3 weeks after getting the new bike, I was enjoying a Sunday
afternoon ride on one of my favourite stretches of road. Barkers Lodge Road
between Oakdale and Picton is a fantastic bit of country road winding along the
ridge of hills between small farms with lots of horses, sheep and goats in view
behind the fences.
On this particular day, I was probably going a little bit above
the speed limit of 100kph when suddenly, about 20 meters in front of me, half a
dozen sheep ran from behind a hedge, straight into the middle of the road.
There was no possible way I could stop in time and really no time to think
about it. I ploughed into the group, hoping beyond hope that I might get
between them.
I didn’t. One sheep rammed into the left side of the bike
and seem to get wedged between the front wheel and the radiator. Miraculously,
I did not come off the bike. It took about another 20 meters to come to a stop.
The sheep remained wedged for about 15 of those meters and then fell out. It
died instantly. When I came to a stop I was in the middle of the road. I
decided to pull off to the side of the road, but as the bike moved I leaned to
the right and tried to turn the bars. The bars would not move and subsequently,
the bike and I fell on our right side, virtually from a standstill.
I was a bit dazed by this time, but I managed to get to my feet,
get the bike upraight and push it off the side of the road. There I started to
survey the damage. A farmer form next door came out helped me push the bike on
to his property for safe keeping. I called my wife who kindly came and picked
me up. The next day I was able to organise for the insurance company pick up
the bike and take it back to their smash repairs where it was assessed and the
repairs approved. New radiator, fan and all the bits that surround them.
My right knee blew up like a balloon and had me hobbling for
a few week and I eventually found I had a fractured rib. All in all, a lucky
escape.
The sad part was that it took 9 weeks for the repairs to the
bike. Most of that time waiting for parts to arrive from Japan. End result, the
bike was brand new again
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| Sheep appeared at speed from the lane on the left |
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| A radiator full of sheep |
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| Scene of the crime |
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| Looking wonky |
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