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Motorcycle Safety and Awareness
Welcome to think bike, the podcast about all things motorcycle and the voice of motorcycle safety and awareness in Alberta. Your host is Liane Langlois.
Liane:Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of ThinkBike. I have a long time ago guest on the show back again, but for different reasons. Adam Calver, who's also a director of AMSS and owner of Head on First Aid, rejoined Sync Bike after a few years of a little bit of an absence. How are you doing, Adam?
Adam:Not too bad. How are you today?
Liane:I'm pretty good. Welcome back to the show. It's been a it's been a couple of years since we've had you on. So how about we remind everybody who you are and what got you into riding?
Adam:Yeah. So I guess I was kind of a late bloomer. I started in I took the TUCO course in 2014. That's technically when I started riding. So I don't know how many years ago that was now, but I think in my thirties somewhat, I was working away in fiery mess at the time and had these gaps in our our shifts when I would come home and finally got into riding.
Adam:So, yeah, did the course and kinda went from there. So
Liane:And what is, or where are some of your favorite places to ride?
Adam:Yeah. It's probably similar to you with the ride through Nelson type thing. Slocan Valley, been through Caslow, many similar areas. I went out to on my well, I had to see here at the time. I went out to visit my wife.
Adam:She was doing some schooling in Victoria, and I actually rode out to Vancouver Island. So I headed out to Port Renfrew and back, that funny little road that kinda ends, and there's a, like, marine gas station I had to fill up. But yeah. And then currently, well, leading up to the story now, but kind of the adventure riding segment, which has kind of blown up the last couple of years for a lot of different people and and the industry. So, yeah, it's kinda went through the sport bike phase, had a little bit dial back 600 cc Yamaha, I think, type thing when I started.
Adam:That's something like an r six at the time, but then went through a couple different phases. I had a CBR thousand, f seven zero nine, a Yamaha for a bit, and a NC seven fifty, which is kind of a dial back kinda sporty Honda thing that I put knobbly tires on, which is funny. So I I took that on kind of a couple of trunk roads a few times. But and then and then currently, up until when I got my crash, which we'll get to now, but I had a Honda TransAlp one of the newer ones. So, yeah, so I'm kind of bike less right now, which is
Liane:Well, just for now. But okay. So let's get into this because we've alluded to why you're here. You had an incident last summer. And first just tell me about just that day, what was the decision for that day to go out?
Liane:Like where were you going? What was the plan?
Adam:Yeah, so this is a couple of riding buddies, few from work, one's retired now. We all kind of have adventure bikes. A couple had the KTMs. One had one of those Nordens. I had a TransAlp.
Adam:So there's a four of us that day. And we've done this route before. It's if anyone's kinda around the area, it's a first trunk road. Kinda you can basically take the 40 all the way up to around Nordegg, and then it continues on in different roads up and down, then all the way down to Crossroads Pass if you want on gravel. So it kinda cuts in and out.
Adam:It's become a popular road. It did a rally, and that's still ongoing in Rocky Mountain House. They do it every year. But you kinda go in and out the 40 throughout, I guess, north to South of Alberta. So it was a regular ride.
Adam:We've done it many times, and it was going we were kinda went all the way up and then turned around on Berberi. There's a little saloon that's, like, 100 years old or something like that. And then we came back down we're coming back down. That was around later in the day around six or so. Kinda wiggles down by Panther Mountain Air.
Adam:If you kinda know there's lodging and camping by the river, all come across this cool little bridge. And yeah. So it's we've done it many times before, but this ended up being a not regular time, I guess.
Liane:It ended up being a little different. So what do you remember happening or what did they have to tell you happened?
Adam:Yeah. So going kinda close notes through the events. So we were just going from what I understood, we're coming down the hill, kinda parallels the river. It's really nice view if you're coming up the road, but we're going down towards the bridge. And so from what I recollect so there's four of us.
Adam:I was riding second. I wasn't told basically till after, but there's a low visibility of the truck and trailer that kind of went by. And whether I moved over or moved over along too much, I'm guessing I hit some squishy gravel and then kinda went into the ditch. So I I was kinda told that after, but I didn't know because I basically concussed before and after. And we'll get more into gear and that kind of stuff.
