Stretch vs Pickup Truck

[Medic09]

I found this late; but thank God you're up and about!  I hope your healing is complete and without too much pain.

We'll miss your activity here in the meantime.  I quickly learned you're one of the sources of good info.

[Advwannabe]

I'm a late comer to this thread as well. Hope therecovery is going well Stretch, we miss your contributions.

Get well soon and get another bike!

Cheers

[Stretch]

Thanks for all the kind notes, dudes.  I really appreciate it.  I'm doing pretty well today.  I had been sleeping in a recliner since I got home (I needed my head elevated, and it was easy to get in and out of), but last night I slept in my own bed... even spent a couple hours on my side!  It was glorious.

Stretch, what kind of protection did you wear? Maybe it was not all down do good luck after all? Did you have any back protection or clothes with shock protection?
Heal well.

I was wearing a Nolan N102 helmet, Kilimanjaro 4 jacket with hi-viz yellow vest over it (that did a lot of friggin' good, didn't it?), FirstGear HT2 pants, FirstGear mesh gloves, and a pair of work boots.  The jacket and pants have CE armor in the appropriate spots, including some thin spine protection in the back of the jacket.

[rainycoastguy]

Stretch...I've learned more about fixing and maintaining Girlies from your posts than from anywhere else.  Your accident was unfortunate but as a rider for decades I'd say eventually inevitable.  Keep the faith, heal, and ride again.  Your intelligence, thoughtfulness, and genuine ability to solve vexing problems would be sorely missed if you were to move on from this venus.  All the best.  Rainycoastguy

[Stretch]

I appreciate that, brother.  

Inevitable... perhaps so.  I'm just a few months shy of thirty years in the saddle with no major accidents at all.  Until Nov. 13th.  

But I am hanging up my helmet for good.  I've worked so many wrecks where people were killed / maimed / crippled / paralyzed, and I was walking the hospital halls three days after this one with five fractured vertebrae.  It was a wake-up call... like a warning from God himself...

"Son, I really saved your carcass this time.  Others have been killed in lesser accidents.  It's time to get off the bikes now."

"Yes, Sir!  Thank you for the second chance.  I'll do better this time."

I'll be a cager from here on out, but I'll be a cager that knows to look for bikes.   8)

If any of you cats see a burgundy-colored Jeep Wrangler with a tall skinny dude waving like a madman, it's just me recognizing a Tiger for what it is... the very best bike I've ever thrown a leg over.  Wave back and pull over... I'll turn around and visit with you.  

[coachgeo]

....  It was a wake-up call... like a warning from God himself...

"Son, I really saved your carcass this time.  Others have been killed in lesser accidents.  It's time to get off the bikes now."...

hmmm.. or was he saying... "son... time to get off the crazy GA highways and stick to trails"?

Something to consider.  

Your Yeep, a bike, a trailer.... a ramp..  and your set.

[EvilBetty]

I have a cousin that fell out of bed due to "slick sheets" during some extra curricular activities.  Landed on a night stand.  He cracked a vertebrae and suffered a concussion.

Since then he's spawned two (known) kids, so at some point in time he hung up the "helmet" but he didn't give up the thrill of the ride  :lol:


Joking aside, it's a little different when the night stand weighs over a ton and is hurled at you by a 3rd party at high speed.  Add to that the knowledge that it very well could happen again.

I've yet to only suffer a couple small scares such as accidentally locking the front break up in an emergency stop.  The first time almost made me put a sale sign on bike.  I've been in wrecks in cages but even when injured that cage seems to create a much higher level of security when it comes to getting back behind the wheel.

30 years is a lot of good experiences in the saddle.  I hope I can someday claim a good fraction of that.

Good on ya Stretch.  Here's to ya in your future endeavors!

 

[Sin_Tiger]

I hope I can do that some day, this forum has enriched my rather sad solitary life out here and I appreciate not just the technical expertise but a shoulder to cry on when needed, I think I'll be doing a lot more crying before the Steamer's rebuilt  :roll:

Good to know the Boss gave you a chance to be out there looking out for the rest of us, so if you see any dozy cagers on phones run a blocking tackle for the rest of us  8)

[atokad]

It was a wake-up call... like a warning from God himself...

"Son, I really saved your carcass this time.  Others have been killed in lesser accidents.  It's time to get off the bikes now."

"Yes, Sir!  Thank you for the second chance.  I'll do better this time."

Ever see the movie "Heaven Can Wait" with Warren Beatty?  1978 movie. If not rent it, it's pretty good as I recall.  I had that, "oh wait, it's not your day, yet" experience when I flew and airplane upside down (and I didn't mean to). My wife was 5 months pregnant with my first child (no, she wasn't in the plane, she was at home) Couldn't even tell anybody about it for 2 years. No one knew but me and my maker.  I did fly again, but it wasn't the same. I was going up and down like a freaking roller coaster ride! Couldn't fly a level altitude for 5 minutes.  I would try it again, but it's too expensive now days.

I get where you are coming from and like I said, have questioned if/when/ever I would put the helmet away for good. I don't know yet if that will happen, but I can respect an accident like this being the catalyst for such a life changing event.

I too will sorely miss your Tiger knowledge, but hey, if you make it to Colorado in your Jeep, I can point you to some crazy hills that may lead you to putting the Jeep away for good too!  Not that I'd be wishing for that, but there are some almighty crazy trails out here.

Take care and thanks for saving all of the others out there during your career!

[TheMule]

Stretch,

Just found out about things, will keep you in our prayers for a speedy recovery.

thanks for everything,

Todd

[TripleFan]

Stretch, I'm late seing this thread. I wish you a speedy recovery. I know how good it can be to sleep in your own bed on your side and hopefully relatively undisturbed.  :)  
You will be missed as a keeper of all tiger wisdom.   You have been an amazing resource and I've enjoyed watching the farkling of your beast. You'll also surprise me if you are not back someday. You seem to enjoy riding too much but who knows what the future will bring. You may be like a friend of mine who gave up riding after his second bad accident, 10 years later he found himself with a 20 year old bike in the garage and a pissed off wife. From there lets just say he recognized he'll never give riding up. :lol:

[Stretch]

Thanks, guys.

Mad Jeepin' there, Atokad.  The bruised and broken dude in GA is insanely jealous.  I do have a military reunion in San Diego next fall, and will be driving the Jeep cross-country to get there.  I do have a few spots that I have previously visited on bikes that I want to enjoy again... Monument Valley, Shiprock, Hovenweep, Mesa Verde, Canyon De Chelle...

It ought to be a pretty nice trip... top down when I can, enjoying the dirt roads off the beaten path.




The idea of keeping the trail bike has never left my mind.  It's an '87 Honda XL250 (the last of the XL's).  I bought in new in '87 and it still runs well.  I have no plans of ever riding a bike again on a public road, but a 250 on a trail still appeals to me.

[Gibba]

Get well soon mate

[Advwannabe]

Gidday Stretch,

I'd say you've come to a pretty sensible conclusion based on your circumstances.

I just hope you are not quite as sensible as you sound  

Get well soon, its on my wishlist to the Boss

[Cos]

Damn!!!
I can't believe i just caught on to this. Sorry man, i know how much you loved that bike.

How're you holding up?