Them that have and them that are gonna...

[Doug D.]

They say there are two kinds of riders. Those who have crashed, and those who are gonna crash. Guess I graduated to the first catagory, 08-31.

All it took was a little gravel washed across a hard switchback curve and a split second of bad luck. The bike started to skid in the curve, leaving me the options of steering back and maybe rolling when the rear wheels caught the shoulder or driving through the curve and taking my chances. I spotted a driveway in the curve and took my chances on the escape, which later proved to be the right decision. Unfortunately, I did miss the drive and dogpiled a barbed wire fence. On the up side, the trike struck a 4x4 gate post with the left torsion tube (VW) and was stopped before I went completely through the fence. That woulda been a mess...

At any rate, all is well. Gotta get past a broken left ankle and left wrist (lotsa new hardware ) and get the trike fixed, and I will ride again.

Point is, count your blessings and remember, it could always be a helluva lot worse... ThumbUp

PEACE, and ride safe!!

 

[Ol' Man Jeb]

I was initiated in the late 80's in S. Dak. Badlands. I was cruising along about 60 or so when I spotted a sign that said "Pavement ends". Trouble was, it ended right at the sign and turned to 2" gravel. Next think I knew, some old Indian fella was lifting my bike off me. I don't know how long I was out. My passenger was several feet down the road with a gash on her elbow. We ended up walking and pushing the bike a couple miles or so to an Indian Reservation hospital to get her arm treated, which we were informed they weren't legally supposed to do but did anyway. After some sledge hammer adjustments to the bike we cut the trip short and headed home to Iowa.

 

[rhino 2]

Early 70's on the Cork Screw, Coming out of the Lincoln Tunnel headed to Jersey, Hit a patch of Diesel Fuel, Low sided Smashed my left elbow, To this day the bone still sticks out a little...And still hurts a little.. But what the hey, A thousand years from now some archaeologist will dig up my bones and surmise I died of a combat wound....

But all kidding a side' If you ride enough 'You will hit the ground at some point..
Goes with the turf.. No pain 'No gain.

 

[slick rick]

We all have the misfortune some time or another , great you come out just a little worse for wear . I joined that club in the early 70s and again in the mid 80s unless you count dirt bikes ,,than I lost count . Get better and good luck Doug !!!ThumbUp

 

[pcombe]

We all have the misfortune some time or another , great you come out just a little worse for wear . I joined that club in the early 70s and again in the mid 80s unless you count dirt bikes ,,than I lost count . Get better and good luck Doug !!!ThumbUp

Dirt bikes will give a fella the right to wear broken wings for sure amigo.
I decided long ago that bikes are like girls, it's the little ones that get you in trouble!
Or was it that I just had to make like Evil Kinevil?:Shrug:

 

[Veritas44]

Felt the Stings, Aches, Pains, long Recoveries, and lasting Reminders of that old Adage myself on a few occasions :AGGHH:

Speedy & Full Recovery to ya Doug ThumbUp
No doubts you will be back out in the world riding soon.

 

[Rick Kay]

Prayers for a speedy and complete recovery! Hopefully you'll get your trike on the road while you heal...

 

[pcombe]

Doug I wish you Godspeed in your recovery, therapy may be putting your trike back on the road?

 

[bongobobny]

Mid 80's on a dirt road with a brand new front tire! 3 broken ribs and a rotator cuff injury. Laid up for 2 months...

 

[mynameisearl]

Yeah, I be one them that has. First time in Spain in 74 and again in 75 then made all the way to
2004 and got launched at a traffic light.:GL1800::kpzxvq:

 

[oneup]

have bike, will get X Rays. thats how it works

 

[Doug D.]

Thanks guys, for all the well wishes! I was damn lucky and count those blessings every day. Had a couple follow-ups with the surgeons this week and everything is progressing nicely. One more surgery on the wrist and a skin graft on a finger, and I'll be good as new.

As for the trike, apart from the insurance company dicking me around because it's a homebuilt, it'll be fixed before I will.

Maybe nows the time to think about that big bore kit...

 

[whitefatboy]

Glad you and yours were able to get out of it ok :clapping:. But it does remind us all to keep our mind on the road all the time. hang hard orag:

 

[tom w]

been there a few times most were minor. 1 bad one. (5 ribs and a distal end of my collar bone) they give you good drugs after an injury like that ! 3 months off
thank god for the duck. (Aflac !)

every one I know cant believe Im still riding.
As long as I can get on it I will be !

hang in there . time and money heals all wounds

 

[Big Juice]

I graduated to category 2 back in 2002 (on a 2 wheeler) and I hope there is not a category 3 for me to move too! Glad that you are OK and have started to mend. Get things fixed up and get your knees back in the wind.

 

[Doug D.]

Back in the saddle!

Well folks, it's been just over eleven months since the big event. Shortly after I started this thread, I suffered a blood clot in the injured leg. The clot was massive, extending almost the entire length of the leg. Pretty much wrecked the damn thing, leaving me with a permanent limp and never ending pain. But as I said before, it could've been a helluva lot worse. At least I'm still around to bitch about it!

