2000 miles from home...too sick to ride

[hondarider]

My biggest fear of motorcycle touring has always been to find myself on the wrong side of the country and too sick to ride. I feel like I could drive my car even if I was half crippled, blind in one eye, and puking in a bucket every 25 miles...but bikes require a little more focus. And even a sneezing fit will muck up your full face helmet. Anybody with a horror story of being trapped far from home?

[wezul]

Not sick but stranded ~


http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11677

[eljeffe]

My biggest fear of motorcycle touring has always been to find myself on the wrong side of the country and too sick to ride. I feel like I could drive my car even if I was half crippled, blind in one eye, and puking in a bucket every 25 miles...but bikes require a little more focus. And even a sneezing fit will muck up your full face helmet. Anybody with a horror story of being trapped far from home?

I spend 3 days riding the 1700 miles from Grand Teton NP back to Dallas with the mother of all resperatory infections. Fever, chills, nausea. Hall's Mentholyptus lozenges during the day, double shots of Nyquil at night. I made it home, but I would never do that again. I'd find a secure place to park it, drive a car or fly home, and then go pick up the bike at a later time. Or just ride out the illness where ever I happen to be.

On a positive note. This particular resperatory infection was so bad that I was able to kick a 20 year cigarette habit. I haven't been able to smoke a cigarette since without getting sick (even when I really wanted one). 18 months smoke free. For riding, I don't recommend this particular illness, but if you're trying to kick the smoking habit, it sure worked for me. :D

[jdmetzger]

My biggest fear of motorcycle touring has always been to find myself on the wrong side of the country and too sick to ride. I feel like I could drive my car even if I was half crippled, blind in one eye, and puking in a bucket every 25 miles...but bikes require a little more focus. And even a sneezing fit will muck up your full face helmet. Anybody with a horror story of being trapped far from home?

This is a good reason to carry some credit cards. Unless the sickness comes on suddenly and you're in the middle of nowhere (Alaska, for example), you can usually find a hotel within an hour or two. If you're sick enough to keep you stopped more than a day or two, you should probably see a doctor, or look at renting a truck and driving home with your bike. Credit cards = good! Cell phone also = good!

This has me thinking how much it would suck to be somewhere WAAAAAAY away from civilization (St. James Bay Road?), and have the flu kick in, suddenly. It would be hard to set up a tent, even!

[tourunigo]

My biggest fear of motorcycle touring has always been to find myself on the wrong side of the country and too sick to ride. I feel like I could drive my car even if I was half crippled, blind in one eye, and puking in a bucket every 25 miles...but bikes require a little more focus. And even a sneezing fit will muck up your full face helmet. Anybody with a horror story of being trapped far from home?

.... if this sort of thing is absent from your adventure then you have no story. Go get a story. (I really don't mean that as a challenge but, rather, an observation of my own stuff). Go forth and experience...... but, be prepared. -Bob

[knary]

On my first cross country ride I got hit with a horrid sinus infection that laid me up for days thousands of miles from home. I was fortunate to be at a friends place when it hit.

On my second trip, I got nasty ear infections. My bike had been knocked out of commission for more than a month and I hadn't ridden for 5 weeks until the day of teh trip. Try wearing earplugs when it feels like you're inserting hot coals.

[MCMXCIVRS]

I've never gotten sick on a motorcycle trip in over 20 years (touching wood with all digits crossed). But I've come home from tropical holidays more than once with a nasty cold. I think the more solitary nature of motorcycling helps to limit the exposure to the bugs unlike being packed in an aluminum tube with hundreds of potentialy infectious travelers.

