I witnessed a motorcycle fatality yesterday, and want to vent a bit.

TL;DR: stay on your side of the road, wear good gear and a proper helmet, know how to use and carry first aid, and don't push yourself past you or your bike's abilities - because it will kill or seriously harm you and others.

I need to get this off my chest, warning as this is rather morbid. Just over 24 hours ago, I was one of the first ones to roll up to a fatality with two motorcycles involved on US129 Tail of the Dragon. For the privacy of the individuals, I will not disclose names or descriptions of the bikes.

I tagged along with a group of motorcycles yesterday, as I pulled off right near where a car spun out and smacked its trunk into a tree. I chatted with the guys for a few minutes and joined up with them. The first two of the group departed from the pulloff, a car came past, and the next three of us followed suit. The car and one of the bikes I was with pulled off to let the two of us in back pass, and a few miles up, we carefully passed a tow truck fishing out another car from off the side, with a TSP trooper infront of it. A mile down the road, we rolled up to the first guy of the four of us, still conscious on the road on his back, bike on its side and obliterated. We were only about 30 seconds behind them.

The two riders between the guy and I stayed back and cordoned off traffic, and I immediately whipped my bike around and went full-send to grab the trooper a mile behind us. I got to the trooper after riding beside a small line of cars, as both sides were just blocked off for the tow truck. I yelled out that rider was down, and gave the mile post and description and immediately hightailed it back to the accident.

I parked my bike and got my gear off, at the pulloff of the corner beside the crash, and I noticed the second individual on the road. He did not survive. The first guy of the group was conscious and speaking, but going into mild shock and panic attacks. The trooper arrived about 30 seconds after I showed back up, and immediately called for an ambulance and a second TSP car. I waved down oncoming traffic from behind us to slow down, as people were making their way up once the tow truck was out of there. Fortunately, in both lines of stopped cars, a pair of nurses were present, one was able to get a full-size bag before the ambulance arrived.

The individual who was killed in this accident had approached the righthand corner at a speed far too fast and crossed over the centerline, and hit the first guy head-on. The first guy of our little group survived due to the helmet and full armor he wore, and the quick actions of the individuals of the group.

I'm exceptionally grateful that a cop was only a short distance behind us, as there is no cellular service on that road, and I made major mistake of not having any first aid equipment in my backpack that day. That changed today, as I now carry a trauma kit and trauma shears in my bag now so I won't make that mistake again.

He was in stable enough condition that he did not have any immediate life-threatening injuries, compound fractures or visible bleeding. He was airlifted to UTK.

The other individual involved in the collision was not as fortunate. I'm desensitized enough from my Honor Guard experience in observing the dead, but this was different. This was the first time in my life of seeing a deceased individual out of nowhere, and that will be something that will most likely live rent-free in my mind for the rest of my life. I don't want to sensationalize it, but the moment I grasped the man was dead was a deep feeling of dread and remorse, and I've lost my composure several times over the past day. Riding home after the road was cleared up was one of the hardest rides of all, as I had to pull over a few times to refocus on getting home without bawling my eyes out.

This will not deter me from my love of motorcycles, but it will help me be better and solidify the direct consequences of riding past one's ability on an exceptionally dangerous road.

Stay safe out there.