"It happened so quick I thought I had hit a tree riding in a straight line," A motorcyclist who does not wish to be named said about hitting a doubled-up wire cable on a motorbike trail ride near Eden.
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The 29-year-old former Tathra man was left on the ground with a C4 spinal fracture, fractured ribs, a fractured pelvis and a broken elbow.
His bike was left suspended in the air, a tangled mess in the wires the experienced rider said he had no chance of seeing while riding the trail.
The rider said he was lucky to have been standing at the time, which prevented the wires hitting his neck.
"It's just an unfortunate circumstance, but I'm kind of glad it was me and not my mate behind me," he said.
"I've been riding a dirt bike long enough to know you can get seriously injured, and I always wear protective gear luckily, it will slow me down for a while, but I'll recover.
"The worst is being nine weeks away from becoming a dad for the first time. I've got a heavily pregnant wife I feel I need to take care of, but she's looking after me."
Read more: horror crash injures bike rider
The rider said it was just he and a mate riding the trails south of Eden on Saturday. They had been riding fire trails near a family property and were on their way home when they passed through the unoccupied and heavily vegetated block.
He said they had later found a sign indicating it was private land, but it was placed on the Princes Hwy side of the property and not the direction of the fire trail on which they were travelling.
"It's upsetting to see some people think I'm some obnoxious Canberra person terrorising the trails on the weekend.
"I've been riding around these areas for 20 years and been part of the cycling community that help built tracks around Tathra."
The man was placed in the ICU on Saturday night and required surgery on his arm, with family and friends facing a nervous wait on his condition.
However, by Wednesday the rider said he had been released from the South East Regional Hospital and was recovering locally with family.
"With the injury to my back, they don't want me travelling - I run quite a busy small business, but I can't drive or use the tools, so I'll have to try and manage that from the phone.
"The main thing is that no-one died, it is what it is."
The rider said he bears no ill will to the person who placed the wires, but is encouraging motorbike riders to be aware of the dangers and encouraging property owners to employ safer measures to secure their properties.
"Wire between trees is far too dangerous for anyone in any vehicle'".
"A motorbike rider in full kit can look pretty intimidating, but there really isn't a divide between them and the people who don't like bike riders," he said.
"I love camping, the bush, nature and I love people. It's just a shame some people who don't like motorbikes don't stop to think the guy could have a family."
Jacob McMaster
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
I am passionate about amplifying people's stories and trying to do them justice in the written word. I find pressure washing videos soothing. email me jacob.mcmaster@austcommunitymedia.com.au or 0406 212 845.