[SheRidesABeemer]

I was on a tight schedule to get home on time after the Spokane rally. I had to log 500mi a day to make it. The first 8 hours where the longest miles of the trip. Lack of sleep for 3 days, and perhaps a little over indulging...If I'd been home I'd stayed in bed for oh maybe 6 more hours. But instead I was driving a motorcycle at highway speeds through Montana. Not highly recommended. :doh

[PAULBACH]

There is insurance you can buy that will fly you home to the hospital of your choice and truck your bike back. There was talk for awhile of being offered at a group price for individuals who wanted it through the BMW MOA

[PAULBACH]

Found it! (http://www.medjetassistance.com/plans/motorcycle.asp?partner=FastH) <- Check it out

Motorcycle Protection Plan
MedjetAssist is the brand leader in worldwide travel assistance and is proud to introduce an assistance program specifically tailored for the motorcycle rider. This unique program was developed with the help and input of motorcycle enthusiasts and is without a doubt, a protection program developed by riders for riders.

MedjetAssist is an annual membership program providing emergency worldwide air medical evacuation and consultation services to its enrolled members when they become hospitalized while traveling more than 150 miles from their primary residence. The evacuation benefit is good whether traveling in the next county, state or outside the country. The Motorcycle Riders Protection Program provides the following benefits for members:

* Air ICU medical transport and evacuation to the hospital and doctor of choice, regardless of medical necessity, anywhere in the world.
* Air medical transport from home hospital to specialty hospitals within the U.S.
* Return of the motorcycle to the member's shop or dealership of choice should the member be hospitalized, no dollar limit**
* Return of motorcycle if the member is treated on an outpatient basis, but diagnosed as "physically unable" to ride by a medical physician***
* Transport of mortal remains back to the place of burial
* 24-hour physician consultations
* Translations for medical services when traveling internationally
* Medical and legal referrals when traveling internationally

** Motorcycle return is limited to the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and Mexico

*** Motorcycles will be returned to the shops or dealerships of choice either within the members' cities of primary residence or cities closest to the members' primary residences.

Annual Membership Price is $225 (from website)

I wonder if a group buy would bring the price down?

[mrich12000]

Paul could you post that web please, and thank you for that info..

Mike Richard RCE Ret.
VE3CEH
Ride for Sight
http://www.rideforsight.org/

[PAULBACH]

Just click on "found it" above. The bright blue that is underlined is already linked.

If you wish to cut and paste then

http://www.medjetassistance.com/plans/motorcycle.asp?partner=FastH

[GregFeeler]

Found it! (http://www.medjetassistance.com/plans/motorcycle.asp?partner=FastH) <- Click here

Motorcycle Protection Plan
MedjetAssist is the brand leader in worldwide travel assistance and is proud to introduce an assistance program specifically tailored for the motorcycle rider. This unique program was developed with the help and input of motorcycle enthusiasts and is without a doubt, a protection program developed by riders for riders.

MedjetAssist is an annual membership program providing emergency worldwide air medical evacuation and consultation services to its enrolled members when they become hospitalized while traveling more than 150 miles from their primary residence. The evacuation benefit is good whether traveling in the next county, state or outside the country. The Motorcycle Riders Protection Program provides the following benefits for members:

* Air ICU medical transport and evacuation to the hospital and doctor of choice, regardless of medical necessity, anywhere in the world.
* Air medical transport from home hospital to specialty hospitals within the U.S.
* Return of the motorcycle to the member's shop or dealership of choice should the member be hospitalized, no dollar limit**
* Return of motorcycle if the member is treated on an outpatient basis, but diagnosed as "physically unable" to ride by a medical physician***
* Transport of mortal remains back to the place of burial
* 24-hour physician consultations
* Translations for medical services when traveling internationally
* Medical and legal referrals when traveling internationally

** Motorcycle return is limited to the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and Mexico

*** Motorcycles will be returned to the shops or dealerships of choice either within the members' cities of primary residence or cities closest to the members' primary residences.

Annual Membership Price is $225 (from website)

I wonder if a group buy would bring the price down?



Ray Zimmerman ('MOA Executive Director) has put together a program with MedjetAssist specifically for BMW MOA members. There is supposed to be a small discount off the retail price. There will be information about the rollout of this offering in one of the next couple of issues of the Owner's News.

[RonB]

I was looking into Medjetassist coverage last Spring before a long trip. It does require hospitalization to kick in. I attempted to work out a discount for NE clubs' I also passed the information on to MOA headquarters and put them in touch with a Medjetassist representative. Since MOA seemed to be working on it, I haven't any more with the local clubs. The discount looked good if enough people signed up.

