The Length of Japan on Bike: DAY 29: Kyuu-kyuu sha irimasuka?

The Bad Mountain:

Hakone, I was warned about this place long ago. This name has played over and over in my mind as I journeyed south. I forgot what it was, where it was, or who told me about it. But today I got my answer. It is a mountain, a bad bad mountain. And it was Yui, the girl who did the same trip as me in reverse, who told me about it back in Hokkaido, Day 3.

The mountain is steep; and climbing it is exhausting. But this is not what this day is about. Hakone is beaten, a worthy mountain indeed. The worst one yet, filled with curvy roads full of blind spots, steep drops, and even small snakes. As I slowly climb the constant incline while cursing the empty streets for never going in any direction but up, I eventually find myself gaining some momentum as the incline turns to a steep decline. Ah….downhill finally.

I gain speed, and I am back on schedule. Just in time too…the sun will disappear in an hour or so. A straight empty road is in front of me, and I ride down like a pro. We are in the country side. Mighty Fuji-San (Mount Fuji) is in the background, with her top hidden in the clouds, massive, like an endless wall of earth reaching out to heaven.

Straight and straight. Then left. I am tired. Hakone destroyed me earlier. I need all the momentum I can get to get through this day and to Natalie, my couchsurfing host for the night. But….here is where life took a much unexpected turn.

Emergency:

As I turn left, I notice a small tree sticking out into the road. Its tiny but numerous leafless branches are incredibly thick. I turn but my bike keeps going.

“The branches. The branches. The branches!” I say to myself.

Too late. I go right through it. I raise my left arm by instinct to shield my face. I should have just put my head down and let my helmet do the work.

I lose control and am airborne, the road slopes down and I hit the ground with my head. Safe….fortunately, thanks to my helmet. I roll and I am airborne again. Second hit to the ground. This time I fall on my shoulder with all my weight.

A sound………………..CRACK.

My mind………. “We broke”

I realize this is no ordinary fall. Third roll, and I extend my arms and legs out to slow my descent and stop myself from flipping a fourth time. I do so at the expense of my skin which scrapes against the hard uneven surface of the asphalt. I find myself stopped about twenty feet from the initial fall.

My bike is another ten feet down the street from me, upside-down in a ditch. I realize that my front bag opened during the fall and all my belongings cover the empty country road.

I can’t breathe. One second. Two seconds….Three. My lungs recover from the shock and I inhale. I get up but fall to the ground as an excruciating pain under my neck’s right side brings me to the floor. I know what I broke.

I look for my phone but can barely move. I am worried about my neck as you should never move after an accident. So I stop and wait.

A car passes and I wave him down. “Kyuu-kyuu sha irimaska?” the drivers asks with a worried look.

I say no at first, I do not need an ambulance…. but as a few workers from a nearby factory come to my rescue, I realize this is it. I need to go to the hospital. I am in bad shape.

Manuel and Sabo are two Peruvian immigrants who are fortunately able to translate my imperfect Spanish into Japanese. I call Natalie and ask her if she can come to the hospital as I don’t know anyone else.

The two Peruvians ride with me in the ambulance. At the hospital X-rays are taken of my upper body. Natalie enters the X-Ray room. “Nice to meet you” I say jokingly as I am sitting while getting examined, shirtless and pants-less. She laughs and says “Welcome to Fuji-City”.

I am feeling much safer now that I am in the hospital.

Prognosis:

The doctor shows me that I have broken my collar bone. That is it, it's over. No more bike adventures, no more tents, no more traveling. No more nothing. The doctor tells me I need three weeks of rest to recuperate. That is when the pain leaves, but more time is needed for complete healing. Luckily, I don't need an operation as it will heal itself.

I stink from riding all day and I joke with the nurses, doctor and Natalie. The Peruvians leave and I thank them. My guardian angels from outside of Lima. I keep laughing with my newfound friend and medical staff. I don’t care that I broke something. I am alive. All will heal with time….but the important thing is I am still here, alive and kicking, to see another sunrise. I enjoy my time in the hospital, as much as one can in such conditions.

Safely Resting:

I am now resting at Natalie’s place. I don’t know what I would have done without her. What if I knew no one here? What if I hurt my neck, or back or head? Things could have gone a lot worse.

I am lying on my bed, unable to move without feeling pain. I am covered in scratches and roadrash on my legs and arms. A strap is tightly and uncomfortably wrapped around my chest to keep the bone from moving out of place. I could not even put a shirt on by myself. I have gone from totally invincible and independent, fighting the winds, rain, and darkness to this. Completely useless.

As I stare at the ceiling, I think how fragile life is and how my adventures in Japan are probably over. I worry about telling my parents tomorrow. I worry I will never reach Cape Sata. I don’t care about much else. But as I fall asleep I think of all the ways that I can fix this situation and suddenly I feel happy. However it will go….I am one lucky guy for all that I have seen already and for all that I will see. I am alive...........fuck yeah.

95km...and 1 broken collar bone