Oil Field Mud Sucks

[Bill in OKC]

A bunch of us went for a 'first ride of the year' yesterday. It was a beautiful day, sun shining, dry, low winds. It started out well but about half-way to Stillwater just outside of Perry the lead rider hit some fresh oil field mud and went down hard. It was just after a rise that leads into a great sweeping turn - we've all ridden it many times. You couldn't see the slick until after the rise and by then you're going 80-90. The mud covered our whole lane for 50' and its mixed with oil and other chemicals. It is as slippery as a diesel spill - maybe a little worse. One severely mangled TLR and a good friend with two broken vertebra. I think he's going to be OK but he lived out my worst nightmare. The rest of us were very lucky.

[Taff]

question probably, but I assume this is mud dragged onto the street by vehicles leaving the field?
If so, we get a similar problem with farmers dragging all sorts of crap onto the roads in the UK, and trucks spilling diesel out of their tanks as well.
Hope your mate makes a speedy recovery.

[Bill in OKC]

No, there are no crossroads or entrances from a field there. The best we can figure is a truck coming from the other direction sloshed it out coming around the bend on the inside. We visited today - he's flat on his back. The doctors are going to decide tomorrow what to do. It looks like a couple of pins in his back. We're all hoping for the best.

[stoneflylama]

Thats some scary stuff. Best wishes to your friend. Glad the rest of you were lucky to get through upright. Blind crest + road hazard is a nightmare. Best of luck to everyone on two wheels this year.

[Ricky J]

Is this the oozy gray bentonite clay? That stuff is found naturally in parts of the Southwest, you can barely walk in it much less control a vehicle after a rain. It can even defeat 4WD.

Best regards to your friend Bill!

[Bill in OKC]

It's just like you describe it except its orange clay here in Oklahoma. You couldn't hardly stand on it without sliding. The patrolman wasn't even interested in it - he didn't or wouldn't call a crew to clean it up. Its still there - dried up now just waiting for a rain to make it slippery again. Thanks for all of your thoughts.