Howzit okes
Thanks so much for the kind words and support. It has been one hell of a week.
I've really been trying to get fit and do some good training for Amageza and when I heard about the Pongola 500 I decided last minute to go for it. Maryanne from Dirtzone was brilliant and booked me, my wife and our 4 daughters in at the last minute. The place was awesome and everything started off great.
The Saturday ride started off great, there were lots of cows, goats and chickens and it was quite tight riding and we were all taking it fairly slow and cautious getting the hang of our GPS's taking turns missing turns and swopping the lead bike. It then opened up to a wide dirt road with less vegetation and better visibility, it had rained the night before so there was no dust. We all got on the throttle and picked up the speed, the road forked and once again a couple of us missed the turn and the order swopped again. I didn't see any cows on the road ahead when suddenly one just bolted out from some bushes at the side of the road and I hit it at probably about 100km/h. I didn't even see it coming. Normally it's like "oh crap", get hard on the brakes and then do I go in front or behind it. But this one was just no warning! Looking back it might have been the other bikes ahead of me that gave it a fright and then it just bolted in front of me. Whatever happened,I ended up hitting it side on slightly more to the back of it. Next thing I know I'm lying in the dirt and just can't breathe in so much pain. I had been knocked unconscious for what must have been a few seconds. "Come on , come on, breathe!!!" I kept telling myself. After what seemed like an eternity I managed a few short breaths and someone was with me now, I think it was Brian Bontekoning I asked him to take of my helmet in an attempt to breathe better. I new I was hurt bad already in those first few seconds, this was a big one and things were serious.
All the guys stopped and helped, I was in a mess but I remember guys securing the road for approaching bikes or cars, guys moving my bike and guys with me the whole time keeping me conscious, calling the ambulance and doing their best to make me comfortable, stop the bleeding from my arm and dressing the open wounds. What a bunch of totally awesome guys! Such an honour to be part of such a group of men bound by a unwritten code of brotherly care and respect. There was one guy whose name I can't recall that spoke to me the whole time reassuring me while being honest and making sure I didn't eat or drink so as not to postpone any possible surgery. He dressed my arm and let me rinse my mouth with his camel back. Massive thanks! All the guys there certainly saved my life that day. I'm really sorry I don't remember most of the names but you all know who you are.
Later Dallie himself arrived and I think the guys name was Anton who was part of his crew followed by the ambulance. They too were great and Anton was doing all he could to ensure I was taken care of in the best possible way. The ambulance guy whose name was Patrick I think was great and put me under while they got me on the stretcher and into the ambulance then all the way to Richards bay an hour and a half away so I could be at a big hospital with a surgery and orthopedic surgeons.
After X-rays and sonars the out come was that I had multiple torn ligaments in my right shoulder and partially separated my collarbone, I had one fractured rib and another one broken clean off, massive bruising over the entire right side of my body and my right arm had multiple lacerations with two in particular going down to the bone with bone damage. They decided to operate on my arm to clean out the wound and remove some of the damaged bone in my forearm and then staple it all up so it would be able to heal. I spent the next 5 days in the Richards Bay hospital.
Meanwhile my wife's folks, sister and brother in law came from Jhb to take the kids back for school and my wife and her folks stayed at the road lodge in Richards bay. My fellow riders all assisted my wife in organizing my bike to be loaded and helping with my kids while at the Jozini lodge. A big thank you to all of you and in particular Tomas Eich, his wife and family for their support and help. Maryanne, Dallie and their folks for the support, they even contacted friends of theirs from the church in Richards bay to come and make sure I was doing well in hospital and offer their support. These are really some great people.
As far as my bike goes ( the part your actually all waiting to hear about ) it is a real mess the front wheel is completely buckled with a number of the spokes broken out, the whole front is smashed including the triple clamps, forks, mudguard, head light, hand guards, levers and fluid reserves are smashed, bars bent and grips torn, Montana 650 GPS completely smashed in pieces alone with the powered mount, long range tank ripped up, exhaust dinged up, and bent sub frame. I'm not even sure at this stage if the frame itself is ok.
All being said and done I must say I am really blessed to be doing as well as I am considering what happened, I have an awesome wife that supports me and my crazy ways that I in no way deserve. And great buddies and fellow riders that are always there for me in my time of need. I have so much to be grateful for!! I hope to see you all out there on the trails soon. Thanks again to all of you.
Cheers Joey Evans
Ps. I will try and post some pictures soon and if any of you have, feel free to post away the respected first few days have passed and you are welcome to start with the cow jokes as well
Topic: Joey Evans (T9er) in an accident on Pongola 500 :( (Read 2742 times)
