I think this is goodbye

[Brendan W]

I found a long time ago that riding motorcycles is not just a means of transportation, it is an adjunct to your life. It may not be a vital necessity, but it can certainly feel like it, and the rewards you gain, from moment to moment, make that true.

My first injury was a broken wrist. It healed. The second was a broken back. It was .not a major break, but a vertebral fracture that also saw all of the muscles in the area torn loose. It healed. Scraping my face across the asphalt for more tha a hundred feet (you do that in about one second at 60mph) was not a nice experience, but it showed there are benefits to wearing a helmet. Lots of stitches, but it healed.

Riding alone on an empty highway in mid-evening with the sun almost gone, and only a bright glow to the left that causes streaks of red and hints of blue to scatter themselves through the clouds above, with darker clouds descending to disrupt the milieu of colours, while you ride with nothing around you but the wind and tidbits of debris that the swirls are picking up; feeling the evening chill calling down rain, sensing its pending arrival as your body notes the temperature changing, and then viewing the awesome and majestic sight nature reserves for motorcyclists and observant pedestrians, of seeing lightning begin far away to the left, then streak laterally between miles of murky clouds until the far right horizon limit is reached, and then it rises vertically, but only momentarily, before the streak turns into an exploding ball of frenzied light. And a few seconds later, it all happens again. .

These are not merely memorable moments, they are part of motorcycling because somehow, even if it happens when you are in a car, you will likely do no more than acknowledge the flash, turn up the radio to drown out the thunder, and drive on.

Absolutely enchanting piece of writing. Dawn and dusk is what does it for me and then of course there are the smells.........
I did for a second think you were setting us up for a gag about the bike being on fire

[Grimly]

I found a long time ago that riding motorcycles is not just a means of transportation, it is an adjunct to your life. It may not be a vital necessity, but it can certainly feel like it, and the rewards you gain, from moment to moment, make that true.

My first injury was a broken wrist. It healed. The second was a broken back. It was .not a major break, but a vertebral fracture that also saw all of the muscles in the area torn loose. It healed. Scraping my face across the asphalt for more tha a hundred feet (you do that in about one second at 60mph) was not a nice experience, but it showed there are benefits to wearing a helmet. Lots of stitches, but it healed.

Riding alone on an empty highway in mid-evening with the sun almost gone, and only a bright glow to the left that causes streaks of red and hints of blue to scatter themselves through the clouds above, with darker clouds descending to disrupt the milieu of colours, while you ride with nothing around you but the wind and tidbits of debris that the swirls are picking up; feeling the evening chill calling down rain, sensing its pending arrival as your body notes the temperature changing, and then viewing the awesome and majestic sight nature reserves for motorcyclists and observant pedestrians, of seeing lightning begin far away to the left, then streak laterally between miles of murky clouds until the far right horizon limit is reached, and then it rises vertically, but only momentarily, before the streak turns into an exploding ball of frenzied light. And a few seconds later, it all happens again. .

These are not merely memorable moments, they are part of motorcycling because somehow, even if it happens when you are in a car, you will likely do no more than acknowledge the flash, turn up the radio to drown out the thunder, and drive on.

I'm missing Facebook - like, like, like, Mega Thumbs-Up for that one.

and then of course there are the smells.........

Well, if I really miss the smells, I can go into any bikers' bar.

I did for a second think you were setting us up for a gag about the bike being on fire

Ah; those Suzuki electrics, all sorted now.

[megatwin]

One of the slip on throttle rockers may help.

[GateKeeper]

Sorry to hear about your injury and hopefully you will recover 100%, if not don't give up as others have mentioned....

My son's friend had an accident on his bike, he is now in a wheelchair, cannot use his legs, no control of his spine in a sense if he is not propped and held in he basically falls over.....

but guess what it did not stop him, he got hand controls for his car

and it isn't no minivan, but one of these



and he just got one of these retrofitted, so he can get back into riding...






So don't give up........

[argonsagas]

Sorry to hear about your wrist. Doctors tend to underpromise and we tend to pick up on the most pessimistic things they say and forget the good bits. Your wrist has been out of action for some time and will need more to relearn. A lot depends on the physical damage but more on the attitude of the patient and the help they get in recovery after the cast is off. There is a lady round here who does real physiotherapy from her home - she takes no prisoners and has helped me with a few minor issues. I have the feeling that if you find a partner to help you take that wrist on you will surprise yourself. Good luck and best wishes on getting back on the horse.

That said it nicely.

It has been my experience that people will too often be pessimistic and I have never understood that. Perhaps they are trying to prepare you for the worst, just in case it happens, but hiding a hope that if anything better follows then you will be happy and accept it.

For years doctors/therapists have been saying I should accept the difficulties and the problems they see with joints.

