Caught one on video...

[jasonlion54]

Riding highway 99 from Pemberton to Lillooet in BC, Canada. We had crossed lots of bridges and they were all good asphalt, no problems. This one looked the same until I was on it and realized it was wooden and wet. We went back and looked at the bridge and it was covered in scrapes and gouges that looked like other crashed bikes had dragged footpegs and handlebars across it. Hitting that concrete post at the end tore off my muffler and rear fender. A couple of earplugs were all I needed to keep riding fortunately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa2l3...ature=youtu.be

When the bike started sliding, I planted my foot, but the transition from wood to pavement kicked my foot out and down I went.

[FirstPath]

Wow...

How well marked is that bridge and speed before it? Looks very tricky as it sits right at the start of that curve. Ride the right line in the wet and you slide. You have to really turn into the corner late to avoid low siding. That could be bad too if caring too much speed.

Glad you were OK. Thanks for sharing and helping all of us keep on our toes about not assuming the ordinary... always is.

Scott in Shoreview
'79 Suzuki GS550

[jasonlion54]

You could say the bridge is well marked... There are signs before it sayings "Slippery," "20 kph," "Narrow," things like that. The only problem is that in the last 20 miles we had crossed literally 20 other bridges with the exact same signage, but they were all asphalt, great traction, even when they were in the middle of a corner it was pretty easy to cross them at over 60 kph. Then this wooden one was marked exactly the same. I guess I just got lulled into thinking they were all safe and the signs were overly cautious.

[mamm]

Man, that sliding foot hitting the pavement edge screamed "broken ankle" to me! Consider yourself lucky!

[AMEretired]

So many ways that could have turned out worse. Very glad you are OK!!!

[jasonlion54]

Here's a look at the bridge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPamF...ature=youtu.be

[ROAD DAMAGE]

Although it may not seem like it ........ it looks like you got a little lucky.

Glad you didn't get "tatered".

I rode that stretch of 99 last year and it is a pretty spectacular piece of highway! I was bowled over by the Frasier River Canyon dropping down into Lillooet.

We got a steel pipe cattle guard near to us that is the same kind of "tripper". It is in the middle of a turn, and even though it is well signed ...... it still "jumps up gets a lot of folks" when it's wet. Looking on the bright side ....... I'd always rather slide into the ditch, rather than slide into oncoming traffic.

[bajarider]

Wow , luck you're fine.

A friend of mine crashed exactly the same in BC in Canada a few years ago.
Were riding from Mexico to Canada.

Broke ankle, some ribs etc.

A nice canadian give him shelter a couple days before we send him by plane to San Diego.

Then another friend trailering the bike to Mexico.

Bajarider

[schaffer40]

Your riding partner did a great job keeping it under control and not following you right in. Shit that went bad quick. Glad your in good shape.

[390beretta]

Oh man, wet wood can be slicker than snot. Glad you're OK.

[jasonlion54]

Thanks, guys.

The worst I got was some torn riding gear. If that sign post hadn't been there, I think even the bike would have been unscathed. This is what it looked like after:



A spare bucket and a muffler off of a Chevy S-10 and it was good as new:

[peman]

now that's improvising! and the same colour as side panel glad you're ok

[Medina]

whoa, it went bad, quick.
You sprung up quick, nothing broke, but the bike not so good.
Like the improvising on repairs, how'd you patch the hole in the seat?

[manfromthestix]

Originally Posted by 390beretta

Oh man, wet wood can be slicker than snot. Glad you're OK.

Wow, that really did happen FAST! Glad you were wearing the gear and are OK, could have been much worse, and I agree your buddy did great not to follow you in - I think the first reaction I'd have would be to hit the brakes, exactly the wrong thing to do on that surface. Love the ingenuity in repairs!

We have a wooden bridge over our creek between the house and the County road. Even if it hasn't been raining, that thing gets slick as snot just from the dew. It's untreated rough-sawn oak with a nice patina of moss and such. I watch myself very carefully when crossing on my bike or motorcycle. We have lots of wooden bridge decks here in Virginia, too, but all that I've encountered (so far) have a coat of asphalt and pea gravel on them for traction.

Thanks for sharing the warning!

Doug

[Snowkarver]

Glad you're okay! I ride that road every week or two, and those wooden bridges can get nasty if you're not expecting them. Heading west to east, you get lulled into a speedy rhythm as both the asphalt and bridgework are first class for the first half of the road out of Pemberton, and then you suddenly get dumped into the "unimproved" section with wooden bridge decks and crumbling, sandy asphalt in the corners.

Most of the wooden bridges in this area have that tight S/almost chicane configuration as they are used perpendicular to the route to shift the road from one side of the canyon/river to the other. All have 20km/h or less signage, but most don't warn of a specific bridge hazard.

Yay for gear and improvisation.