Adam:But I just remember the last thing I remember is kinda waking in up of a ditch on my knees, and then it was kinda shoddy from that. It was, like, off and on. I remember vaguely being moved into passerby's truck, and he kinda they kinda put me into the truck. And as a means to kinda get me closer to help type thing. I didn't know at the time, but my buddies I was with, so I was using I actually had a Garmin in each I always carry.
Adam:So they grabbed that, and they they basically pinged it to Garmin, which got them kind of rolling on the Garmin communication side. So in the meantime, they put me in a passerby's truck and went down the hill across the bridge. And then at that point, I vaguely remember there's a conservation officer. They must have alluded that I was in the area through government and emergency services. And from there, he actually took the MDC, which we sell through EMSS, and and he made a second call.
Adam:He took the information off my helmet, and he my wife as well. In the meantime, on the back end, Garmin already contacted them or contacted her and my brother to say, you know, something was up. And it was me. They verify that. It was another buddy, a passerby type thing.
Adam:They they verify that it's that person that was in the accident. So yeah.
Liane:So basically where the incident happened, there was no cell coverage. Right? Like, you wouldn't have been able to use a regular cell phone to call for help.
Adam:And one of my buddies, I think I think briefly, it might have gone in and out of coverage because he actually called my wife again with an update with his with his phone, then I was conscious breathing. And then at that point, I was in the ambulance, and then it I was kinda on the road to they made the decision as a precaution to bypass Sundry, which we're closer to fire police firing a mess. And then they brought me to hotels as a trauma center into Calgary. So and then they did all the tests and all the stuff there. So.
Liane:But the Garmin kind of was a key point for being out in the middle of like nowhere.
Adam:Yeah, exactly. And if you kind of roughly know how it works, it's an amazing system. You buy the actual device, which is x number of dollars to, like, dollars, and then you pay some subscription like a lot of things now, which is mine is, like, $15 a month or something. But, basically, you you buy into that system, and then they from that, when you ping it, you activate it with the SOS. Whether you have it set up with your GPS or your cell phone.
Adam:You can message that kind of thing. Some of the newer ones, you can message directly. But from there, you basically sends them a message, and then they they confirm. And then it was it was pretty slick. So in the meantime, when they put me in the truck and went down the hill by the river, police for EMS basically went to that exact spot on the the ping where the location the coordinates were.
Adam:So there's Garmin, Zolleo. There's I know it's starting to slowly come into actual cell phones now. IPhone, like, has a system with satellites, that kind of thing. Yeah. But yeah.
Adam:So it's it's quite the system, and I I recommend that for anybody, let alone anyone that's riding. Fortunately, like, for me, peace of mind is I always ride with people. And then this was a perfect example. Like, even if I was on my own and I had the gear and the Garmin and all that kind of things, I was so out of it. I was basically concussed.
Adam:I remember before and after, and I vaguely remember pieces of getting in the truck and then the ambulance and then off and on conscious to the actual hospital. So if you're on your own, that's great to have the device and means to help yourself, I guess.
Liane:Well, and at bare minimum, a medical data carrier on your helmet. Like Yeah. Exactly. If you don't have the ability to communicate, that's gonna speak for you as well. How did they know that they could move you into a truck?
Liane:Like, were your what kind of injuries did you have that made them go, it's okay to move him?
Adam:So I kind of probably didn't know at the time. I did a bit of a sick ranting, so it exposed. I know you can zip your pants and jacket, that kind of thing on some gear, but I did a bit of a Superman to protect myself at some point. And I actually got a road rash on the right kinda hip.
Liane:So Is that because your fancy climb suit wasn't zipped together?
Adam:Yeah. Exactly. And then the piece that was kinda ripped off because my road rash was under kinda cooling shirt that they have. Yeah. Different components or materials.
Adam:But but I I think the decision was made because I I was kinda on my knees and I could get up and I was mobile and being able to kinda somewhat walk even though I was in and out of conscious and kind of figuring out what was going on. I I don't think it was and somewhat maybe shocked too. I know I talked to a couple of the buddies that were with me, and it's it's quite a thing. Right? So the number three, the person behind me came down the hill, and then there was this big dust ball, and then I was in the ditch, like, 30 feet from my bike.
Adam:Right? So to see somebody, let alone, like, that you know who we're riding with, but then injured, and then you don't know if they're dead or, like, what's what the state of them is. Right? So I think but but the guys I work with and the guys I'm riding with, pretty common collected in general as there's been, like, oh, this guy just came off spike. Right?
