THE JOB THAT ALMOST KILLED ME

No other way to describe it. A big oak tree had come down on the trail, taking with it about 6 other trees. It has been and will be a slow process to clean it up. Yesterday was one of those days we choose to work on it. Rick and Rejean were cutting up the trees and I was hauling them back down the trail to our wood area where we would split it in the fall. I took the bike and trailer back up the trail to reload. I took the trailer off the back of the bike then went further up the trail to turn the bike around. On one side was a flat area and the other side of the trail was a steep hill, trees at the bottom then rocks, a ditch then the road. I had turned around there a number of times that day. But, this one time...I had work gloves on that were a bit big on me so when I went to put on the brakes, I must have also squeezed on the throttle (we had put extensions on the throttle last year to make it easier on our long trips). Needless to say I was surprised when I found myself accellerating down this steep hill towards the trees at the bottom - without a helmut on. When your mind says you are supposed to be stopping and you are speeding down a hill - there is no time to react. I remember thinking Oh Oh. I don't remember anything else except being bashed around. I found myself sitting beside the still running bike - it was facing uphill and I was still alive and able to move everything and call out to the guys. I could move everything and there was no blood. I was lucky. The bike had hit a tree on the left back fender that caused the bike to swing around the other way and that was when I must have been thrown off the bike. The guys heard the crash and me calling - thank goodness they didn't have the chainsaws going because they never would have noticed me gone for a while. They came running. They couldn't see me because I was on the other side of the bike down the hill. I was very very lucky - I came away from it with only scratches and bruises - I am very sore and stiff today and the bruises will be spectacular. My left leg upper thigh is badly bruised and scratched, my right knee took a couple of hits, my right hand is very sore. My back is scratched and bruised and my right shoulder is also badly scratched. I lost my little silver bracelet - a small price to pay. But, it was an accident - I have been riding my four wheeler for years and this is the first time anything like this happened but it just goes to show you how easily it can happen. And to not be wearing a helmut...never again will I get on a bike without it on.

I am lucky to be alive.