Not So Elegant… UPDATE.

[DDT (12)]

Daniel,

I took your comments the way they were intended. In fact, I did one of those forehead slap things when I realized I probably should have mentioned that very thing myself... Thoughtful, smart riding is never to be taken lightly or neglected.. No matter who you are or how long you've been at it, one teensy little lapse can result in a game-ending catastrophe!!! Thanks for bringing-up a very important point that should be reinforced frequently... Thanks for the well wishes, too!

DDT





Ray,

Thanks, my friend. It's good to hear from you! Yes we do have at least one more ride to do together, so I'm being extra careful... in anticipation of that happy event. Yeah, I'm coming to appreciate your point about healing taking time... not so easy for an impetous, impatient guy! The pain has eased considerably, however, and that's not just due to the miracle of modern chemistry! I am actually healing and getting better!

DDT

[MarkT]

Bummer. Sorry you got hurt. BUT - there's a reason.  I think most of us, who in our own ways live our lives to the fullest, occasionally find the piper wants his due.  It's practically inevitable.  The price of a life worth living.  After all, if you play on the tracks sooner or later the train is gonna show up.  I've cracked my ribs twice in hang gliding incidents.  Tore my left rotator cuff once and my right one three times in hang gliding, motorcycle crash (the "deerslayer" incident), and most recently a year ago - stepped on an unmarked handicap curb, turned my ankle and went down on the curb which tore the right rotator cuff again.  A year ago and it's not healing well at all. Broke my right kneecap three times in impacts - skiiing, motorcycle and bicycle crashes.  Broken my right fibula three times and my right tibia once all motorcycle incidents - now with metal plates and screws which set off security scans.  Broken most of my fingers in various incidents. Turns out as we age, healing comes slower and less complete.  But to me, that's the price of a good life - some risk and injury comes with the excitement.

Heal well and fast anyway, my friend.

[DDT (12)]

Mark,

WOW! That's some medical history you have there!!! Too bad health care providers don't give 'volume discounts'! I do agree with you, however, and by your own standard, you have lived large indeed!!! Congrats on the life worth living... sorry for all the tabs you've had to pick up, though. Like you said so well, my friend, it's just the cost of doing business...

I am so much better today! Yeah, it's still early in the day, but... I haven't felt this good in a week. I still feel discomfort when I move a certain way, and coughing is still an onerous chore, yet I can tell things have improved greatly. Lots of sleep must have really helped. I haven't slept long anytime, but I have slept often! Naps, naps, and more naps... I'll take it anyway and anytime I can get it...

Gotta break that habit, however... or at least rein it in. I'm heading 'home' tomorrow, so no napping while riding... right? Grits, too, have aided in my rapid recovery. Gonna go for another curative dose this afternoon during my 'test ride'. Things are definitely looking up!!! Thanks for chiming-in...

DDT

[DarkSideR]

Glad to hear the Legend rides on, and all the wiser.

[DDT (12)]

Thanks, Josh. Yeah, ride on, indeed! I made a test ride Thursday, and everything checked out positive. I rode 'home' yesterday, and things were fab! Yep, it was time to venture forth and strut our stuff, so that's just what we did. Hard to believe an entire week has been spent recovering, but highly productive time, it turns out!

Can't isolate responsibility for all the improvement... Could have been the rest, or sleep, or drugs, or amazingly good treatment by my hosts, or the support received on here, or the medicinal grits... or Mother Nature just doing what she does... Of course, it had to be some combination of all those. Bottom line is that ALI and her rider returned 'home' and the 'reception' was fantastic!

Not even 90s* F temps could 'melt' our enthusiasm! We departed the home of Vicki & Mark (Troutdude's sister and BIL) and headed eastward... I wasn't sure just where we might end the day, but somewhere along the way towards Nohead City, NC, for a visit with Nick.

The thought is to do a multi-day ride of short daily distances for a total of 800-900 miles, then lay over a few days for more evaluation and recovery. May introduce some adult beverage consumption to further improve my condition... You know, spirit conditioning with spirits... That's conditional, of course...

The physical aspects of this 'adventure' have held a few surprises, but less than I'd have thought. The mental aspects have also held some surprises, but I did anticipate some of them. I'm reviewing all of that now... Not sure I'll have anything to offer, but I do think it helpful for me to better understand what has happened, and what IS happening as this experience continues to evolve...

The basic fact is... we're not out of the game at all... Indeed, we're back out doing what we do, and much better off for the lessons learned. Thanks for your supportive comments... Part of my good fortune includes the friendship I enjoy with some very special people... people like you, for example...

DDT

[Rams]

Have followed this from day one, glad you are back in the saddle.... 

Rams

[DDT (12)]

Ron,

It may be hard for you to fully appreciate just how much your call and support meant to this banged-up, tired, shell-shocked bug slayer, but... it mattered more than one might suppose! I did receive lots of encouragement, advice, and expressions of genuine concern from many of our brothers and sisters. I even had some offers to come get us and take us in for whatever became necessary... like the offer I got from you.

Gawd! At a time when I felt really low, those calls and contacts all lifted my spirits and altered my mental state considerably. It may sound trite or much ado about not much, but I assure it made a world of difference!

Our mental state impacts our ability to think clearly, and, consequently, to make good choices. I'm trying to fathom all of that to the extent I am able, as I continue along the path fate has put me on.  I'm having fun learning to more fully appreciate the role friendship and support play in forming our quality of life generally... in addition to easing the impact of the 'fog' a tough immediate situation can produce.

I appreciate ya, my friend. Charlie Morse is among the folks I heard from... As I pondered that communication, I couldn't help but recall a visit to your place to do a ride with Charlie, and to consider all he has been through... That special weekend had a big impact on him and this weary veteran of life, too. It was no small thing, and you made a far bigger contribution than it appeared on the surface. Thanks for all you do to 'help a brother out'!

DDT

[Rams]

Gosh, I was simply hoping to meet some of your lady friends....... 
Nurses, caregivers and such.   
Troutdude is the guy that saved the day.   One must have lived a good life to have such good friends.   

Rams

[Tailgate Tommy]

Glad you're getting all healed up. I wouldn't want a busted up Inzane roomy 

[DDT (12)]

Tom,

Thanks, my friend! Actually I'm making considerable progress, and I expect to be fully mended in another week or two! Unless something comes up between now and then, I should show up at IZ with... a big ol' grin... no bells on, though. Well, except for the one Roger sent us.

I'm thinking about a story about the recovery process and some of the thoughts I've had... don't know right now, however. I'm living large and loving life, and the inclination 'to work' is rather modest, to say the least!!!

So many fine folks have been so supportive and very helpful, it would be a daunting task to mention them without failing to mention all of them! Plus, my thoughts are more conjecture and speculation, personal opinion really, and those may not be of much value to others... I dunno...

DDT

[The emperor has no clothes]

Plus, my thoughts are more conjecture and speculation, personal opinion really, and those may not be of much value to others... I dunno...

DDT

They've always been of value to me.  Glad you are feeling better.