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Bike trip gone wrong -- sad story on another forum

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136505

On May 7, 2006:

Quote:

Hello Friends-
Finally! Everything is coming together and it looks like I’ll be leaving today. My plan is to stay with a friend in Portland the first night and try to make Salt Lake City by the third. Then I’ll take a bit of time to see Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon, visit a friend in Tucson, and cross the border at Nogales. I’ve now read a number of books on motorcycle travel in general and riding in Central and South America in particular, and I think I have a good leg up on things. Special thanks to Glen Heggstad and Gregory Frazier for writing their excellent and informative books.

On June 7, 2006 (page 3):

Quote:

Hello Friends-
The bad news is that my trip is over. The worse news is that I had an accident, broke my back, and am now paralyzed from mid-chest down. It happened about four hours outside of Acapulco. A donkey was on the side of the road, and I went to go around him, but when he saw me he got startled and ran out in front of me. I was knocked unconscious, waking up unable to move my legs when some Mexicans found me.

On Sept. 14, 2007 (page 13):

Quote:

I still have all the books I read to prepare for my attempted Seattle to Argentina trip in 2006, and I want to give them to someone who wants to make a similar trip.

Even though my trip turned out badly, I don't regret the kind of life I chose to live. Adventure! So please, don't just anyone take these books. I want them to play a role in preparing someone for an adventure of their own.

So if anyone knows someone who is planning a big trip and could benefit from these books, let me know and I will send them the lot. They are:

Adventure Motorcycling Handbook by Chris Scott
Riding South by Gregory Frasier
Riding the World by Gregory Frasier
Two Wheels Through Terror by Glen Heggstad
Chasing Che by Patrick Symmes

And I still have my KLR 650 Clymer Manual too, if anyone can use it.

Ask and you shall receive. Clayton

And then...

on Feb. 25, 2008 (page 13), his friend posted:

Quote:

Friends,

It is with great sadness that I write to let you know that Clayton (Ozymandias) took his life over the weekend.

I was lucky enough to get to know Clayton once he moved to Nashville. Like many of you, I was inspired by his adventurous spirit and saddened by the outcome of his last ride. This thread stands as a testament to what a wonderful person he was and I would like to thank all of you for providing support for him through this forum.

A memorial service is being planned, and I will post the information when I get it, in case any of you are able to attend.

God bless.

hmm.....sometimes you got to have a bit more common sense.

Not just.....oh that looks cool and adventurous, ill do it.

It's too bad he gave up and took the coward's way out.

Very sad:(

Ride safe everyone! Don't try to be better than you really are.

In one of his posts, he wrote that one of the factors which caused him to crash was his inexperience, in which, he sped up to pass some animals instead of slowing down and proceeding with caution.

RIP.. very sad.

rip

i would have done the same.. if i was in his position..

Quote:

Originally Posted by shenmecar (Post 6430253)

hmm.....sometimes you got to have a bit more common sense.

Not just.....oh that looks cool and adventurous, ill do it.

He was just riding a motorcycle. It's not like he was doing something outrageously dangerous.

Anyways, pretty sad story... but it looks like this guy was very decisive and knew what he wanted to do at all times. In the end, I guess he just decided that it wasn't worth living being paralyzed.

In some ways, it's very similar to the movie, Million Dollar Baby.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shenmecar (Post 6430253)

hmm.....sometimes you got to have a bit more common sense.

Not just.....oh that looks cool and adventurous, ill do it.

what? a donkey walked in front of him?? even icbc says its not your fault if a deer runs in front of your car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presto (Post 6430266)

It's too bad he gave up and took the coward's way out.

easy to say from your comfy computer chair that you walked to.

Fucking donkey!!

R.I.P. Clayton.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutch (Post 6430807)

easy to say from your comfy computer chair that you walked to.

It sure is! RIP, but I still take the stand that the guy is a fuckin' coward. Suicide is the ultimate cop-out.

What the fuck. Fucking Mexican Donkeys.

RIP

Why do I have a slight feeling this is a joke.

unless you are in constant pain, i see no reason to die...but its their life.

man thats sad.

RIP

I don't know, until you're in the same position as someone else is it's kind of judgemental to say "oh I wouldn't have done that if I was in his situation", because how do you even know what you're mindset is going to be like by then? That's like saying you'd be fine with seeing someone shoot themselves in the head right in front if you and you'd sleep like a baby that night. If that hasn't happened to you then how do you really know?

Im not condoning suicide im just saying maybe you shouldn't say shit unless you know first hand what they are going through.

RIP too bad the guy took his life. I dont know how i could go on there would be soo much stuff you couldnt do anymore and you would need help for everything it would suck especially since this guy seemed like a trill seeker

rip very sad.

tears...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presto (Post 6430836)

It sure is! RIP, but I still take the stand that the guy is a fuckin' coward. Suicide is the ultimate cop-out.

Way too easy to judge on too little information.

Post Accident:

Where does he live?
How does he live?
Does he have insurance money ?
Does he have family / friends to support him ?
Is he a burden to his family / friends ?

Every situation is different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbo E (Post 6430859)

unless you are in constant pain, i see no reason to die...but its their life.

man thats sad.

RIP

I'm pretty sure he was in constant emotional pain. Sometimes emotional pain hurts alot more than physical.

This is really sad...RIP

how he take his own life if he was paralyzed from teh chest down

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandalove (Post 6431058)

how he take his own life if he was paralyzed from teh chest down

Not exactly hard... I think he still had movement of his arms?

Many people have mentioned my inexperience as a possible factor in the accident. I think it was. I'm hot-headed, and believe I rode foolishly. I saw the donkeys on the side of the road, and tried to get to the right to get around them. That was when the one bolted in front of me. I should have simply applied the brakes, for which there was plenty of time, and passed them very slowly and cautiously. The moral here is that I should have approached my riding much more cautiously and prudently, and not have felt in such a rush.

hindsight is 20/20. i got a few regrets in my life, but can you imagine that one?

Might be a good idea to slow down when passing living things on a motorcycle

I hope some people learn from his mistakes, so his life wasn't a total waste