Not a big off, but I thought I'd post it nonetheless, for if I had read about it beforehand, it wouldn't have happened to me. Riding off road in Southern California near Big Bear, there are many stream crossings. The ones that are natural are no problem. The ones that are a concrete road with water running over them can be. I don't ride fast, and as I rode at 5 mph through this little 2 inch deep 4 foot wide creek gently flowing over the concrete road I was thinking what a lovely day it was, and how warm it was, and why then did it feel like I'd just hit a patch of ice? And as the bike slooowly rotated out from under me, and I put my hand in the water, and then less than gracefully exited stage right into the bushes, laughing my butt off the whole time, I realized what had happened: Algae. Green slime covering the road as slick as (insert favorite personal euphamism here). Never enter a water covered flat surface in a turn of any kind. Here endeth the lesson I wish I had known Saturday morning.
A "herd" of caterpillars crossing the road is slippery too. :eek1 We had a huge "apocalyptic" infestation something like 10 years ago where I live...totally disgusting.
I'll have to put that on my mental check list of things to not make a turn on: Excess insects (say that 10 times fast).
"Slicker than Deer Guts on a Doorknob!" That's my favorite! I almost did the same thing as you did last year on a low water concrete crossing --- except I had "goosed it" to see if it was slick! :huh Answer: Yes, that green slime is pretty damned slick.
I feel your pain, bud. Same exact thing happened to me a few weeks ago in the mountains of eastern San Diego County. I was doing a 8 inch deep, 25 foot wide water crossing at maybe 15mph tops, when, all of a sudden, SPLASH, and I'm laying in the water under my bike. Not having had much experience with water crossings, I didn't even consider that there might be moss on the surface. I couldn't believe how slippery it was! With all the slipping and sliding, it took me a good 5 minutes to pick up my bike (during which time "Yakkety Sax" should've been playing in the background), and in the process, the damn rushing current decided to whisk away the guard for one of my driving lights. By the time I noticed what was happening, it was already 30 feet downstream and moving fast. Other than that, no damage was sustained, and the soggy clothes actually felt great riding in 80+ degree temperatures. Best of all, I learned an important lesson about water crossings -- slow down, be ready to put your feet down, and pay attention!
Yup, slippery green slime goo lurks under there. Of course, it's not at all like hitting ice. With ice, the bike instantaneously rotates out from under you, none of this slooowwwwly stuff. DAMHIKT! Of course, one rarely gets soaked when losing it on ice, whereas one rarely stays dry when losing it during a water crossing!
So I'm not alone in thinking "oh look, water crossing a nice flat surface, how fun this will be! Nothing to worry about here at all! Splat."
got news for you, the natural ones ain't that great either. never know how deep they are. Ask me how I managed to scald the back of my leg with the muffler on a 3 foot crossing while in the woods
Haha, point well taken. If I can't even make it across a minor concrete crossing without taking a dip, I guess I should probably go ahead and avoid the rocky river crossings. Then again, I'd rather get drenched than turn around like a wuss! Also, how in the hell did you manage to scald your leg, anyway?
Hilarious in that your experience and explanation is exactly what I've been telling folks for 30 years. It was my first little wreck in California above Ojai on a brand new '83 GS1100. I can't remember the route but it was always a great ride. I looked at the concrete creek crossing and surmised (incorrectly) that the center of the lane looked the least slimey. Not the case, but I was like 19 at the time and didn't know my ass from my elbow and proceeded to lift my flip-flopped size 14's onto the foot-pegs and venture across. My miscalculation was soon realized as the Dunlop Sport "Elites" started skittering across the algae covered 'crete like snot off'n a hare lip. After a bunch of what I can't really grasp because of the crashing and the air cooled engine using my bare leg instead of air to dissipate the heat I gathered myself up, emptied a gallon of crick water out of my lid, dragged the bike up to a dry spot, hefted that 500+lb hog up, started her up, then swore I'd never ride again. That was 12 bikes and near 30 years ago.
Hey GusinCA, happened to me too on Parsons Branch Road in the Smokey Mountain National Park. Treated the concrete water crossing like part of the curve, going about 25mph, rear tire slides out, I fall down, GO BOOM! Bike does 180 degree slide backwards. I roll, get up, I was pissed because I was worried about my brand spanking new, high dollar, First Gear Rainer jacket. Jacket was fine except a little dried mud. Added a scratch or two to the KLR and cracked a mirror. I had lost my gloves (cheapos) two days prior so I had a cut on one of my palms that I proudly displayed for family and all to see when I pulled in to Deal's Gap where we had a couple of rooms for the weekend. Moral of the story, slime is slippery!
