We Survive A Terrible Accident… (GA125)

Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends.
Because we have 4,000+ postings, I’ve invited her to continue posting entries on this blog.

I’m currently in my 22nd year of full-time RVing and my lifestyle is changing, For more info click Here

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The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails RV Resort in La Connor, Washington. I’ll depart here July 24th.

 

 

Since my RVing life is changing (see above), I’m starting to re-visit previously visited places. So rather than constantly re-blogging past entries, I’ve decided to do something different.

 

 

In 2011-2013, Mary and I did a 682 day, 12,679 miles in the motorhome and 8,000 miles in the Bronco, circumnavigation of the United States, which I called The Great Adventure. I called it so because other than my oldest granddaughter’s high school graduation in June in Connecticut, I didn’t know where we would be going or when we would be there!

 

 

So, unless I do something really different and unusual warranting a new blog entry, I’ll be posting entries from that trip.

 

 

 

This entry was posted May 28, 2012…

 

 

 

Yesterday Mary and I started the day with 11 other passengers to sight-see Canyon de Chelly in remote northeastern Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

 

 

 

 

 

This is how it started…

 

 

 

 

 

This is how it ended…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because the area is so remote, it took three hours after the accident before the first helicopter arrived.

 

 

The score…

1 – dead at scene,

4 – level 1 – critical – airlifted to Flagstaff for emergency surgery,

4 – level 2 – non critical – (I’m in this group) helicoptered from canyon floor to overlook parking (about 1,000 feet up) for 20 mile ambulance ride to Chinle, Arizona Medical Center. Received cat scan. I suffered no broken bones or internal injuries, but I took a real hard hit on my right-side rib cage and am experiencing frequent, sharp stabbing-like pains in that area. The doctor says that it is caused by gas bubbles in my intestines and can not do anything for the pain, but to let time take its course. I hurt from head to toe and am moving very slowly.

 

 

Mary  suffered general bumps and bruises and also hurts from head to toe and moving very slowly.

 

 

More info in days to follow.

 

 

No phone calls, please. Email only if you care to write.

 

 

 

TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! MARY WROTE A MANY GREAT BLOGS…SO WHENEVER SHE PUBLISHED A BLOG POSTING THE SAME DAY THAT I DID…YOU WILL BE ABLE TO READ HER BLOG BY CLICKING THE BELOW LINK! DO IT NOW…!!!

Mary did not publish a blog posting on this date.

 

 

 

 

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PHOTOS.

 Forecast for today is sunny and 68 degrees.

Enjoying nice weather is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Washington. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

 

 

 

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures with low humidity most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

My current travel rig is a 2006 Fleetwood 26′ Class A Motorhome and a towed 1986 Ford Bronco II, Eddie Bauer Model. This photo was taken in the desert at Slab City near Niland, California…

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you would like to see my YouTube videos, click this link… http://www.youtube.com/user/JimJ1579/videos

There are more than 700 photo albums in my Picasa Web Albums File. To gain access, you simply have to click this link… https://get.google.com/albumarchive/110455945462646142273?source=pwa

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

For more information about my books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

All original works copyrighted – Jim Jaillet -2017

Five Years Ago Today We Survived A Terrible Accident…

Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends.
Because we have 4,000+ postings, I’ve invited her to continue posting entries on this blog.

---

The motorhome is parked at VFW Post #9650 in Anderson, California. I’ll be here until May 30th.

 

 

 

Five years ago today, Memorial Day was on May 27, 2012. A day I would prefer not to remember…

 

 

 

This first photo shows the scene of the accident in the very remote corner of northeast Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. It took rescuers more than an hour to dig all people trapped under the truck. Because of the remoteness of the area, it was more than three hours before the arrival of the first rescue helicopters…

 

 

 

 

 

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took this second photo while trapped under the truck. A body can be seen caught between the seats. Because of the shock impact of the landing and dirt, my camera lens is only partially open. It stopped working completely shortly thereafter. The floor of the truck is now over my head…

 

 

If you are not familiar with the details regarding the accident, you can read all about it by clicking this link… http://wp.me/pDCku-4HZ

 

Five years later we are still dealing with the after-effects. In my case, I continue having a constant, mild burning in my right rib age area. It does not go away…it’s there to remind me every day.

 

Originally we thought that I was the more injured of Mary and myself. But time has proven that Mary was more injured than myself. Since the accident she has been seeing a myriad of doctors for a variety of issues. We are now uncertain how many of her ailments are from the accident or just plain old age.  🙂

 

I’m not one to live in the past, but this accident was a very emotional, physical, mental and psychological trauma event. One person died at the scene and several others were severely and critically injured. It’s a happening not easily forgotten.

 

Yesterday was sunny and 81 degrees. Forecast for today is sunny and 90 degrees.

