside of town. i saw the dr. He diagnosed an infection and prescribed an antibiotic as treatment for the bloody urine. The clinic lacked x-ray or CAT scan to look inside my body. Nausea overcame me while still in the exam room. i started sweating like profusely and the pain jumped up to 100 on a pain scale of 1 to 10. The dr admitted something more was going on and I needed to go to the hospital in ST George about 20 miles away. No way was I able to drive myself.  He called an ambulance. I was strapped in and driven to the hospital emergency room. The pain was extreme. I was sent for a CAT scan and veinous iodine injection. results showed that I had lacerated my left kidney and I had bled internally about 1 unit of blood. the bleeding was causing the pain. I was given dilaudid  which lessened the pain. A urologist was consulted. I was admitted to Dixie regional medical center. the urologist visited the next day, Sunday, and offered his treatment: the kidney was lacerated, my crits level indicated that I was no longer bleeding. His treatment is to ground me for 3 weeks for the wound to heal. I have a blood draw on Wed to check the crit level to assure no bleeding and a followup exam on Thurs. Blood loss can be determined by crit level.

I spent 2 nights in the hospital and received wonderful care in a private room. I took 2 showers, their cost will be more than the normal $5.00. Saline solution was plumbed into me along w/ pain meds. I stretched the time intervals between the pain relief.

Crash site:

So, I am hanging here in ST George for several days. I am staying in Jubilee house which is like a motel but operated by the hospital. I have a very comfortable room for $25 a night for a week. I am restricted to lifting less 20 pounds so i can not lift my bed in the van. I will have to sleep on the van floor until I can lift the weight.

Today I have an orthopedic exam for my shoulder as I suspect damage. Got to go for that appointment.

My repaired fork is leaking again which needs repairing, this down time will meet that need.

More later about the actual rides which were good technical slow speed rides.

Warm night @ JEM TH. Forecast was for weather change around 10:00AM. Sure enough almost to the minute. I was installing slime tubes in my tires after my rear flatted, desert riding you know, and I was watching the sun warm the peaks to the west. One moment I looked up the peaks were clear, 1 tube change later and the peaks are occluded in precipitation clouds and the winds picked up.

Rick showed up shortly. Decided that weather was too inhospitable and Rick, after 6 straight days of riding, said that he could use a day off, said today is good day to rest. We drove into Hurricane to bike shop. Dave, whom I met yesterday was working. I introduced him to Rick. Dave volunteered to guide us on new riding area at Little Creek, across the valley from Gooseberry. Cool. 3 of the girls from yesterday showed up and we chatted. They were camping until tonight for X number of days and w/o showers. And the shop displayed a Turner Spot DW only in a large frame. Just as good.

I did my wash. In the laundromat there was a car w/ WA plates and Spokane license plate carrier. i said hello, they didn’t get into a conversation.

Drove to Springdale to the bike shop for a shower. About a 40 mile round trip for a shower.

Plan was to meet Rick @ his campsite @ Little Creek. I set off. He was back 8 miles on a washboard road. Took me 30 mins to get to his camp. It is windy and chilly. I invited Rick into the warmth of my van from his pickup truck canopy. i treated us to Haagen Daaz butter pecan ice cream. He said he didn’t want any because he has already had his ice cream for the week. He accepted a small bowl.

Temp dropped more during the night and the wind picked up rocking the van. It is still dark @ 7:00AM. Temp was 22 & blowing snow shower. I was snug. I stepped into the weather to visit Rick in his truck. He was snug and packing stuff . We planned our day in the warmth of my van. Nice having internet access as we read the forecast. Weather was better down @ ST  George were Rick wanted to ride anyway.

We drove S to ST George. Very windy but temp is in 40s & no snow. Rick arrived @ TH before me and was searching out the TH. We conversed by cell phone. Very windy. Tights, long underwear top, & long finger gloves. I was toasty. Very windy, getting blown around on my bike. I missed a turn getting back onto trail. Many trails out in desert, lots of motorized trails & damage. We head off up hill enjoying pleasant technical challenges. Ride wandered trying to find the spice route over to the Santa Clara trails for a long ride. Missing trail signs to map the way. Ended it as an out & back for 18.93 miles in 2 hrs 35 min for 2542′.

Make plan for tomorrow that is to ride guacamole mesa near Zion NP entrance. Drove back & past Hurricane to primitive camping alongside the bank of Virgin River. Parked in very sandy spot. Hope I can drive out.

Phillies smoked Yankees in 1st game of series.

Still cold & windy along Virgin.

Last night my campsite was furthest in off road. I passed 2 eurovan campers. My spot was exposed but it was open to the east. That detail worked to my benefit this AM.  It was cold inside. i had the heater on low and doubled up the down blanket. My alarm goes off @ 7:00 so i can listen to Bob Edwards show on XM NPR. The van temp read 15 degrees. AT 8:42 the temp was 31. I drove by the first vw camper. They were in the shade and the temp was back to 15.

Drove W on rt 14 climbing over and then dropping down thru the Dixie NF. Topped out @ 9910′. Fall came and went here as well as back north. The trees are bare, leaves having blown to the wind. Dropped into Cedar City, drove past the bike shop I did business w/ on my 1999 trip thru. The shop was an AMP dealer and I arranged for a bike part to be shipped here on that trip. I remember it was 1999 as it was the first year I had my VW bus and I was on a 3 week road trip w/ my AMP. The AMP and the VW introduced me to many people I would not have thought to meet.

Dropped into Hurricane, UT to warmth and green leaves not turned yet. I parked just out of town and set off to ride the loop consisting of Goulds Rim, JEM trail, & Hurricane Rim for 21 miles and 2259′. Desert riding is so varied. This ride was different that Thunder mtn. There is still a bit of pain in my hip however the active release freed up my body and I have a fuller spin. Too bad it is propelled by a used engine. Ran into 6 women from ID & MT down riding for several days. Several of them bore reminders of miscalculations. They were in great spirits. Temp @ TH @ 6:24 was 61.

I camped @ JEM TH. As I was preparing dinner the women rode by. One asked for h2o and I obliged. Site is exposed to world. Long lasting sunset.

Forecast is for nasty weather tomorrow bring high winds, cold, and rain. At 4340′ it will rain, not snow just a few miles north.

Made phone conatct w/ Rick, we are in the same area code. Actually he is out & up @ Little creek area which I understand is like Gooseberry mesa which is just above me but miles by road.

I use Verizon. I was amazed @ coverage down thru remote UT. I have strong signal up outside small town of Hurricane.