CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 ROGER KOSS
66th Military Intelligence Company, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Fort Hood, Texas

Whether it’s a convoy operation or a trip with your family, it’s always a good idea to perform a map or route reconnaissance. You’ll have the advantage of locating rest stops, places to fill up or, just maybe, possible road hazards. I didn’t do that during a winter ride from my home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Woodland Park, and it literally proved to be my downfall.

I opened my garage and rolled out my bike into a beautiful winter day, the snow around me capped by a dazzling blue sky. I looked over my bike, making sure I checked my lights, tire pressure and fuel just as I had been taught in my Motorcycle Safety Foundation training. I put on all the required personal protective equipment, to include a full-face helmet and a thick canvas riding jacket, and headed on my way.

My route would take me through Colorado Springs on Powers Boulevard and then onto Highway 24. There, I would exit and drive through Manitou Springs before getting back onto Highway 24, heading toward Woodland Park. 

The ride through Colorado Springs was uneventful until I reached the onramp for Highway 24. As in many other cities that experience heavy snow, crews spread a mixture of rock salt and gravel to help improve road conditions. When the ice and snow melt, the city sends out street sweepers to push the remaining gravel to the side of the road. Sometimes they don’t quite get it all. 

I started onto the on-ramp for Highway 24. It included a series of curves that went first to the right, then to the left and back to the right before merging onto the highway. I maneuvered into the curves the way I was taught in my MSF training — entering the first curve on the outside (away from the curve and near the line dividing the lanes) then cutting inside on the right and outside on the left curve — as I prepared to merge onto the highway. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out as planned.

As I leaned into the final curve, I noticed some gravel directly in my path. I tried to straighten up the bike and ride through it, but I didn’t have enough time. The rear tire suddenly slipped out from under me, sending my bike and me sliding down the pavement. Instead of being on top of the bike, however, I was on the bottom, cushioning the slide with my body! As I slid, I stuck out my right arm to keep my helmet from hitting the pavement.  

I was fortunate not to suffer a serious injury. My battle scars amounted to a section of road rash about the size of a quarter on my right elbow, along with some minor road rash on my right leg. Sticking out my right arm had saved my helmet from hitting the road, and I only suffered a very sore shoulder. Still, things could have been a lot worse, and I was grateful I wore my PPE that day.

Looking back, while I did a lot of things right that day, I made an assumption that later proved wrong. Because the roads were typically cleared of gravel, I let my guard down. I didn’t completely plan for all of the potential hazards in my environment. I assumed the roads would be cleared of gravel because they normally were. In my case, a route reconnaissance, at a minimum, would have helped me identify potential hazards and improved my situational awareness. The good news is that although my bike and I took a good beating, I walked away from this one with a lesson learned. Thanks to my PPE, I am still able to go out and enjoy the road. 

Take a few minutes to learn from my mistake. Plan for the hazards on your route before you hit the road. In the process, leave yourself a little extra margin for life’s little surprises.