I've been down for almost 3 weeks. I haven't been able to ride at all. After effects of hand surgery are finally doing a little better, enough so I could grab a quick ride. Unimportant to most but it was very special for me.
I'm 58 YO and every time I miss out on doing something, it's possibly one less chance I will ever be able. I've spent years recovering from the injuries of accidents. Almost ended up in a wheel chair in 1997. I didn't recover fast enough to ride so I sold the bikes I had. I thought my riding days were over.
Years passed and I fought back with every bit of determination I had. By late 2005 I bought a Sportster because it was so light. Once I found that I was able to do alright with that, I went on a hunt, not for a VMax but an antiquated 305 Big Bear Scrambler. When I found the prices to be totally out of sight, I turned my attention to the bike I'd wanted since the first time I saw one. The Mighty VMax. I bought my 94 in 2006. Originally it was to be a restoration, something I'd sell to a buyer in Japan. That thought went away quickly. I Love my Max. Really didn't need much restoration, more, just caring attention.
In 2009, my wife and I were sitting in traffic at a light. We were in her 96 Ford Explorer. I remember looking for traffic coming up behind and there was none. About a second later we were hit with such force that it picked the back of our truck off the ground and turned us about 60 degrees to the right and pushed us into the next lane over. Long story short, Kid admitted that he Zoned Out and hit us. That woke him up. More injuries, more down time, more determined fighting back.
Now, every ride that I can do is the most important thing in the world to me at the time I'm on the bike. I don't really know how much more fight I have left. My Doctors are really amazed the last accident didn't paralyze me.
Todays ride wasn't anything special, I took off headed north from St. Petersburg. I made a stop in a reloading shop to see the owner. He's waiting to look at an 86 Max that CaptainKyle will have for sale. I just wanted to say Hi and ask if he and Kyle had set anything up.
By the time I finished there, I was facing what can be seen in the first picture. A pretty nasty Thunder Storm. The picture was taken from Highway 60 that goes East / West across Tampa Bay. I went that way to get away from the storm and because nothing was going to ruin my ride. The second 2 pictures are just the bike, the bay and a much clearer direction that I was headed toward.
The whole ride ended up being about 43 miles. Just another ride to any of you. After 3 weeks of not riding, it meant the world to me. I've learned that it's not just a matter of getting there or how far getting there is. It's the trip and every bump in the road. I enjoy every second of it. I hope you do your rides too.
BTW, I did get well over 100 on the Howard Frankenstein Bridge back to St Pete.. That was a real high point for the day.
I haven't been to Outer Space. Short of that, when I die, I've done it ALL. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh: Atleast Once.......
Dave
I'm 58 YO and every time I miss out on doing something, it's possibly one less chance I will ever be able. I've spent years recovering from the injuries of accidents. Almost ended up in a wheel chair in 1997. I didn't recover fast enough to ride so I sold the bikes I had. I thought my riding days were over.
Years passed and I fought back with every bit of determination I had. By late 2005 I bought a Sportster because it was so light. Once I found that I was able to do alright with that, I went on a hunt, not for a VMax but an antiquated 305 Big Bear Scrambler. When I found the prices to be totally out of sight, I turned my attention to the bike I'd wanted since the first time I saw one. The Mighty VMax. I bought my 94 in 2006. Originally it was to be a restoration, something I'd sell to a buyer in Japan. That thought went away quickly. I Love my Max. Really didn't need much restoration, more, just caring attention.
In 2009, my wife and I were sitting in traffic at a light. We were in her 96 Ford Explorer. I remember looking for traffic coming up behind and there was none. About a second later we were hit with such force that it picked the back of our truck off the ground and turned us about 60 degrees to the right and pushed us into the next lane over. Long story short, Kid admitted that he Zoned Out and hit us. That woke him up. More injuries, more down time, more determined fighting back.
Now, every ride that I can do is the most important thing in the world to me at the time I'm on the bike. I don't really know how much more fight I have left. My Doctors are really amazed the last accident didn't paralyze me.
Todays ride wasn't anything special, I took off headed north from St. Petersburg. I made a stop in a reloading shop to see the owner. He's waiting to look at an 86 Max that CaptainKyle will have for sale. I just wanted to say Hi and ask if he and Kyle had set anything up.
By the time I finished there, I was facing what can be seen in the first picture. A pretty nasty Thunder Storm. The picture was taken from Highway 60 that goes East / West across Tampa Bay. I went that way to get away from the storm and because nothing was going to ruin my ride. The second 2 pictures are just the bike, the bay and a much clearer direction that I was headed toward.
The whole ride ended up being about 43 miles. Just another ride to any of you. After 3 weeks of not riding, it meant the world to me. I've learned that it's not just a matter of getting there or how far getting there is. It's the trip and every bump in the road. I enjoy every second of it. I hope you do your rides too.
BTW, I did get well over 100 on the Howard Frankenstein Bridge back to St Pete.. That was a real high point for the day.
I haven't been to Outer Space. Short of that, when I die, I've done it ALL. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh: Atleast Once.......
Dave
and get some Tailgunners and it would be set!
