WN RIDER INJURED IN DEER STRIKE

What started out as a pleasant Wednesday night ride through northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota did not end that way.  Ten of us (Ron & Helen and Darrel on trikes with Jim & Cathy, Bob Z, Chuck (Chuckles), Lois, David, and Bob R on bikes) left Casey's and traveled up HWY 76 north to CR 27 just north of Eitzen.  27 took us into Spring Grove where we then took HWY 44 on into Caledonia.  We stopped at the Kwik Trip there for a break and remarked about how nice the night was and how smooth and scenic CR 27 was.  The plan was to take CR 3 out of Caledonia down to Brownsville, but a local resident informed me that CR 3 was being worked on and there was quite s stretch of loose gravel there yet.  So we then decided to take CR 14 down to HWY 26 instead.

We were about 5 miles out of Caledonia on CR 14 when a doe deer ran out in front of David.  The doe was out ahead of him, so David was able to avoid her.  However, she was followed by her fawn that ran into David's Harley.  As near as we can figure, the fawn struck David's bike behind the front wheel and threw him off onto the roadside, while the bike continued on down a steep embankment.  While David was lying on the roadside, Chuck used his EMT skills to tend to David while the rest of us picked up his belongings, directed traffic, and placed calls for an ambulance and to Suzanne (David's wife).  We were extremely glad that Chuck was along with us tonight, because he proved to be invaluable in treating and transporting David.
Shortly help arrived from the Caledonia police department and sheriff deputies who investigated the scene, took names, and directed traffic.  When the ambulance arrived from Caledonia, Chuck made sure that the EMT's used proper procedure for getting David off the ground, into a sling, onto a gurney, and into the ambulance.  The ambulance took David to Mayo in LaCrosse at his request.  All during this time David was conscious and able to carry on a conversation with us and the EMT's.
At Mayo, David was given X-rays and scans to determine the extent of his injuries.  The doctors at Mayo concluded that the hip he had replaced some time ago was damaged.  He also had some pelvic fractures, a split fibula, a broken rib, and many scrapes and contusions.  He was then transferred by ambulance to Mayo in Rochester so his hip replacement damage could be addressed.  Right now he is still in Rochester.
While it looks like it's going to take some time for David to recover, this accident could have been much worse.  After examining the damage to his helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots, it was determined that if he had not been wearing this gear, his injuries would have been far greater if not fatal.
Many thanks goes to all the emergency people, and especially Chuck.  I don't know what we would have done without him.  Also thanks to Gloria K for driving Suzanne up to the emergency room at Mayo.  Our well wishes go out to David and his family for his speedy recovery, and future posts on this blog will try to keep up to date on his condition.