Adam:So so so I think, yeah, at the end of the day, you'd I guess everyone makes different decisions, but I think the decision that I was walking around in house mobile was I I found out later I had is, like, a big hematoma across my back, kinda where the I guess, the technical terms, like your tailbone, your sacrum kind of area. I still have roughly that. And then, fortunately, again, the gear, the internal components of protection and the helmet, that kind of thing and the material that the actual gear is reduced my injuries if not, you know, a lot worse. So
Liane:Let's let's talk a little bit about that because you were kind enough at the January bike show to bring your helmet and put it on display to demonstrate what is inside your helmet that you had on isn't necessarily the same as the standard Styrofoam in other helmets. What what's special about yours?
Adam:Yeah. There's a lot of great brands out there. You see a Rai, Shoei, Klim, the Krios Pro. So they they get up there, but you basically pay for the kind of the technology. Right?
Adam:So mine has a cord. So you look in the helmet and the top of it, it looks like little green straws. And, essentially, this is supposed to be more impact resistant, like, more direct on. Whereas you see in the some of the helmets has a little yellow dot with MIPS. That's, like, kinda more rotational.
Adam:So this and checking over the helmet, if you kinda look at it, if you saw that the show or I'll have it around the next few years, I'm sure. But it kinda grazed. So whatever happened when I kinda ragged all into the ditch or whatever, it kinda grazed and kinda bumped along the side. And I couldn't see any impact to where it actually crushed that component because it's supposed to be, like, 40% stronger, whatever. Like, it's as opposed to, like, a regular kinda yep.
Adam:Like, a white styrofoam. So, yeah, there's a lot of these cool technologies. The funny thing is Corrory actually got bought by MIPS, so they're part of that kind of bigger brand. But I was saying a lot of people at the show, it's kinda cool to see these technologies evolve because now that they own that brand so maybe down the road you get like a MIPS and a CORORAY kind of combination that's just gonna help the rider in that, right? Like you're combining or moving along and using these technologies in the future to improve safety, right?
Liane:Absolutely. So what are you taking from this experience? Because I know one of the things that we talked about after this had happened was like, you are the owner of Head on First Aid, which teaches first aid courses with a motorcycle first aid component to it and it is a full first aid course, fully licensed. It's like one or two days. It's the proper first aid course that we prefer people to take the full course and not just like one hour snippets type of things.
Liane:But you're going to evolve head on first aid a little bit with this because of your experience. What are you considering doing?
Adam:Yeah, really like kind of what we just talked about. Some of the because essentially it either reduced my injuries or saved my life, some of the technologies in the gear. So there's like D3O is another one that squishy kind of orange stuff you see advertised that kinda hardens on impact. So and then the actual material of the gear, the Coroid, and the mix we just talked about. I know Klims actually has a proprietary new Road Armor.
Adam:They developed their own for the new gear they just rolled out. So I'm gonna kinda evolve it, not only to the first stage, and then I have those little mini motor kits that you can kinda put in your bag or penny or whatever. But to evolve it and maybe have short videos or add it into a course or whatever to kinda explain to people. Again, it's not only using or getting into the proper gear or better gear, but then safety technologies that are kinda wrapped into it too. Right?
Adam:So
Liane:we're gonna obviously we'll partner on some of this and make sure we're sharing your content out about that on the AMSS platforms as well, because it is very much a safety factor. What is what's the biggest thing you learned from this experience?
Adam:Yeah. What I what I learned, it's it's kinda the last, I guess, know, six months or so. It kinda goes around your head. Like, could I have done something different? Could I change, like, the day?
Adam:We we went back down the road or back down the gravel road, maybe went down the road the road road or, I guess, asphalt back to Calgary. Maybe, like, personally myself, I wanna do a refresher and actually go do some more training, do more of an off road training, just to kinda build on the components of that I learned years and years ago, I guess, now it's too cool, in some of the motorcycle schools to kind of build upon that knowledge for myself, not only to be a better rider, but to be safer and to avoid situations or mitigate situations. So I'm I'm not too sure even if I was a better little bit better rider or had more skills, I could have avoided what happens because I don't know honestly what happens. Like, if you had squishy gravel on a vehicle or motorbike or whatever, which I'm thinking what happens, you it kinda pulls you and it does certain things. Right?
