Accident in Sucre...

29th April
Sucré, Bolivia

(I wrote this before but I thought I´d copy and paste it here..
I have returned to Sucre.
Just enjoyed an `ambulance´ ride after smashing up my bike.
But don´t you worry. I let myself out of hospital and have caught up with a few friends who are helping me out. My right arm, side/back, thigh are quite sore but I think I am ok.
Mind you the drugs are making me a bit tired so I think i will have a lie down. No bones broken, i think it is just muscular..
Hope to get hold of the bike later today. Don´t know how damaged it is, the least I know is that the front tyre isn´t holding air.. hopefully the forks are ok as I hit a rather large rock..
no one else was involved. Bit embarassing really but I will tell you more later. Unless I die of internal bleeding first ,-)
That wasn´t a nice joke.
I like holding people in suspense...
thank God I was close to Sucre and thank God i was wearing all my protective clothing.

30th April

I am feeling much better. The leg is quite fine and I can walk quite well The right side and middle to upper back on the right side gives me a bit of pain - can´t pick up heavy things and bend over withut thinking how.. So, really I am very thankful for the way things have worked out.

I met up with my friend, James, who I went to School with in Buenos Aires back at the hostel I am staying in which was quite fortunate. Today we hooked up with another friend from BA who also speaks a bit more spanish than me to check out the bike...

But for those who want to know I will go back to yesterday and what happened..

I was returning back to Potosí to head up towards La Paz making use of one of the only good roads around when I had a momentary lack of concentration (the only way I can explain it as it all happened so fast) . I just went around a corner and had my eyes off the road (looking at the scenery or the car going the other way.. not sure anymore) when I realised that I had just gone off the edge of the road. Still don´t know how I did it. Problem was I couldn´t quickly turn back onto the road because right at this place the edge of the road was covered with rocks from a rock fall above.
(This photo doesn´t do it justice.. the rock at the end is a good 50cm high with a pointy bit facing this way..)
I was going too quick for this type of terrain (the road was pavement) and I couldn´t do anything about it but hold on an try and stay upright. I bounced over most of it and made to the end but I knew that once I reached the end I was going to fall off. This flashed before me eyes and I knew it. I was going to fall off. Thankfully I made it to the end and the bike took the brunt of the big rock at the end...



Lying on the ground trying to breathe and not being able to move very well wasn´t such a nice experience... Thankfully I was on a busy road and very close (10kms max) from Sucre and many people stopped to help (and stare). There was also a millitary base not far and the Millitary took over and helped. They collected all my gear that was scattered everywhere (my right pannier (bag) exploded on impact..) and got my bike upright. After getting my helmet and jacket off I managed to sit up for a while til I felt a bit faint and lay down again. The military organised a trip for me to the hospital. Lying on the stretcher I was more worried about my gear and my bike and what would happen to it than me....

Anyway in the hospital they checked me over. Didn´t end up taking xrays. Not sure exactly why but the language barrier didn´t help much. I started to feel a bit better and worked out I could stand and walk alright (sore back being the main hindrance to walking.). They gave me a couple injections and I let myself out of the hospital thinking I may as well find a hotel instead. Hospital bills are pretty cheap around here (all up less than 5 dollars..)
Bumped into my friend, James, as soon as I got to my Hotel who has been helping me out.

Which brings me back to the bike...

All is not good here.
The right side of the bike took a real thrashing. The engine bars saved major damage however the right footpeg has sheared off and cosmetically it don´t look too nice..

The forks seem alright which I am glad about but front wheel is not too good.

Two major dents and it might be buckled. I really don´t know if I can fix it (in australia I wouldn´t even bother) or if I will have to work out a way to get another one here from somewhere. It is an unusual size wheel from a bike you can´t get here in Bolivia... plus shops don´t exactly stock bike wheels very often.

So this is my next project.
Never a dull moment.


UPDATE
3 May
My wheel looks round now. Sort of. I am waiting for a new tyre from Santa Cruz. Meant to be here by Monday. I think this might be a temporary fix. Will wait until is back on the bike before i make a final a judgement..