I dodged a bullet today

[FishaHallic]

Well I finally did it, I rolled my quad down a small ravine/hill. Out exploring the trails behind my house by my self and was about 13 miles out when it happend.

I took this trail that looked like it had not been used in a long time and followed it down into a ravine where it turned to a single track. Now I am thinking just over the next ledge or around the next big boulder it would widen out but it never did.

I was to the point where I could not really turn around but it was gonna be real tuff going forward but I tried anyway . The rest is a little fuzzy but I got to where my backend started sliding down the hill and I think I must have rode it down around 10-15ft and somehow the quad rolled over I flew off and landed on boulder and the quad landed above me but not really on me because the boulder was holding it off me.

Of course I could not push it over because it was completyly up side down. I found the one and only boulder up the hill that I could reach with my winch and hooked it up and got quad turned back over facing up the hill. After another 45 minutes of winching and using the 4x4 to get to a spot facing the right way where I could kinda walk it out under power, almost rolled it twice in this process but I finally got it. So after about an 1 and 1/2 hours I finally got to ride it back out the way I came.

Luckly in the roll I did not get hurt even though I landed on a big boulder on my hip. Thank goodness other than being a little sore and my ego a little damaged I am ok.

Now the quad though took some damage but nothing too major. The front rack it bent down toward the tire almost 90 degrees, the headlight assembly is kinda hanging and the plastics on the left front is crumpled pretty good. I think the handle bars are a little tweaked and of course my GPS unit it totalled . I think there is a little more damage but once I got it out of there I limped home and went to bed so I won't check for more damage for a few days.

One last thing, I know I don't have to tell you guys but always where your helmets because I did hit my head in the fall but did not hurt hit because of my helmet. Hopefully I can find a working camera and take a picture and post it in a few days.

[Ken]

Wow....Dave. You're a very lucky young man. Glad you're ok....that could have been a lot worse.

[BruteForce]

Glad you made it out of there alive and intact.

My first roll-over nearly resulted in the death of both my kids and myself. I was stuck under my machine for almost an hour, could barely breath and we were easily 20+ miles from any civilization/people.

I was able to winch my machine out too (it was upside down atop me), but I ended up in the emergency room with broken ribs, bruised liver/kidneys and some bad lacerations.

Machines can be replaced, riders cant!

[EigerMike]

glad to hear your ok!!!!!!

[GrizzlyGuy]

WoW! I'm super-happy you didn't damage yourself, Dave. Or at least not too bad.

I often tell people that ATV riding can be as dangerous as hang gliding. Seems hard to believe, but you're one more example of that being true.

There is a trail out by the A-Tree (near border of Tahoe and Plumas NF's) that is a lot like the one you were on. Winds down into a steep canyon then becomes single-track-only. I did like you: kept going down, figuring it couldn't get much worse. Until it did.

Fortunately there was an itty-bitty wide-ish spot about 100 feet behind me, and after about a 1/2 hour of gingerly maneuvering, I got turned around and missed out on your fate. I'll have to point this trail out to you sometime so you don't try going 2-for-2!

[hellcat650]

Hey Dave, If you had called I could have gone and taken pictures will I watched you blaze the trail. I would have never followed you being the chicken i am. All fun aside, glad you are alright, but seriously call me. Its always better to use the buddy system. It's a short drive for me to your side of town.

[FishaHallic]

Thanks everyone, I am glad it was not a lot worse, which it easily could have been.

Griz, I will NOT be doing anymore of those type trails by myself or otherwise so no worry there . I am not going on any trail from now on unless it has a speed limit sign .

Dave, I should call you but I was just going out for a couple hrs until this happened. I might try to camp up at...........Lookout campground? You know the one that opened on May 1st that I talked to you about the last time I saw you. I am camping unless my friend ask me to go fishing. I'll post here if I go.

[Wildhorse800]

Glad to hear you are OK. Smart man for wearing the helmet. I had my Scrambler roll on top of me on a hillclimb. That was 7 years ago and I still have the hematoma bump still sticking out the side of my hip. Don't remember what part got my head, but 2 guys had to pull outward on the sides to get it off me. I'm sure I'd be dead without it.

Helmet time----->EVERYTIME.

NEVER RIDE ALONE-It only takes one time to be your last time.

[roon101]

this sums it up this has been on my helmet sens my first crash
on my Honda ex 450R.