Adam:So I don't know. But as for me as a rider, like, I've talked with my wife, and I'm taking the year off and kinda going back to Square 1 and researching researching different bikes and going through the pieces and made some really good connections to the bike show and talking about people, again, wearing gear and kind of my story just to kinda keep evolving. Right? So not only myself, you're always updating things in your course and whatever you're talking about, but then also as a writer too. Right?
Adam:Evolving more more training and more you know, for the next writer, like, I have a couple people in my circle that are newer riders and getting into the sport, that kind of thing. Right? So you're trying to always build upon yourself, but then also in the community and learning from others too.
Liane:Yeah, absolutely. And I think I I'm pretty sure Too Cool Motorcycle School does at least one off road course a year. Yep. Are you thinking of signing up for that with Trev?
Adam:Yeah. So they have and it sounds like they're kind of evolving a couple different courses and then up in Edmonton with what is it?
Liane:Moto Instincts.
Adam:Moto Instincts. Kinda having some different options and things to build upon. I know there's some, there's I think it's called OA and there's one at the Duraparks are at the show in Victoria. They're based out of so there's some specific ones you can kinda get into and build upon your skills, and they have different levels too that you build upon as you go through different scenarios and different you kind of build upon this on yourself. Right?
Adam:So but yeah. So it's it's it's been kind of a shocker getting it's kinda practice what you preach because we've always been about. We kinda connected years ago at the twenty twenty show and kicked it off from there. And all gear all the time, which was always good thing, and I've always trying to be proactive with that. We're in good gear and and we're knowing what's involved in the gear, that kind of thing.
Adam:But yeah. It's
Liane:Climb is your brand. Yeah.
Adam:No. I it's funny. Out of the that show, I kinda became an ambassador of everything. So I I talk about it a lot and kinda I'm always, like, geeking out on the new, like, videos on technologies that kinda suck. Right?
Adam:So but there are other great brands out there. I know Alpinestar's in the site, now Revit's out there. Lee, it's gotten big the last few years. I was one of the things I would change was my boots. They're a tall adventure boot, but they had more flexion than they wanted front and back.
Adam:So it's it's great to have a tall boot to protect you if something happens or you fall over that type type thing. But then I actually get the twisting and turning of your ankle. So I've actually moved into I'm waiting on them now as more of a motocross style, I guess, type of adventure boot that protects you side to side and then front to back as well from from moving too much. So
Liane:I know it's hard to kinda guess how someone else feels about something, but I'll ask you anyway. How was this whole experience for your wife? Like when we're looking at, when we're telling these stories and there's, you know, those writers out there, it's like, you know, I died doing what I love doing or you know, whatever. And they don't really think of like how that impacts the loved ones and friends in their life. Like what was the impact for your wife?
Liane:Because she's amazing. We'll just start with that.
Adam:Yeah. So it's that's kinda the other conversation that you don't really think about too is what happens to the loved ones or, like, your partner when something happens. Right? So we talked earlier about the Garmin, but so when initially it pings, you know, they called her and my brother, but then there was a bit of a delay even that day, like, about an hour until they got an update of what's happened. It's like, oh, what are his injuries?
Adam:What happened? Like, is he dead? Like, well, like, kinda all the different scenarios. Right? So it's and then it's not only that of the day, going to the hospital and like, she got a ride to the hospital with my brother and girlfriend because they're close by and because it impacts you.
Adam:Right? Like, to you know, like, oh, like, what am I gonna think when I walk in there and see this person? I really fortunately, I didn't have any injuries. Again, back to the year and the I just had a sprain strain of my left ankle, funny enough. Everything else was on the right side.
Adam:But but then actually going through the paces afterwards too, gone through physio, and I had to I was doing chiropractor and massage and, like, all those things over the up until now, I can just finish physio, and then I'll continue my stretches and everything throughout the season. That's kind of my goal is to get more fit, get some more training, that kind of thing. Move throughout this season and then into next around this time towards, like, a new bike or whatever. But then taking care of that person too. Right?
Adam:So it's the the week after, it's like I had a bit of road rash on my side. It's like, oh, you gotta spray this little thing and, like, scrub it and, like, clean it up and bandage it. And, you know, I never envy people that have more road rash or burns, that type of thing, like, bigger kind of wounds or areas. But, yeah, there's definitely an impact that you don't think about. You're like, oh, I'm just gonna go on a ride for a day with the buddies or whoever, and then and then something happens.
