Weekend-Different Ending than Planned

[Borgfeld <wlb@xxxxxxx>]

Well, it all got off to a great start.  David "Bird Dawg" Viosca left
from Dallas on Friday, and Richard & I left from Houston and made our
way, via back roads, to Boerne, where we joined up for dinner that
evening.  David's sister and her family were able to join us.  Many
laughs were had by all.

The next morning, David met us at our B&B at 8:30 a.m., and we were on
the road by 9:00 a.m.  Our first stop was at Lost Maples State Park.
The colors on the trees were fantastic there and on the
roadside--wonderful hues go yellow, gold, orange, red, and crimson.
Then it was off to Leakey for lunch via the most wonderful stretch of
Hwy. 337, then up 336 and back into Kerrville via the river road. We
then made our way over to Lake Medina and ran a wonderful little park
road on our way back to Boerne.  All in all, we traveled around 270
miles.  We had dinner together before David made his way back to his
sister's.  It was a day of great riding, great company, and great
motorcycle talk.  We've decided we like the Double Bubble screens.  As
David put it, it "cleans up" the air, making the ride more comfortable.
Richard will have to send you impression on his suspension changes
later.

On Sunday morning, David met us at the same time, and we decided that we
would all travel together as far as the Austin area, and then split for
our respective homes.  We went up through Marble Falls, ran 1341, and
took Lime Creek Road which leads to the edge of Austin where we were
planning on lunch.  This is where the fun ended.

We all spread out on Lime Creek Road. Richard was up in front, with
David in the middle, and me at the end.  None of us could see each other
as this road has plenty of curves (marked at 15-25 mph), a speed limit
of 40 mph, and a certain number of elevation changes.  Towards the end
of the curves, I rounded a right hand curve and see David waving at me
on the side of the road.  I quickly park, as he was on the ground, and I
couldn't see his bike.  I grabbed my cell phone and went over to him.
He had taken his helmet off (scraped on right side).  He was moving
fairly well, and appeared to be coherent.  After a while though, it was
clear that his short term memory wasn't there.  I thought he might have
a broken collarbone and possibly a slight concussion. We called 911, and
EMS came, boarded him up, and took him to the hospital.  Luckily, we
were wrong about the concussion, but we were unfortunately right about
the collarbone.

The bike evidently low sided, hit a reflector pole, which spun the bike
at least 180 degrees, and threw David clear, thank goodness, because the
bike landed with its seat directly against the trunk of a cedar tree,
about 7 feet from the road surface, and down about a 3 foot incline.
The bike was facing the opposite direction from the direction we had
been traveling.  David initially told me he had crawled out from under
the tree and up to the side of the road where I saw him.  He also told
me that the corner wasn't marked (there was a 20 mph sign up), he came
in and hit the brake, something he knew he shouldn't do--in fact, he
stated he didn't take his own advise.  Now he can't remember this
conversation, the wreck, or much about what initially happened after the
wreck.  There are no clear indications on which wheel left the road
first and no obvious brake marks.  David went back the next day, still
couldn't remember anything, but did find a few rubber marks on the
paint.

The bike's plastic on its right side is a goner.  The left side is
untouched, except for where the nacelle broke away from the side fairing
panel.  The nacelle will definitely need to be replaced.  If the forks
aren't bent, the bike may be salvageable.  I certainly hope so, since
his has lovely polished wheels and that wonderful underseat exhaust.
The ST is at RPM in Dallas right now awaiting the verdict of whether the
Stealthy One will ride again or rest in peace.

We eventually got to the hospital where David was.  We first went to the
hospital they said they were taking him to, but evidently they changed
their minds en route and took him to another hospital.  He had just been
released when we got there.  It was a great relief to see him walking.
We stayed around and ate dinner with him and left for Houston around
5:00 p.m.  The wreck happened shortly before noon.  His Dad was already
on the way from Dallas with a trailer for the bike.  It was a cold, dark
ride back to Houston.  David spent the night in Austin, and as I said,
visited the crash site the next day.

My guess is that what happened is very close to what David said when I
first got to him.  I think that, for whatever reason, he didn't see the
marker for the curve and went in way to hot for him to save the turn.
We all have occasionally gone a little hot and pulled it out, and I know
David is no exception, but he doesn't regularly make a practice of
attempting to exceed or push his skills to their absolute limit.

I was hoping to be able just to tell you guys about the great time we
had, and how David likes to travel with just one pannier on the left
side ;-).  He said on the trip that is was because he didn't like to
have two 1/2 loaded bags on the bike, but I noticed he didn't even have
the mounting bracket on the right side ;-).  I think he just wanted to
show of that single sided swing arm in the way that only an underseat
exhaust can do.  Of course, now he says its so he can only destroy one
pannier if he low sides ;-)!

The most important thing is that David will be fine once his bruises and
collarbone heal.  The bike is 100% replaceable.  David is not!!!  Up
until the wreck, we were all having a fabulous weekend, and at least we
can all say we returned home safe, if not a little battered.

BTW, David knows I am sending this e-mail.  I'm sure he'll be reading
the list quite a bit and contributing as much as his arm with let him.
He's quite sore right now.

Everyone take care, and keep the rubber side down.

Lisa "Aqua Dawg" White
'99 Red Sprint ST



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