Deer Season Approaches

One week until the deer season opens. I love sitting out in the woods on the 40 relaxing, watching, and waiting. Not that's living! Not a bit of stress, just beautiful views and the sound of a breeze through the trees and a few small animals and birds moving about.

Sandhill Cranes

Here's a pair of beautiful sandhill cranes that have been visiting the wetlands behind our house quite frequently. The sandhill crane, or "sandhill," is among Minnesota's largest bird species, standing about five feet tall and having a wingspread of nearly seven feet. Sandhills are birds of wet meadows and open landscapes. They migrate south for the winter.

Sandhills eat a variety of animals including frogs, small mammals, insects, and snakes, and also, small grains such as oats and wheat. Sometimes sandhills destroy small grain swaths while feeding, much to the farmer's dislike. Sandhill cranes are a protected species in Minnesota, but there is regulated hunting in some states, including North Dakota.

Sandhill cranes are closely related to the federally endangered whooping crane. Sandhills have been used in migration experiments guiding young whooping cranes to wintering areas in the southern US.

Cast

I visited the orthopedic surgeon this week and had x-rays and a new cast installed. The x-rays showed that my radius bone is shattered in eight pieces but aligned correctly. I'll have this cast for a month at least and a smaller cast put on after for another month.

I'm feeling well and recovering from my other injuries. My swelling is down on my face and no effects are left from the concussion. The guys at V-Tech Motorsports are fixing the bike up to be like new. I'll be getting set up with safety gear before I'm back on the road next spring. I'll get a jacket and gloves with armor plates and much better tires.

Harley Crash

Friday morning, I was cruizing up Central ave when the traffic came to a screaching halt. I locked up my brakes and began to fishtail out of control. I laid the bike down on it's right side and slid off into the ditch. I blacked out. The next thing I remember is the EMTs moving me from stretcher to stretcher. They shot me full of morphine and ran multiple scans on parts of my body.

I ended up with a serious concussion and my left wrist fractured in three places. The doctor said I would have been dead if I hadn't been wearing a helmet. That shorty helmet saved my life.

The bike goes to the garage Today to begin repairs. It looks like it's mainly cosmetic damage. I'll be back riding next spring, a little wiser, and a little slower. I may get some better tires than those slippery Dunlops to prevent future wipeouts. I'm leaning towards Metzelers one size wider than the stock Dunlops.