Something I'd Forgotten

While I read another motorcycle newsgroup, I was reminded of an incident
which happenned on a recent trip ..

We were returning from Arizona, where we'd spent a couple of real pleasant
days with my old friend, Buddy Helscel.. Somewhere in west Texas.. we'd
been making great time and everything was making this an extremely nice run.

Suddenly.. someting appeared on the highway in front of me.. Couldn't tell
what it was.. except it was lying down two lanes of the highway and appeared
to be 3 or 4 feet high.. I instantly took evasive action which consisted of
my
swerving the bike to my left.. to clear the obstacle.. The move was radical
and
abrupt .. My immediate thoughts were that my friend, behind me.. might hit
the
object so my eyes were glued to the rear views.. He took no evasive action
whatsoever and rode straight through the perceived object..

Then .. it dawned on me about what had just happened.. I had been fast
asleep..
A phenomenon that has never happenned to me before.. In all the years that
I've
been on the highways.. never before had I fallen asleep while driving..
Neither
in a car or on a motorcycle.. Hell.. it is almost impossible for me to go to
sleep
in a comfortable moving vehicle.. Never in my wildest imagination had I
thought
I could go to sleep while I was operating a motorcycle..

Needless to say.. at the next exit.. I left that highway and stopped.. I
walked around
a bit, had myself a smoke and tried to get all those long distance kinks out
...

As it turned out.. when I woke up.. there was a discoloration in a pavement
patch
which contrasted with the existing paving.. In my sleep dazed mind.. it took
on
proportions.. My friend who was following me, did not understand what had
caused me to take the erratic and radical actions that I'd done on my bike..

When I came to realize what had caused the hallucination in my mind, it was
scary.. There were no drugs or alcohol involved, so that speculation is
out..
Normally, I'd say that sleep is a gradual phenomenon that I can predict and
either forestall or predict.. This time, there was no awareness of even
being
sleepy.. Just an abrupt awakening, almost shock.. How many unexplained
accidents can be attributed to this phenomenon..?? Who knows ? I'd
estimate
that anyone this happens to, doesn't survive to explain what caused the
accident.

I was damned lucky .. Frequent stops on a long run, is highly recommended
and
now, I can say that I know of one more good reason to exercise that option..

Stop often and move around when you get the opportunity.. Don't push
yourself
past limitations and anticipate the unexpected.. This little incident was
certainly
a "wake up call for me".. (pun intended).. Regards.. ride safe

Bill Walker
Irving

 

Yessir.. it was broad daylight when I had my experience with the "sleep"
thing.. And, it was after a reasonably good nights' rest in a motel..

Scary as hell .. I didn't even realize I was sleepy..

 

While I've never had a mirage such as you describe, this
is exactly the type of condition(s) I described to you ear-
lier during a conversation on cross country riding.

For me, it's the constant drone of the highway, the exhau-
st, the warm weather, or any number of things. I don't
think it's a full sleep(at least for me), just a semi-consc-
ious state. Very dangerous.


Gary

 

Mine wasn't "semi" anything.. When I woke.. it was from
a deep sleep.. I had napped off.. The hallucination that
startled me so.. turned out to be nothing more than a dis-
coloration in the pavement, which was common in the area
we were riding through.. The friend riding behind me thought
that I was just playing around with my motorcycle.. It didn't
occur to him that I was in trouble until we pulled off and I
told him I had been asleep.. Afterwards, he watched me a
lot closer.. Regards

Bill Walker

 

(last 2 paragraphs)
''I was damned lucky .. Frequent stops on a long run, is highly
recommended
and
now, I can say that I know of one more good reason to exercise that
option..
Stop often and move around when you get the opportunity.. Don't push
yourself
past limitations and anticipate the unexpected.. This little incident
was certainly
a "wake up call for me".. (pun intended).. Regards.. ride safe
Bill Walker
Irving~




I cant say, I've ever actually fallen asleep.
That must have been very alarming, tosay the least.
But, have gotten ''hum drum'' so to speak. at times, riding.
Slab riding tends to do that to me, even fairly short distances..
One time, several of us, were riding all around in varous areas of
Arkansas, We rode the rurals, and come to many stop signs out in the
middle of noWhere.
This new rider, I mean new. He'd just bought him a motorsikel. in fact.
To ride wih us.
We came to one stop area, and we all put our foots down of course. He
come rumbling up, and stoped and fell slap over.
After he got up, he said: ‘‘Ya'll, I was so Hum Drum, that i forgot
I was on a bike.’’
We'd been riding a few hours, and he lost focus, evidently.
Bill, glad you woke up, came to your senses, and lived to post/share it
on this fine group of Men and women.
(A close call)

B. Jay Kana--
NETexas
03Valk-&-98 Magna
Have a Dandy Day--

 

Billwalker adds:
The friend riding behind me thought that I was just playing around with
my motorcycle.. It didn't occur to him that I was in trouble until we
pulled off and I told him I had been asleep.. Afterwards, he watched me
a lot closer.. Regards
Bill Walker




I should think so.
I believe your friend might should have taken over lead for a hundred
miles. this helps all riders to focus. We regularly would switch around
''the lead'' rider, and that is one of the reasons. there are numerous
other reasons. We'd do it about every fuel stop, atleast.

B. Jay Kana--
NETexas
03Valk-&-98 Magna
Have a Dandy Day--

 

Scary isn't it. Don't want to do that again.

 

Dear BJayKana
I ran into your message quite accidentally while researching about
some details on 'Exercise' and thought of sharing some of my
findings. I've read at
'http://medical-health-care-information.com/Health-living/exercise/index.asp'


that 'Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or
any of dozens of other activities can help your heart. Whether it's
included in a structured exercise program or just part of your daily
routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart.'.

I hope the above is of some help to you as well.

 

(sherry)
Dear BJayKana
  I ran into your message quite accidentally while researching about
some details on 'Exercise' and thought of sharing some of my findings.
I've read at
'http://medical-health-care-information.com/Health-living/exercise/index.asp'
that 'Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or
any of dozens of other activities can help your heart. Whether it's
included in a structured exercise program or just part of your daily
routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart.'.
  I hope the above is of some help to you as well.




Thank you Sherry for your concern.
But Dear, I am not the one who fell fast asleep, I only get ''the Hum
Drum'' feeling. I know the importance of exercise, but that has nothing
to do with riding motorSikels. Dear, you need to exercise your spam ass
somewhere else. <g>
(E-V-I-L grin))

B. Jay Kana--
NETexas
03Valk-&-98 Magna
Have a Dandy Day--