Photos By Loy Norrix via iPhone

Matt Olsen is home in South Dakota, recuperating from his wounds as I write this. I’ve seen the video of his crash, and the subsequent care that Jeff Decker, film and press crews administered afterwards. Bean’re provided the first care he received, and Jeff Decker was tender and wonderful, cleaning Matt up and chattering to keep him calm and to let him know he was with people who care. We’re all grateful the crew was right behind him when he went down and were able to help him so quickly.

What the general public may not be aware of is the fact that we have sweep vehicles following along behind our riders. Some riders have their own backup crews. In addition, the Cannonball has side car riders following along to assist with fuel, repairs, tools and the like, or to pick up a wounded or tired motorcycle if repairs are unsuccessful or out of the question. We’re in communication with the back up and sweep crews, and organized so that a rider is never stranded.

After Matt’s surgery, I was talking to his father Carl and he was telling me that he would be back to continue the Cannonball himself. It’s what Matt wants him to do. Actually, Matt insisted, which surprises no one. As a matter of fact, most believe we will roll up to the Santa Monica pier to see Matt already there, grinning and shaking his head, cast intact.

As I spoke to Carl, he took the opportunity to talk about how much he believes what we’re all doing to be a truly wonderful thing. The brotherhood of men and women who have joined each other for this amazing adventure is what he spoke of. He mentioned the way everyone has supported one another through the frustration, cheered each other’s accomplishments, and felt each other’s disappointments. He expressed awe at the extent to which all the riders have been willing to go in order to help their fellow Cannonballer. He spoke of respect.

Carl also took the time to discuss something else that weighs on all our minds. Safety. While Matt’s accident was due to road conditions, something each and every rider focuses on, there are many other scenarios that pose a real danger to the vintage riders. These machines are inherently special and carry with them their own set of hazards. Perfect example is the pedal, which gets to spinning around pretty fast while rolling down the road. One slight error or movement, an off camber or left lean, can send that pedal slicing into the rider’s leg. Riders have to be alert and aware of many things while riding a vintage motorcycle.

Another topic was the danger that drivers pose. Cars are constantly making left turns in front of bikers. When a driver does this to a vintage rider, the potential for real disaster is glaring. These ancient machines have little braking power as it is. Put that power to the test in an emergency situation and things get interesting. And not in a good way. Carl said, “Drivers need to know to give these bikes a wide path. They need room to navigate and move. We need to let them know to stay back and respect these machines”. We at the Motorcycle cannonball agree. Let’s just hope they’re all listening.

Katrin Boehner, the German woman who dominated the number one position of the Motorcycle Cannonball Run for the first two days of this exciting event, is quite the inspiration for her fellow riders. Katrin and her husband, Dieter Echel, have brought a quiet grace and air of sophistication to this cross-country adventure. Riding her 1907 JAP motorcycle, Katrin has the distinction of riding the oldest bike in the event.

Fellow Cannonballers have been impressed with the tiny lady with the English single speed motorcycle which has no clutch, is gear driven, and requires running along side in order to get started. The entire process is like a perfectly choreographed dance, and the grace and elegance required to perform said dance, even in the middle of traffic and on inclines, is a sight that leaves riders awe-struck.

For Immediate Release: MATT OLSEN OUT OF THE MOTORCYCLE CANNONBALL LINE UP

Scottsboro, AL~September 14, 2010 – Matt Olsen, Motorcycle Cannonball rider #85, has crashed his motorcycle while riding the Stage 5 section of the historical shore-to-shore run that is on day 5 of the 17 day adventure.

According to Matt’s father, Carl Olsen who is also a rider in the rally, the younger Olsen hit a pothole in the road and went into a shimmy on his 1913 Sears. Olsen had almost straightened his machine out when the wobble turned into a tank slapper and Matt went over the handlebars. His left forearm is broken in both bones, requiring surgery that his father reports he came through very well. Matt is in a cast which will immobilize his arm and wrist for the 6 weeks required to allow the bones to heal correctly. In addition to the arm, Olsen also has numerous face cuts and a “slightly broken nose,” but prognosis is good and there is expected to be no permanent damage. Olsen will fly home from Huntsville, AL to Aberdeen, SD tomorrow afternoon.

Maggie Valley to Chattanooga

What a beautiful day. And I don’t just mean the weather. If one could hand pick the perfect riding conditions, the list of requirements would include things like scenery, road conditions, traffic, riding companions, and machine performance. For this leg of the trip, all those items were absolutely magical.

Which is not to say there were no mishaps or conditions that caused some grief. Pete Young’s Premier got a flat tire. Jon Szalay’s belt broke. Some of us had a navigation problem and lots of u-turns were executed, but at the end of the day, as all sat comfortably dining in the Coker Tires Museum in Chattanooga, TN, all those inconveniences were washed away. Warm conversation, good food and companionship was the platform for the evening.