I don't accept anything they say for the simple reason that they are wrong. They are fully willing to believe negatives apply because that is what they have seen on others who accepted defeat.
It has been a life-long thing for me to choose my own physical path, and get there. Sometimes it takes effort and determination, but the rewards of being able to continue the same lifestyle as before make it very well worth the work and the time needed to recover fully.


Much of this was told to me after my last serious injury, resulting from being hit from behind while at a stop light. The impact punched the bike under the truck that was stopped in front of me, but tossed me about 15 feet in the air, according to witnesses. That got me a broken back, (a minor break, but a lot of other damage) that took me out of it for a long time. Admittedly, this time not everything returned to normal, and I do still have pain from part of it, but flexibility has returned, so I can still do pretty well anything that an average 25 YO can do....including riding a motorcycle.

[Allie]

Wow Lila, sorry to hear of your mishap! You can absolutely overcome this setback, and don't ever let anyone tell you that a 'chick' can't do it.

[Lila :)]

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful thoughts I have to say I fell like a real cryer and honestly embarrassed when I read some of your experiences compared to mine. Anyways the cast came off Thursday and according to the docs the bones look to be aligned and healed correctly but to expect some possible diminished use or soreness. It is stiff but I think I will be able to twist the throttle. Some physical therapy is in my future and what they call "post traumatic wrist arthritis" is a likely a probability. Again I appreciate everyone's kindness and looks like next year I'll ride again

[Gregory]

Maybe it will make you feel better to think of twisting the throttle as good "therapy" for your wrist. The PT clinic would probably charge big bucks to work you out on a Suzuki Wrist Twist Strengthening System, but you already have one!

[argonsagas]

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful thoughts I have to say I fell like a real cryer and honestly embarrassed when I read some of your experiences compared to mine. Anyways the cast came off Thursday and according to the docs the bones look to be aligned and healed correctly but to expect some possible diminished use or soreness. It is stiff but I think I will be able to twist the throttle. Some physical therapy is in my future and what they call "post traumatic wrist arthritis" is a likely a probability. Again I appreciate everyone's kindness and looks like next year I'll ride again

Small-type advice.

Pleae re-read my last post, and IGNORE the doomsay warning about inevitable arthritis.

Post injury arthritis is not inevitable and whatever does show up need not impinge on your chosen activities more than you allow it to do.

Your personal attitude about healing and the effort you put into restoring yourself to whatever fitness level you had before the injury can make more difference than anything else. That is not an exaggeration.

After looking at my x-rays several doctors questioned how I could stand the pain when forcing myself to do normal activities, and refuse medication. They truly cannot comprehend that this was the best recovery path for me, and each time it allowed me to regain full joint movement and muscle tone, with no serious loss in bodily expectations.

How hard (or not) you push yourself is best judged by your own body....not necessarily the brain. LISTEN to your body It will tell you what it needs.
.
Use your brain to focus on what is needed, and make the decision to fully heal. Decide that you WILL heal, and then do what your body tells you to do.

[Lila :)]

Argon, thanks for your inspirational thoughts I am pushing all negativity out and the rehab is going well, acutally my wrist feels pretty great, maybe 85% or so. If this is as good as it gets I'm ok with it, I can twist the throttle Thanks to everyone, I really do enjoy this site

[mrbill5491]

Argon, thanks for your inspirational thoughts I am pushing all negativity out and the rehab is going well, acutally my wrist feels pretty great, maybe 85% or so. If this is as good as it gets I'm ok with it, I can twist the throttle Thanks to everyone, I really do enjoy this site

As in the Queen song, get on your bike and ride! In your case a motorcycle.

[Gramma Peppermint]

Hi Lila!
Long time no talk.
So sorry about your mishap. Seems you have come a long way since the accident!

How's the old wrist now? So true about not letting negativity prevail...
It's amazing what a woman can do when she puts her mind to it, eh?

Let us hear more from you please.

[mrbill5491]

Hi Lila!
Long time no talk.
So sorry about your mishap. Seems you have come a long way since the accident!

How's the old wrist now? So true about not letting negativity prevail...
It's amazing what a woman can do when she puts her mind to it, eh?

Let us hear more from you please.

Lol, last update, she was bike shopping now.

[Gramma Peppermint]

Thanks mrbill. Sounds fantastic !!!

[Lila :)]

Hi Lila!
Long time no talk.
So sorry about your mishap. Seems you have come a long way since the accident!

How's the old wrist now? So true about not letting negativity prevail...
It's amazing what a woman can do when she puts her mind to it, eh?

Let us hear more from you please.

Hi Gramma, its great to hear from you again The wrist is usable and seems to be improving with therapy. I try not to worry about the future too much. I fell due to negligence in a parking garage ( a cleaning company spilled a large drum of soapy cleaner stuff) and their insurance company contacted me yesterday. I am looking to put this all behind me and move forward. Enough about me, did you get much riding in this year? Besides test rides it was nada for me I am looking at bikes now. Nice to hear from you again