[dlearl476]

Annual Membership Price is $225 (from website)

Not to rain on MOA's parade, and I also need to say I'm not certain they write for travel within the US, but I got travel insurance through AAA for my 10 day trip to Italy for around $30.

[basketcase]

I face two known issues when traveling.

One is a history of sinus problems, and the other is a seasonal allergic response to dust, pollens, and etc. Often times they arrive together, or, one of them precipitates the other.

When a sinus infection is coming on I can usually feel it in my teeth. So on past occasions I gone to my family doctor and received what I call a "prophylactic prescription," meaning I take an antibiotic with me in case my vulnerable sinuses act up.

The preventive for the allergic issues is to take a shot of Decatron (sp?) to ward off the air-borne cooties. Decatron is a steroid and the shot will render my nose dripless for about six weeks... :sick

Due to the negative side effects of steroids I only take the shot when absolutely necessary.

That preventative plan worked well for me when I went to Myanmar in 2005. Sure enough, my sinuses acted up, so the antibiotic was both needed and used. And had I taken the shot before departure, the general haze of the congested cities would have dealt me misery. But again, I dodged that bullet.

I had also taken along the recommended anti-malarial drugs, but stopped taking them when my sinuses went south. As a result I got home with a full-blown case of Malaria -- with no one to blame but the guy in the mirror. :banghead

If I am to be away for just a few days or even a week, I don’t worry about taking a bunch of stuff with me. But if gone for more than a week, taking my personal medicine chest is just part of the planning.

Personally, I devote more mental time to checking for deer on the road shoulders than I do worrying about getting sick.

[BubbaZanetti]

well, i had to fly home and abandon my airhead after a "party mishap" that sent me to therapy and months of recovery:laugh i was 3000 miles from home, probably just a few miles from knary's...............2 months into a never ending road trip

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3947&highlight=seattle+boston

[RatSnake]

I'm a satisfied MedJetAssist customer. After a friend wrecked in Spokane a few years ago, and told me of his MedJedAssist experience, I immediately bought a policy for myself.

Last June I wrecked my K12GT on a mountain road in Colorado. One of my buddies called my wife from my hospital there, told her how I was doing and asked her to call MedJetAssist.

That one call from her, and MedjetAssist dispatched one of their jets to Grand Junction Colorado, arranged with my doc in Libertyville, IL to have a surgeon here take over my case, arranged for ambulance service in Colorado and Illinois, and then moved me, under medical care to the hospital where my doc practised.

My bike was already on the back of a friend's truck, or they would have moved that too.

Altogether, under the circumstances, a great experience.

[Pat Carol]

I was stung by a hornet just before we hit the road when leaving the Missoula Rally. My epi-pen was no where to be found. I managed to ride into the Missoula Fire Department before all hell broke loose.
The hospital was just down the road. I rode the bike up to the ER doors and collapsed. I spent two nights in the hospital. The firefighters took care of my bike and made sure that my wife had a place to stay near the hospital.
Now one of the funny things at the hospital was the shot of Benadryl in the posterior. If you remember the moon-o-gram at the Missoula rally. I was the one with 'MO' in big black letters on my behind. The ER staff figured that I have a good sense of humor becuase of my occupation as a firefighter/medic. They managed to get most of the ER staff around to look at the lettering. I will never live that down.

Take Care
PC

[GregFeeler]

I was stung by a hornet just before we hit the road when leaving the Missoula Rally.

...snip...

Now one of the funny things at the hospital was the shot of Benadryl in the posterior. If you remember the moon-o-gram at the Missoula rally. I was the one with 'MO' in big black letters on my behind. The ER staff figured that I have a good sense of humor becuase of my occupation as a firefighter/medic. They managed to get most of the ER staff around to look at the lettering. I will never live that down.

Take Care
PC


HaHa! Sorry to hear about your hornet sting problem, but I was at that Missoula rally and clearly (well, thankfully not TOO clearly) remember the mooning incident. I'll bet they still talk about you at the Missoula hospital. :rofl