When is it time?

[The Tourist]

They say that he died doing what he loved doing, well that is not the way that I want to die.

And I agree. I have no great desire to be sieved through the grill of a Kenworth. Then again, for a few days this week I thought I might die from a fuzzy uvula, and that's no picnic, either.

WDG, I'm glad we can help you. Once in a while just verbalizing things--even when you disagree--helps to sort things out.

 

[gator508]

WDG

If I may, I'll tell you the way I came back.

Like you, I felt the yearn to get back onboard, but was still somewhat unsure of when and how. I talked it over with my wife and she was all for getting back on the horse so to speak, because she knows how much a part of my like the ride is.
My very first ride after the crash was with a friend to bring the bike back from the shop, not a far ride at all, only about 3 miles one way. He led the way there and back, that really helped. Later that week I decided to go on a very familiar ride down to an island just offshore, about a 45 minute ride one way, not very much traffic, and know the road extremely well, what to watch out for etc..
I made this same trip several times (I called it my therapy), until I felt comfortable being out on the bike, there was apprehension for sure the first couple of times I saw a car to my right about to pull out, but I did get over it as I'm sure you will.

Wish you the best on getting back to it!

 

[The Tourist]

My very first ride after the crash was with a friend to bring the bike back from the shop, not a far ride at all, only about 3 miles one way.

Very good observation. Those first steps are difficult.

While not as dramatic, I got very ill in 2000. 'Defeated' is more accurate. Even when it was time I was very tentative.

My wife is a mountain biker, and she laid out several loops around our home, and we rode together--on bicycles.

The turning point came when I was drenched with sweat, but saddened we were starting for home.

 

[Eeze E]

In March 2007, I left work a little early. I was about 5 minutes from my house when a guy, lost in la la land, ran a red light and hit me. Fortunately, I was paying attention and saw him out of the corner of my eye and hit the brakes. He hit me in the left front fork. I messed up my neck but was otherwise ok. It took a couple of months to get my bike back to being rideable again. While my bike was down, my father-in-law brought his bike by for me to take a spin on by myself. That was the best therapy I could have had. My wife would rather me not ride, but she knows I enjoy it. I was determined I wasn't going to let fear keep me from doing something I loved.

 

[FLST]

I am sorry to hear of your accident. It could happen to anyone of us at any time. Your heart and head will tell you if and when it is time to get back in the saddle. I wish the law would be harder on drivers that ignore us and cause these accidents. God bless you.

 

[tlg1100]

I had a bad wreck when I was young and still bounced well,person from another country ran stop sign, I was on a very curvy street Going about forty mph, hit car in front wheel well ..broke frame ,handle bars wrapped around headlight, bluejean marks on yellow gas tank I didn't do much for three or four month and had told myself that I was done riding, but when the summer came back around sold my truck(had cheap car)and bought another bike.And a year after the wreck I still felt some pain going over pot holes or rough roads.I was young then now I don't know what I'd do ?:small3d034:

 

[The Tourist]

We should also touch on a very important aspect here, and one that not many people want to admit openly. In your heart of hearts, do you honestly just want to walk away?

I did it twice. First time, after five years in a club I wanted to go. Too many drunks, too much politics, and the ever-increasing nonsense about turf wars. One of our memebers was shot and killed. Nothing definitive happened, I just got tired of the slow daily grind. The prez knew it, and I still have my rags.

Next time I broke my neck in a car accident, but had to make decisions about life in general. I was getting too old for this. I rode my Sportster for one year and then sold it to area legend Kenny Bahl. Bought a 5.0 Mustang and thought I had quit. You know how that turned out.

But I would have never admitted to my friends and brothers that I just didn't want to "live the lifestyle." Bikers boogie, wusses walk but I had graduated from college at that time, and I was about to join the world of finance. Very difficult to negotiate a right-to-cure procedure with a black eye and broken fingers.

Overall, it was the right decision at the time. And I know I'm going to take flak for opening the door to hanging it up. But freedom also means the right not to ride.

I've been in the world of bikes for over 44 years, and not all of it good. Then one day the sun was shining and I wanted to take a nap. Left the bike parked. The world did not end.

 

[Jack Klarich]

If you have that strong of an urge to ride again why not rent a bike for a few days and get to know that same old feeling again, What ever you decide good luck and hope you are healing:s