Speed Kills

Route T is a wicked road one you have to have a healthy dose of respect for. I have probably ridden Route T to and from Washington almost every week since I got my scooter.

Coming back east on T, I headed into a small town called Labadie. I wanted to stop and get some water and go to the bathroom. As I rode up to the little general store there was 3 crotch rockets out front. One of the guys said to me, sorry they are closed today. I said bummer and then he started asking me about my scooter.

He said what is the fastest you have been on that? I said, umm about 92. He said bull shit... I said no really… I said you are welcome to hop on it and see for yourself. He said Nahh, would be bad for my reputation to be seen on a scooter. He said what way are you headed on T? I said into West County, he said well follow us and show me what that scooter can do. I said I will pass; I wanted to ride out to the Labadie Coal Plant... an electric making coal plant.

I started her up and off I went. The coal plant and I have a strange relationship... I find it awesomely attractive. There is something about that huge plant that just makes me tick inside when I see it. It's just huge and powerful.

I head back on to T and started my ride home. After you leave Labadie there is this area that is switch backs with heavy elevations changes. Even curves within elevation changes. I always slow at the top of the most steep curve as there is always a lot of gravel on the road. As I hit Grand Army Road Road near the gravel, I slowed and as I start to go down a hill, I see at the top of the hill all these emergency vehicles and people waving their arms. I slow and one guy says go back and use that dirt/gravel road over the there (he points off to the north.) I said, ok cool, thanks. As I hit this dirt/gravel road my entire attention is on the road, I HATE GRAVEL.

I see all these people standing ahead on the dirt/gravel road and I slow and say to one of the ladies, a bad wreck, huh? She says yeah a motorcycle accident. She says there is the guys bike over there (about 100 feet off the embankment from the HWY T) my stomach drops as I see the mangled bike, it was the guy I had just spoke to at Labadie's bike. I turn off the scooter and start to walk up to HWY T, the lady says to me, honey you don't want to go up there. Well I did, under a sheet was the guy I had just meet. Man I felt horrible...still do.

When I came back down the hill, I was shaken up. One of the other ladies commented that someone said they were just going to fast to the road. He layed the bike down on the curve and a pickup ran over him and the bike. Bike was mangled.. dude was dead... really nice guy...he had awesome blue eyes and a wicked smile. That's all I know about him.

Like I said HWY T is a wicked road, I will not be able to ride though that section without thinking of this guy.

Picture I took sometime within the last week.