NorCal Kayak Anglers

Kayak Fishing Zone => Safety First => Topic started by: H2Ospider on January 05, 2009, 07:26:57 PM

Title: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: H2Ospider on January 05, 2009, 07:26:57 PM
October of 1991
I was working as a medic at the time and was posted up at Shaver Lake. I had finished my shift that morning but we had slept all night. Fatigue was not a factor.
I was driving my 1960 CJ with a 327 at its core. I was in the process of upgrading the jeep with harness and a full cage but didnt get these projects finished quite soon enough.
Just after Cressmans on the switchbacks before the 4 lane I launched.
The why is not and probably never will be known.
With only the lap belt I was slammed into the steering wheel and then the unpadded rollbar over and over until I finally came to a stop at the bottom when the jeep finally hit a tree that held firm.
I was down for about 8 hours with very few memories of my day except a few moments that seemed very dreamlike. I wandered around to a few cabins and finally found one that had people in it.
It was reported that I was quite a site. I had stripped off all of my clothes except for a pair of tie-dye underwear, my body was covered in blood fro my head injuries, and I was in no mood to meet new friends. The nice folks at the cabin dialed the appropriate digits and help got on the way. The first to arrive was the friendly folks that I worked with up there and the crew that was my relief that morning.
Well it had always been one of my goals to fly in an air ambulance and I got my wish earlier than expected.
Ended up with multiple skull fractures including the zygomatic arch and shattered synuses.
My 7th cranial nerve was damaged and the left side of my face was completely paralyzed for about 6 months. I still have some defecits. Broke my left clavical and a few teeth as well. All this and the fun times that come with a head injury. Had blood and CSF running out my ear and that also left me impaired and off balance for weeks. By the time I ws ready to rehab I was almost 30 underweight and there were those that said I would never "be right" again. Luckily I was never "right" to begin with. Eventually I returned to work, got another Jeep, and was right back in the yak.
The only reason I share this tale around the fire is that I was cleaning out my picture files from the past year and re stumbled onto the pics of the wreckage. Some might like this kind of stuff.
They start from the launch point.
In the first picture you can see a family friend walking down to the jeep. This gives a great perspective of how far I launched/tumbled. The other pictures show why nobody saw me down there or wouldve known where to look. Others show how lucky I was to not get crushed by the tree the jeep came to rest on. Check out the roll bar where my head continually smacked. wild
Threw in a few pics of the next jeep and me paddling again for that happy ending effect.
be careful out there. You never know when you are going to get zapped.
 :spiderman:
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: The X Inn Keeper on January 05, 2009, 08:59:38 PM
Hydro,
Hate to see anyone go through an ordeal like that.
Glad to see you were able to come through it. That road has given me more than one close call.
Thanks for the reminder of how vulnerable we really are.
Hope to paddle and fish with you soon.
Eric
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: piski on January 05, 2009, 09:02:08 PM
Poor Jeep!  :smt002
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: ZeeHokkaido on January 06, 2009, 01:03:35 PM
Holy crapola! That's an incredible story and the pics really illustrate the carnage. Glad you made it outta that. Although I think the LMB's@C-lake aren't..  :smt003

Z
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: H2Ospider on January 06, 2009, 07:16:33 PM
Poor Jeep!  :smt002
For myself it was one of those "that which does not kill us" moments life slings your way.
The big casualty was the Jeep. Had so much pontential and so many adventures left to have.
Had the safari top, search light midway across the wndshield that looked like it came off of 1 adam12, and the old style growler horn.  tragic.  atleast the boats werent strapped on.
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: POLARCAT on January 07, 2009, 12:24:33 AM
Jeep Wonder!!!!  The follow up Jeep (with T on the back bumper, me and klauda on the front).  I met Hydro a little while after the rehab had made him strong again.  Played a little v-ball back then (we were solid).  Did a lot of fishing.  L-plate said 1hihopr (true) (except when the cramps were invading the day we won the 4-man tournament playing doubles). 

Always ready for the adventure. 

Friends for a bakers dozen years plus and counting.

Never saw the pics of the accident.  Nice work making it through that.

Shirk
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: ravensblack on January 08, 2009, 06:15:09 AM
Jesus Christ Terry! You are one lucky man. You are still out there helping others. You are a tribute to the word tenacity.
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: FisHunter on January 14, 2009, 11:59:22 AM
one word.       Spidey :smt002 
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: Northern Boy on January 14, 2009, 03:32:05 PM
Whoo, that's a story.
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: dilbeck on January 15, 2009, 12:53:16 PM
Holy crapola! That's an incredible story and the pics really illustrate the carnage. Glad you made it outta that. Although I think the LMB's@C-lake aren't..  :smt003

I think Zee said it best. 

And man, you sure know how to tell a story.  Love reading your posts, scary to think you almost didn't make it to NCKA.

Michael



Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: mooch on January 15, 2009, 03:57:31 PM
Long live da spider! :smt008
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: bmb on January 15, 2009, 04:18:44 PM
are injuries from your accident what makes your neck crane away whenever a camera is pointed at you?

just kidding! definitely a scary scene there and i will have to keep my eyes open when i finally get up to shaver.
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: Sin Coast on January 15, 2009, 04:56:18 PM
Jesus Crotch! That’s a gnarly story. But I liked the happy ending (who doesn’t like happy endings? hahaha!).

I’ve driven 168 over Kaiser Pass to Edison Lake about 5 times. And since I’m usually driving up there after work on a Friday, it’s always at night. That is a scary road. Your story resonates w/me and I’ll probably drive a little more cautiously next time. Thanks for sharing that w/us.
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: Mahi on January 17, 2009, 04:40:15 PM
Did that cause you to permanently sit in gum, since they're empty now?
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: H2Ospider on January 17, 2009, 08:57:50 PM
had me worried that I had "sat in gum" in the last pic. And no, there is still plenty of nut left over to get me in trouble. Hence my back surgery, but that is another tale around the fire.
Title: Re: 168 at Cressmans
Post by: SBD on January 18, 2009, 08:36:41 PM
Yikes!