I got in to Oakland Ca Friday and drove to my sister’s and relaxed for a while.  Early Sat Morning, Kayla and I drove 160 miles to the hills above Oroville CA, where old friend Jim and family live in reclusive splendor.

After a hearty meal of tri-tip, asparagus, shrimp and sautéed mushrooms, it was off to an early (seriously, I was in bed before 10) night’s sleep. 

That morning was cold, and dank, and an ominous air of impending disaster loomed.  Well, after the fact it did, or should have anyway.

We decided to take a four wheel drive to the hills and goof off, maybe shoot some targets.

Instead I tried my hand at offroad ATV riding.

Instead I learned about ATV rolling, after tempting gravity too far, and taking a three or four roll tumble.  The fall and tumble wasn’t as bad as when the ATV caught up with me, and added insult to injury as it rolled over me.

Total cost:  Sprained wrist, bruised hand, assorted road rash on both legs, one really decent gouge on my knee, a bruised ankle, soreness most everywhere else and complete and abject humiliation with a linger sense of “you idiot!” to wash it down.

The only saving grace (yes, yes, aside from no broken bones and serious head trauma) was that my daughter was not video taping so my embarrassment will at least not be on YouTube.

And the ATV required a pull out of the ravine as I was just stupid enough to break its axle too.

I can’t wait to find out how much that costs to fix.

Note to self.  Small hills…smally small….tiny.  Trust not Karl to actual wilderness on motorized vehicles.

I was utterly amazed to come to a halt (after the final bash by the bike) and find I was not hurt seriously badly.

Additional note to self:  Be careful, luck has surely run out.

2 hours later we drug the ATV up, trailored it and drove it down to Jim’s.

Jim was great by the way, refraining from calling me names, nor did he agree with the names I was calling myself.

His only focus was thankfulness I was OK.  Real friends rock.

Rested, waiting for shakes and shock, but I felt OK, so Kayla and I drove back to Sue’s.

Kayla however doesn’t know whether to hug me for still being alive, or smack me for scaring the b’jesus out of her.

Turns out Jim’s pragmatic attitude has a source.  He recently weathered several forest fires that drove him out of his house.  One got close enough to literally burn his gutters.  While at his house I met his neighbors (literally) across the street who just moved back to the house they rebuilt after they were totally leveled and burned out.

Food for thought.  What price to replace a toy or a hobby than to replace everything you own, or worse to have an irreplaceable life lost.

Said fire killed two people in their community.

Spending a lot time contemplating my horribly screwed up priorities.  I would not say this was a life shattering close call, but I will say in all honesty and candor, it was the closest near serious injury/death experience I have had.  I have lived a charmed life.  I should be in a cast, or worse.  I should have had to be medevaced out, not climb up the hill on my own power.

I should note that one of Jim’s kids had a similar more serious accident and was airlifted out.  This is no joke.

I must also note that the helmet that Jim had me use had two serious impact marks, on either sides, implying I took two good jolts to the head.

Gulp.  I like helmets.  A lot.

As I write this, I sit here with increasing pain from many sources,  Hands are stiffening up, legs and hips are aching, back is beginning to tighten up.  By morning I will be a wreck till I soak it out or get some meds into my system.

But I will bear them in relative silence and fortitude.  Not only because I was a jackass and I deserved them for trying something I was clearly not ready for, but because they represent how fortunate I am.  Angels? Karma?  Dumb luck?  Whatever or however, I got a serious dose of something, and was very very fortunate.

Pride cometh before the fall, they say.

Yup.  That’s the order I had them in.

Hug your family.  Be glad they are there and you have each other.

Peace, and see you tomorrow on my California wanderings.

LSU

(PS:  I called and let me sister know we were running a bit late for dinner.  She had some great plans for next Saturday:  Riding her ATV at a nearby off road park.   Oy vey….)

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