Adam:Right? So.
Liane:Is she nervous about you getting back on a bike?
Adam:Somewhat, but we had we had some good jobs and it's and it was more like, you know, kinda going back to square one. And for for me, I decode on researching the bikes and things.
Liane:But on
Adam:the other side, getting more fitness and training and building upon the skills I already have. So yeah, the
Liane:end of day though, Adam, you like did everything right. Like you had all the gear, you had your fundamentals, you had your buddies with you, you had your GPS. Like you did everything right. Something still happened. You came out of it relatively unscathed.
Adam:You
Liane:know? And it's just, it's life. Things can happen, but you set yourself up for success.
Adam:Yeah. And we always in the organization, and since I joined, like it's always again, we always go back to the gear, take the training, like there's only so much we can get for analytics and like, oh, did that person take training or something happened or they got asked or whatever. But but being prepared the best like, you're saying, the best the best way you could for that day, like, you're wearing all the proper gear, higher boots. Some people wear, like, hiking boots or just proper there's a lot of weird kinda things out there, like helmets that are DOT, but it's, like, a $100 helmet. And just, like, what, like, is this stuff that that people are wearing?
Adam:Right? To and I understand. I was there too. Like, I think I some of my first gear was kinda the lower end. It was like a 4 or $500 helmet, but then you kinda evolve.
Adam:Right? And you learn about the technology. And then that when you're on the safety side of it, you're like, oh, I'll spend x $100 more because that's my head. And I I did have a bit of a a hematoma in the right side of my head that day or after that day, but the helmet saved me. Like, it didn't break.
Adam:It didn't shatter. It's the components inside didn't didn't break up or whatever. So, yeah, it's definitely back to, again, practice where we preach, right? Like you there's all sorts of different types of gear and vests and wearing a t shirt or flip flops and all the all the crazy things you see, but just wearing the proper components out there.
Liane:Absolutely. If anybody wanted to learn more about Head On First Aid, the first aid kits that you sell your courses and stuff like that, what is your website?
Adam:Yep, it's www.headonfirstaid,all1word,.com. And I'm on all socials. It's headonfirstaid. I think I'm even on Blue Sky, which I don't really use, but
Liane:Me either.
Adam:And then Instagram, Facebook, all those things, see me. I'm actually promoted and like, a lot of the people have seen the kits, but I'm actually kinda sponsoring some people and events. So one is Craig Glueck. He's an adventure, but he's doing the TCAT, like an off road thing through Canada this year. So that's kind of a cool thing to be a part of.
Adam:And
Liane:Mhmm.
Adam:And then there's some other charities in, like, North Vancouver. I do for Mintzels. Let's get lost find yourself, which is great with Chris Kritamoto. But yeah. And then being again, you get kinda in the community, you meet people from different dealers, different organizations, and you try to make the best impact you can.
Adam:Right? But at the end of the day, everyone wants to be safe, and everyone wants to be prepared for their next drive.
Liane:Adam, thank you so much for coming on to talk about your incident last year. I know we talked about it pretty much right after it happened and decided to wait till this year to get you on the podcast to give you some breathing room between it. But I do appreciate you wanting to share your story and I look forward to seeing everything that you're gonna evolve with head on first aid.
Adam:Perfect. Thank you. Thanks for having me again, and I look forward to the next, Zinc Bite podcast throughout the year.
Liane:Sounds good. Alright, everybody. Hang tight for the mailbag. On today's mailbag question is how many bikes can leave a stop sign at one time? The Alberta Traffic Safety Act states that two vehicles cannot occupy the same lane at the same time.
Liane:This means that coming to a stop sign, technically two motorcycles cannot be side by side. However, if the second bike is right at the back tire of the first bike staggered, they are legally within three meters or 10 feet of the stop sign and considered stopped and therefore can leave the stop sign with the first motorcycle. And that's it for another episode of Think Bike hosted by me, Leanne Langlois, produced by Brynn Griffiths at Mighty Mouth Communications. If you have an idea or a question for the show, reach out to info@ab-amss.org or find us on all the socials. Always remember to ride smart, ride safe, and think bike.
Liane:We'll see you out on the road.