- Joined
- Feb 6, 2006
- Messages
- 10,571
- Reaction score
- 4,185
- Location
- Cape Town, deep in the lentils
- Bike
- KTM 990 Adventure
I have a good friend who has been a bit of a mentor over the years.
3 years ago he took out the only traffic light box in Barrydale with his 1200GSA. He was severely broken as he landed in the rock garden. His hips, shoulders, leg and fingers were shot and it took him about a year and half to sort of come right.
He got rid of the VFR 800 and of course his BM was a write off.
The Bug was still strong, so he bought a VStrom 650. But on one of his first rides to work he fell off doing almost 0kph on turn off that had a bit of gravel on the tar. That broke 3 of his ribs and put him back another half year.
He is in his late 50â??s maybe early 60â??s and nearly 3 weeks ago came off close to Oudekraal between Llandudno and Camps Bay.
There is only speculation over what caused it as he wasnâ??t hit by anything. Personally I think that he was strong enough ride a bike if allâ??s going well, but not strong enough to react if anything out of the ordinary happens. (His right shoulder is semi-fused) I have ridden with him before his first accident and he was a safe, quick rider.
This last accident put him in a coma for 2 weeks and when I went to see him on Friday he was very far away and tired. He only barely grunted to two or three questions in the hour that I was with him and dozed in and out of consciousness. The Nurses say he is better in the morning. Apart from the coma he only broke one rib this time but it punctured his lung.
When he makes it back onto his feet all his friends have declared that nothing less than 4 wheels will be tolerated. I too will not accept his wanting to get back on a bike unless he is the pillion.
Sad, but there you go.
I posted this as visiting him just reinforced to me that biking is a privilege.
Seeing him in the hospital brought on a host of emotions; On one hand I was angry with him as his accident really frightens my wife as he is the end result of what she often assumes my riding will bring. I can understand, and I told her about my feelings as I do think that he should not have been riding after prang number 2. I feel that he was being irresponsible with the privilege.
But on the other hand part of me can really relate with him getting back on and chasing the wind.
For me one of the pleasures of riding is that it is a strong spiritual access point; it is the gate to an inward journey that allows a powerful introspective experience. I am sad for him as I know this was true for him too.
I hope he recovers but I think his days of riding are over.
Get well my friend.
3 years ago he took out the only traffic light box in Barrydale with his 1200GSA. He was severely broken as he landed in the rock garden. His hips, shoulders, leg and fingers were shot and it took him about a year and half to sort of come right.
He got rid of the VFR 800 and of course his BM was a write off.
The Bug was still strong, so he bought a VStrom 650. But on one of his first rides to work he fell off doing almost 0kph on turn off that had a bit of gravel on the tar. That broke 3 of his ribs and put him back another half year.
He is in his late 50â??s maybe early 60â??s and nearly 3 weeks ago came off close to Oudekraal between Llandudno and Camps Bay.
There is only speculation over what caused it as he wasnâ??t hit by anything. Personally I think that he was strong enough ride a bike if allâ??s going well, but not strong enough to react if anything out of the ordinary happens. (His right shoulder is semi-fused) I have ridden with him before his first accident and he was a safe, quick rider.
This last accident put him in a coma for 2 weeks and when I went to see him on Friday he was very far away and tired. He only barely grunted to two or three questions in the hour that I was with him and dozed in and out of consciousness. The Nurses say he is better in the morning. Apart from the coma he only broke one rib this time but it punctured his lung.
When he makes it back onto his feet all his friends have declared that nothing less than 4 wheels will be tolerated. I too will not accept his wanting to get back on a bike unless he is the pillion.
Sad, but there you go.
I posted this as visiting him just reinforced to me that biking is a privilege.
Seeing him in the hospital brought on a host of emotions; On one hand I was angry with him as his accident really frightens my wife as he is the end result of what she often assumes my riding will bring. I can understand, and I told her about my feelings as I do think that he should not have been riding after prang number 2. I feel that he was being irresponsible with the privilege.
But on the other hand part of me can really relate with him getting back on and chasing the wind.
For me one of the pleasures of riding is that it is a strong spiritual access point; it is the gate to an inward journey that allows a powerful introspective experience. I am sad for him as I know this was true for him too.
I hope he recovers but I think his days of riding are over.
Get well my friend.