Enjoying nice weather is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of California. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures with low humidity most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

My current travel rig is a 2006 Fleetwood 26′ Class A Motorhome and a towed 1986 Ford Bronco II, Eddie Bauer Model. This photo was taken in the desert at Slab City near Niland, California…

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you would like to see my YouTube videos, click this link… http://www.youtube.com/user/JimJ1579/videos

There are more than 600 photo albums in my Picasa Web Albums File. To gain access, you simply have to click this link… https://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

For more information about my books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

All original works copyrighted – Jim Jaillet 2017

Three Years Ago Today We Survive A Terrible Accident…

The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails South Jetty RV Resort in Florence, Oregon. I’ve been here several times before. I plan to depart from here June 5th. I’ll slow my pace and spend the rest of May and most of June along the Oregon coast. Then into the State of Washington for the summer.

Mary is dealing with her over-flowing to-do list plate which can only be handled by herself. I’m hoping she will be able to rejoin me sometime after July 4th.

Three years ago today, Memorial Day was on May 27, 2012. A day I would prefer not to remember…

This first photo shows the scene of the accident in the very remote corner of northeast Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. It took rescuers more than an hour to dig all people trapped under the truck. Because of the remoteness of the area, it was more than three hours before the arrival of the first rescue helicopters…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

I took this second photo while trapped under the truck. A body can be seen caught between the seats. Because of the shock impact of the landing and dirt, my camera lens is only partially open. It stopped working completely shortly thereafter. The floor of the truck is now over my head…

If you are not familiar with the details regarding the accident, you can read all about it by clicking this link… http://wp.me/pDCku-4HZ

Three years later we are still dealing with the after-effects. In my case, I continue having a constant, mild burning in my right rib age area. It does not go away…it’s there to remind me every day.

Originally we thought that I was the more injured of Mary and myself. But time has proven that Mary was more injured than myself. Since the accident she has been seeing a myriad of doctors for a variety of issues. She is now visiting doctors on a somewhat regular basis…she is not certain how many are attributable to the accident. At last report she has accumulated more than $95,000 in doctor/medical bills directly related to the accident. Fortunately most of this amount was covered by her medical insurances. Not long ago, she told me that she was finally starting to feel better once again.

I’m not one to live in the past, but this accident was a very emotional, physical, mental and psychological trauma event. One person died at the scene and several others were severely and critically injured. It’s a happening not easily forgotten.

Yesterday was a cloudy/sunny day at 63 degrees. Forecast for today is cloudy/sunny and 61 degrees.

Enjoying nice weather is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Oregon. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

My current travel rig is a 2006 Fleetwood 26′ Class A Motorhome and a towed 1986 Ford Bronco II, Eddie Bauer Model. This photo was taken in the desert at Slab City near Niland, California…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures with low humidity most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you would like to see my YouTube videos, click this link… http://www.youtube.com/user/JimJ1579/videos

There are more than 500 photo albums in my Picasa Web Albums File. To gain access, you simply have to click this link… https://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

For more information about my books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2015

Two Years Ago Today We Survived A Terrible Accident…

The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails Seaside RV Resort in Seaside, Oregon. My current scheduled departure date is June 4th.

Mary returned from her trip to Turkey on May 5th. She now finds herself awash in personal matters…home maintenance, family, friends, rentals, etc.. After a long discussion we have agreed she will now meet me July 26th in Bellingham, Washington. When we met in 2008 we both knew that she might run into situations like this and agreed that she would travel with me on a part-time basis. She has thanked me for not pressuring her to return at an earlier date. We all have to do, what we have to do in this world.

Two years ago today, Memorial Day was on May 27, 2012. A day I would prefer not to remember…

This first photo shows the scene of the accident in the very remote corner of northeast Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. It took rescuers more than an hour to dig all people trapped under the truck. Because of the remoteness of the area, it was more than three hours before the arrival of the first rescue helicopters…

I took this second photo while trapped under the truck. A body can be seen caught between the seats. Because of the shock impact of the landing and dirt, my camera lens is only partially open. It stopped working completely shortly thereafter. The floor of the truck is now over my head…

If you are not familiar with the details regarding the accident, you can read all about it by clicking this link… http://wp.me/pDCku-4HZ

Two years later we are still dealing with the after-effects. In my case, I continue having a constant, mild burning in my right rib age area. It does not go away…it’s there every day to remind me.

Originally we thought that I was the more injured of Mary and myself. But time has proven that Mary was more injured than myself. Since the accident she has been seeing a myriad of doctors for a variety of issues. She is now down to 1-2 doctor visits a week. At last report she has accumulated more than $48,000 in doctor/medical bills. Only about two weeks ago for the first time since the accident, she told me that she was finally starting to feel better once again.

I’m not one to live in the past, but this accident was a very emotional, physical, mental and psychological trauma event. One person died at the scene and several others were severely and critically injured. It’s a happening not easily forgotten.