Just a week ago, I finally finished the repairs on the trike. After a ton of re-engineering and mods, she's back on the road and I'm back in the saddle! The work was slow and tedious because of damage to the leg and left hand, but it's done. And man, that first ride (after a couple test rides to knock out some kinks) sure felt good! The trike feels great, it's comfortable and very rideable, despite the permanent injuries and discomfort.

We have about half the riding season left here, with the exception of a few bonus days in the unpredictable winter months. You can bet your azzes, I'm gonna make up for lost time! So enough of this dribble, I'm gonna go waste some gas and kill some bugs!

PEACE, and ride safe! orag:

 

[jaxbobg]

Been there, got the scars. About 30 years ago was out riding (2 wheeler) on a country road with a friend when a drunk woman in a convertible came around a corner going pretty fast - in our lane!

Well, Dave zigged left and I zagged right. Fortunately, we both missed the car. Unfortunately, I went off the shoulder into fresh gravel. Fortunatley the shoulder was pretty wide. Unfortunately the bike stopped very quickly and I did a somersault over the handlebars.

Crazy woman stopped a little ways up the road, looked back, and when I finally stood up she took off. At least I didn't have any broken bones. Some road rash and scratches in my helmet. Guess there's a reason we carry Guardian bells. :Angel:

 

[Steve on 3]

Hope your recovery is still going well. Was returning from a day ride and about 2 mikws from home. Woman pulls out of a parking lot and runs in the side of me, redirecting me to hit a stopped care head on. She said I ws still riding it when I hit her. I went about 35 feet over her head and landed in the road. Luckily nobody ran over me. I proved that us fat guys can fly but don't always land so gracefully. Herniated disk, lost some hearing. She had minimum insurance which at the time was $10k medical. My uninsured/underinsured paid out about 60k for my medical

 

[Gorilla]

Doug congrats on your recovery. you inspire us

 

[Doug D.]

Thanks, and no I didn't after all. Ran short of money, but it's still on the table. I might just start with a fresh motor, front to back, this winter. Merry Christmas to me!

- - - Updated - - -

Doug congrats on your recovery. you inspire us

Thanks, Gorilla! Thanks again to everyone for the well wishes! Heading out Wednesday with a couple of the crew for my first full day ride since I got back on. Man, I can't wait!! epper:

PEACE, and ride safe! orag:

 

[Papa Zook]

Doug, I'm sure sorry to hear about your accident and the lingering after effects. I wondered what happened to you since you disappeared for a while, now I understand. It's really good to see you back again, and with a great attitude too!

 

[Doug D.]

Doug, I'm sure sorry to hear about your accident and the lingering after effects. I wondered what happened to you since you disappeared for a while, now I understand. It's really good to see you back again, and with a great attitude too!

Thanks, Bazooka, I appreciate that and it's good to be back! It's been a long road and it's far from done, but like I told 'em in the meat locker (hospital), misery is a choice. I'm too damn old to waste my days sweatin' the setbacks, just hafta to work through it and get back in the game. So far, so good!

PEACE, and ride safe! orag:

- - - Updated - - -


At least I know what I want, and that makes me easy to shop for! :laugh:

 

[Mixitman]

3 years ago this month I went down pretty badly.. too much pain on left side leg/arm/shoulder to safely keep a touring bike stable, hence the trike

Glad you're relatively ok. THATS the important part !!

 

[goldwingagain]

Glad you made it.

Glad your here and giving us good advise. Bob.

 

[Irongoat]

Them that have and them that are gonna

Late 60's. Hit some gravel in a curve. Broke a collarbone, and while I was landing I hit something which tore the back of my helmet. I have always worn a helmet since that day.

 

[Doug D.]

!

Thanks, guys, I appreciate it!

Last week I rode as much as I could get away with, putting about 600 miles on the beast and scoring my first case of windburn for the summer. Damn, it felt good (no so much the windburn )! I got to ride with the old crew, and also an old schoolmate that I haven't seen in at least 30 years. Spent the weekend riding by myself and tweekin' the beast, just to clear my head a little. All in all, it couldn't have been better.

Of course, it's never without some surprises. Sunday, I broke the throttle cable. Luckily, I was on a parking lot at a convenience store and not roadside on some two lane with no place to work. After about an hour of dinkin' around with that, I was back on the road. I didn't know this at the time, but I learned that you can scrape lead shavings off of a battery cable terminal and use it to make solder! And a Bic lighter will get hot enough to melt it! Whooda thunk...

Oh, yeah! Nearly the whole time I'm fixing the cable, four guys on Harleys stood and watched me work. They were speaking amongst themselves in some foreign tongue that sounded German to me, and sported what I thought were Swiss flags (red cross on a white field) on their helmets and leather. I'd heard that a group had flown over from Europe for the Sturgis 75th anniversary and suspected these guys were from that group. None of them offered a hand, and the only thing I understood as they talked were the words Volkswagon and lighter. The bikes were probably rented... :laugh: