Two Seconds: When a Motorcycle Meets a Moose on a Mountain Road
3/6/20261 hr 7 min
On a mountain road on Colorado’s Guanella Pass, motorcyclist Adam Lamb spots a moose stepping out of the brush. Two seconds later, he’s airborne, both arms broken and stranded off the road without cell service. Just behind him is Roger Matthews—a board-certified physician and search-and-rescue volunteer—who arrives and immediately begins managing the scene. In this episode, Adam recounts the moments leading up to the crash while Roger explains how he approached scene safety, organized bystanders, and assessed Adam’s injuries as they waited for help to arrive. We explore wildlife hazards, speed and stopping distance, emergency braking, and why first aid training and preparation can make a critical difference when riding remote roads.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAdam Lamb· Guest0:00
[instrumental music plays] Rolling on that throttle, coming to this nice straight, and then I just happen to see this giant nose on the right side peek out from those bushes. If I say a little bit of colorful language and, uh, I do what I've done in the past. I hit the brakes. I try to make myself as visible as possible. You know, I've got an aftermarket exhaust. It's loud. Um, I went to the left, I was braking, and unfortunately, you know, it's a moose. She kept going and I scream, "No," because I know what's about to happen. Um, I knew it wasn't gonna be good. Uh, I didn't know how bad it was going to be. There's really no preparation for that. And I feel the impact. My arms break when I hit her. The left handlebar actually snapped, I hit her so hard. And then I went over her. When I went over her, my chest hit the back of her, and then I was in midair seeing, you know, aspen trees and boulders heading towards me. And, uh, I'm thinking, "This is it," you know? Um, "This is the end."
Jim Martin· Host1:24
That's Adam Lamb, a rider from Colorado. And what you just