Riding the yamaha..
 

Just another one of those reminders that riding is a dangerous pastime. While the EC300 was waiting for some new reed petals I took the 250F out for a weekend. It was singing along nicely sticking along with the 450's until one decided to launch a log out the back end..

Result shown below.. Stick impacted the chin bar, shattered and sent a shard through some rubber, into some foam, and finally ended up leaving a 5cm chunk in my neck/under my chin.. It was a steady ride out with the splinter still in situ and the helmet strapped on a mates back.

http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/P1000381.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/P1000380.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/P1000379.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...e/P1000378.jpg

Damn, it is amazing how tough and fragile our bodies can be, you never know. Glad your ok, did you get a hot nurse to stitch you?

Damn, glad you are ok, could of been real bad.

Yes you are very lucky...
I guess the Doc must of told you just how close you came to your carotid artery.
So I won't say anything.
Lucky?? I'd run out and buy a Lotto ticket.:D

Although you need to shave I recommend that next time you use something better than a dull stick. :D

Yikes! Carotid artery is right. Wow. Very lucky.

Glad your OK. Sticks being forced into your body are no fun, been there. Keep your eye on that and make sure it was cleaned out good.

There was a video on Youtube recently where a guy got a stick through his cheek, and up in New England a few years back a guy got one between head and helmet that went through his ear.

Just goes to show anything can happen. And my kids wonder why I'm such a PIA about "all the gear all the time", when they want ot just "go for a quick ride". I will show them this ASAP.

Heal fast!

Yes it definately was one of those unlucky, yet extremely lucky events. The group I was riding with were fantastic, as was the service provided by the ambulance (don't think I really needed one, but never the less they were good). The nurse wasn't too bad but had nothing on the ambo chick :D

I've been cleaning the wound with sterile wipes twice a day and keeping an eye out for the first sign of infection. I am on a course of antibiotics as a precaution. It was irrigated pretty well prior to stitching.

I have seen the video you speak of, and its pretty gnarly. I have footage from my chest of when the impact happened. Still tossing up if I want to post it or not.

I can't stress how important it is to where all the gear. I had the helmet, sitting ontop of the leatt club, combo'd with a thor sentinel. The stick would have been around ahalf a meter long before impact, and all I have to show is a few stitches and a bruised jaw. Things could have been much much worse.

glad your ok..close call for sure..seen that many times..worse are the guys who take them off riding in mud or tight woods without them,anything can happen and usually does..that guy up north was john..took a stick right inside the helmet in between the goggles lodging in his head..heres a pic from that day http://www.nedirtbikes.com/content/a...3B2CA1539D.jpg

Thats the one!

Odd they stitched you up, usually they like to let those drain. I had a 1" dia hole completely through my calf at a 45 deg angle, and it was left open on both sides to drain and heal from within. If that thing gets red or swells get to the doc ASAP. Guy her almost lost his foot from being stitched up with a fragment of wood still inside.