Yesterday was a cloudy/sunny day at 63 degrees. Forecast for today is cloudy with a rain shower at 60 degrees.

Enjoying nice weather is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Oregon. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures with low humidity most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you would like to see my YouTube videos, click this link… http://www.youtube.com/user/JimJ1579/videos

There are more than 500 photo albums in my Picasa Web Albums File. To gain access, you simply have to click this link… https://picasaweb.google.com/jimjrver

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

For more information about my books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2014

MEMORIAL DAY HAS A DOUBLE MEANING FOR US.

Later today, Jim and I will attend a Memorial Day Tribute  at the Thousand Trails Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania where we are staying. Our friend, Bob Gambol, lost his brother to PTSD complications and he asked us to remember, and we do. It put me in mind of my parents brothers, all nine served in the military. My husband, my sister, her husband, and my oldest brother served in the military. I have two nieces who are military.

One of my uncles suffered shell shock, now known as PTSD, during Korea and never lived a normal life after that. During his troubles, he lived with us for a short time, thinking a change of scene might help him. It didn’t. We have much to remember. But, this year, Memorial Day fell on May 27th which is the one year anniversary of our accident in the Canyon De Chelly. Jim and I are still having physical problems from that accident. And that date is unforgettable and pops up at both of us as a traumatic time in our lives. Here, then, are  pictures of the accident.  We discussed yesterday, how grateful we are to be alive and went to the park store for a bottle of champagne for a quiet private toast today.

This is what the vehicle looked like with two rows of bench seats welded to the flat bed. People are loading and the Driver is checking out his vehicle

We wait for everyone to settle, Don Cassidy, Dr. Richard Crowe and his wife Debbie, Margaret and Anita behind them.

Jim and I are right behind the cab in the first seat. On our side, is the only couple to refuse medical treatment, Jean and Chris. They are from Michigan. Red haired Debra, moving toward us, and her husband Richard,  sat in the vacant chair behind us that is empty in the picture.  Bill Repshur and Sophie are settling in at the back.

Mrs. Crowe, on the ground after helping drag her husband out, and Anita, just climbing out with help. Mrs. Crowe, as far as I know, was first out and I followed her. Three men driving by, were our first helpers, you can see them near Mrs. Crowe and helping Anita.

The driver, Davidson Deschennes, the uninjured couple, Jean and Chris,  and two of the helpers dig with their hands and little sticks found on the ground and help people out on the other side of the truck.

Dr. Crowe is moved away from the wreck to allow room to remove others buried in the dirt. His wife tries to comfort him. He died about two hours later.

After Dr. Crowe was moved, they were able to get Debra out.

A bunch of people from a second tour vehicle came to our rescue, and one of them helped Jim and led him away to rest under a tree.

Debra’s  husband, Richard, in the striped shirt and Bill’s wife, Sophie are removed.

Davidson, the driver, called several times on the radio demanding quick help. In the canyon, there is no such thing as quick help. He was injured as well. Don Cassiday jumped and landed on the road above before the truck overturned. He too was injured. Rescuers are just pulling Bill Repshur out.

Margaret was the last person dug out of the wreck.

It took three hours before the first helicopter with medical kits and more water arrived.

Richard and his wife Debbie were considered the most seriously injured and were loaded onto stretchers and removed first. Followed by Sophie and Bill and the rest of us.

It was a horrendous accident and hopefully our last. I’m so grateful to travel with Jim because he is such a safe and careful driver. He avoids the high-speed inter-states whenever possible. But none of us can predict our fate.

One Year Ago…Today…

Happy Memorial Day. Freedom is not free. If you love your freedom…thank a Vet!

The motorhome is parked at Thousand Trails Hershey RV Resort in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. We expect to depart tomorrow morning.

One year ago today at about 12:45 PM in Canyon de Chelly in remote northeastern Arizona, Mary and I survived a terrible accident.

Neither of us are the same person as before the accident…we move a lot slower now.

I remain suffering from a still slightly swollen rib cage with a constant mild burning sensation. In addition I suffer with a mild constant pain in my right hip. Mary is still suffering from an assortment of items including headaches, sore neck, back and hip. One person was killed at the scene and several were severely injured.

Here are a few of the photos that you will see in the below Blog entries…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

If you missed the postings, I’m re-presenting them here…

Jim’s postings…

May 28 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4Eh

May 29 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4Ep

May 30 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4EE

May 31 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4FD

Mary’s postings…

May 29 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4EB

May 30 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4Ft

May 31 – http://wp.me/pDCku-4Gc

As much as I hate the thought…I expect all future Memorial Day weekends will find me reliving the horrific accident at Canyon de Chelly in 2012. On the other hand, I can be thankful that Mary and I did in fact survive that terrible accident and live to tell about it. Like it says on my Bronco license plate…1DAAT…One Day At A Time! It’s the only way to go.

Enjoying traveling with no accidents is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!

The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Pennsylvania. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!

Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust