Posts
134
Joined
3/30/2012
Location
Keene, NH, USA
Edited Date/Time
11/10/2022 5:33pm
I want to apologize for the length of this post. It was actually therapeutic to type this out and I haven't been able to watch or read anything moto since my accident.
So I have been riding/ racing MX since I was 13. (48 almost 49 now) My racing days far behind me, I now just hit the weekly open practice day when I get a chance. I consider myself a fast Vet B/ Slow A rider. Lost some speed through the years after taking some time off.
My worst injuries during that time were a couple of concussions and a broken lower leg. Along with the bumps, cuts and brusies that come with riding.
All that changed on October 6. Which just happened to be my wife's and I anniversary. Nothing planned, she encouraged me to take the day off and go riding. So I did.
Friend picked me up, perfect weather, a mint track and the fourth ride on my new 23 GasGas 350. Couldn't ask for anything better. Went out for the first ride and felt good. Came in for a quick rest and shoot the shit with my friend and guys around us.
This is where things get fuzzy. I remember going out for a second ride but the next thing I remember is looking up from the ground or stretcher and seeing a bunch of guys around me. Then the sound of helicopter blades and a trauma center. I don't really remember much after that until I got put into a private room. Talking to my wife, she said that was the fourth room I had been in. As I because more stable, they would move me into another room, until I ended up in the final room. Which is where I ended my 13 day stay at the hospital.
8 broken,shattered ribs.
Broken scapula, three places.
Broken bones in left side of my face. Cheek bone, lower eye socket.
Collapsed left lung.
Bleeding on the brain.
Damage to my right hand. Which they haven't got to the bottom of yet.
Damage to adrenal gland.
10 hour surgery to fix what they could.
I'm sure there is more I'm missing but I refuse to read all the doctors notes. My wife tried reading it to me but it freaks me out and I told her to stop. She is interested in that kind of stuff.
So now I sit here, 2 months more of recovery ahead of me and I don't know if I can ever throw a leg over a bike again. The thought of the excruciating pain I felt and the pain I still feel now scare the shit out of me. Never mind the burden I put on my wife, who has to do everything now until I'm better. But if you ask her she says it's ok and not a problem. That's what she is there for according to her.
So I know there are guys on here who have had bad injuries. My question is after that long ass post, Did it make you think twice about riding? Did it take time or were you right back at it once healed up? How did you deal with it? Because having a family and almost losing that makes me wonder if it's worth it.
So I have been riding/ racing MX since I was 13. (48 almost 49 now) My racing days far behind me, I now just hit the weekly open practice day when I get a chance. I consider myself a fast Vet B/ Slow A rider. Lost some speed through the years after taking some time off.
My worst injuries during that time were a couple of concussions and a broken lower leg. Along with the bumps, cuts and brusies that come with riding.
All that changed on October 6. Which just happened to be my wife's and I anniversary. Nothing planned, she encouraged me to take the day off and go riding. So I did.
Friend picked me up, perfect weather, a mint track and the fourth ride on my new 23 GasGas 350. Couldn't ask for anything better. Went out for the first ride and felt good. Came in for a quick rest and shoot the shit with my friend and guys around us.
This is where things get fuzzy. I remember going out for a second ride but the next thing I remember is looking up from the ground or stretcher and seeing a bunch of guys around me. Then the sound of helicopter blades and a trauma center. I don't really remember much after that until I got put into a private room. Talking to my wife, she said that was the fourth room I had been in. As I because more stable, they would move me into another room, until I ended up in the final room. Which is where I ended my 13 day stay at the hospital.
8 broken,shattered ribs.
Broken scapula, three places.
Broken bones in left side of my face. Cheek bone, lower eye socket.
Collapsed left lung.
Bleeding on the brain.
Damage to my right hand. Which they haven't got to the bottom of yet.
Damage to adrenal gland.
10 hour surgery to fix what they could.
I'm sure there is more I'm missing but I refuse to read all the doctors notes. My wife tried reading it to me but it freaks me out and I told her to stop. She is interested in that kind of stuff.
So now I sit here, 2 months more of recovery ahead of me and I don't know if I can ever throw a leg over a bike again. The thought of the excruciating pain I felt and the pain I still feel now scare the shit out of me. Never mind the burden I put on my wife, who has to do everything now until I'm better. But if you ask her she says it's ok and not a problem. That's what she is there for according to her.
So I know there are guys on here who have had bad injuries. My question is after that long ass post, Did it make you think twice about riding? Did it take time or were you right back at it once healed up? How did you deal with it? Because having a family and almost losing that makes me wonder if it's worth it.
Second, I’m so sorry this happened to you. Sounds very scary. This would be a tough one to get back on the bike from, for sure. Nobody could argue that. As we get older it gets harder to justify what we do.
I’m 58, and a couple of months ago I crashed pretty hard just riding through a cleared section of woods. It was a fluke, but I was thrown about 20 feet and landed on my side on some ground up stumps. This was absolutely nothing compared to what you’ve been through, but I’ve been rethinking whether it’s worth it. I’ll probably keep it up, but I’ll definitely act my age out there.
I hope your recovery goes well.
My brother gave up racing after a C-1 Jefferson fracture. 10 years later he got into it again and hasn’t quit since. He is 60 years old. Just because you give it up now, that doesn’t mean you can’t come back.
You don’t have to ride moto when you come back, there are plenty of safer versions of two wheel fun.. just keep it on two wheels and all will be right in the world
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Healing is going to take some time but I should make a full recovery, except for possibly losing some feeling in my face. Time will tell. And if that's all I come out of this with, I feel extremely lucky.
I mean, I’ve got 13 screws and two plates in my left ankle from a racing incident back in February…and I’d be lying if even that had me thinking about hanging it up and trying another sport…
No shame if you hang it up man….it’s just a hobby, no reason to ruin our bodies over it…lots of other fun things to do…that are easier on the body.
Good luck with your injuries and give it time, you’ll know.
Keep us posted.
And you are right. When on a MX track, Its hard to just cruise around. I definitely always try to push myself.
What is also scary to me is that it happened in a right hand corner into a left hand bowl corner you kind of drop into. Not a fast section of the track at all.
I was at Club Moto at a regular Thursday practice and there was a good amount of people out there. After the uphill triple they had a high-speed left hand sweeper that lead into a ski jump that lead into a 180 turn with uphill whoops.
So as I was coming wide open off the ski jump I noticed out of the corner of my eye a guy get out of shape in the whoops. I had no where to go and tried to wheelie over his bike, which resulted in my back end compressing and kicking me over the bars. I thought I felt my body go limp for a second, which was terrifying. I ended up with a badly sprained neck, broken left wrist and bruised ribs.
It really freaked me out as I had a few good buddies get paralyzed at the same track. To top it off it had been a while since I washed my gear and I couldn't move very well, so the poor nurse at the hospital (who was hot) had to do it for me. But she was a good sport and said her bf rode a yz ttr at Carnegie and making fun of him. She had been to a few Supercrosses and thought it was cool I rode the big boy tracks at Club Moto. They also had an arena cross track at the time.
After that I toned it down big time. Very few things have ever scred me that much.
Did the brain bleed thing also but from a pit bike of all things.
We are a crazy bunch and have to say there is no other feeling or release in the world that tops what a dirt bike brings to us.
28 broken bones, worst is the back (L-2-L-3) hardware, fusion) in 2003, Four surgery's.
I was always the one going for it Ross Chastain style and had fun doing it.
The truth is, we don’t.
You don’t have to decide right now if you’re ever going to ride again.
Your emotions will change again and again- just run with it and keep an open mind.
At the moment, whilst laid up in recovery your mind is doing overtime with these thoughts, but it’s really not important.
Forget bikes for now- Try to focus on recovery and what powers you do have to be better each day.
Once you feel strong and fit and energetic again, the decision on whether to ride will be easier to make, either way you decide to go.
Pit Row
You’ll figure it out when you’re back healthy on your feet. MX is a very thankless unforgiving sport.
Then when you start riding again you can decide if you want to ride or race mx tracks or maybe get into dual sporting, trail riding etc. You will ride again might as well face that fact, you're a lifer. Add in the fact that your wife hasn't said "No more motorcycles" even while she's nursing your busted up body back to health all but guaranties it. Hang tough and concentrate on getting healthy and strong again.
I've been going through something similar for almost 2 years. Short version of my story is I had 7 surgeries in 8 months, the last surgery was August 20th of last year. Last weekend we went camping in ocotillo wells for 3 days. I've done some easy dual sport rides before this but this was my first time back riding on some technical terrain. I was nervous as shit, my arms pumped up in the first five minutes from death gripping the bars. The guys I was with headed up a fairly skinny ridge trail, I sat at the bottom freaking myself out staring at the stupid trail and finally said fuck it stop thinking just ride. Once I got up and back down that section things started to click again and I relaxed and had an epic time. No one can tell you what to do but from my own experience and knowing lots of friends who've been injured riding the 2nd thoughts you're having are a standard part of the healing process. Everyone's different of course but I'll bet good money within a year we're going to read a post from you saying how great it feels to be back on a bike. But don't think about that now... fuck bikes for now. Sorry you're going through this, best of luck to you.
I see a lot of old dudes who ride bikes on the road, way within their limits and the rules of the road, but all it takes is some clown to pull out in front of them or a little diesel on the ground and it's game over. Plenty of people lift weights or go for a run, not overly pushing themselves, they're in good shape generally, but they randomly have a heart attack or an aneurysm or whatever.
I had friends who just drank a couple while on a mediation and had a reaction and died, a friend who was perfectly healthy and just went to sleep and never woke up, a friend who was literally just crossing the road and got hit by a car... shit you can get hit by lightning.
Yes some things are more dangerous than others, some a lot more dangerous, but simply existing can be dangerous and you have to live your life and enjoy what you're passionate about. Anything can wipe you out, to any degree, at any time, but you're the only one who can decide what risks you're willing to take with things like riding which is your choice. You don't need to justify that decision to anyone but yourself, but that's the toughest sell sometimes.
Injuries were nothing like yours but the nature of the crash was super scary for me . “Cruising” at the end of the day for one last session . Whiskeyed over fairly decent sized step up completely looping out in the air and rag dolling …my son actually caught it on his go pro … anyway, my wadded bike rolled out of the garage about a week later and I decided I was done . I have rode a few times but nothing like I used to . I am gearing up to go back to the track in a month but I have to say I do have my reservations . Especially on the 450 …As mentioned it’s hard to “ take it easy “ at the track .
When it’s time you’ll know
Heal up quick bud!
I've got plenty of metal and plenty of surgeries but I've never contemplated not riding.
I woke up one day with no motor control skills on the left side of my body with a brain bleed rushed in for a craniotomy. They don't know why that happened. I still ride with this plate in my head.
If it ever hurt me bad enough I don't know what I would do.
Jason
A group of us from central Florida went on a mountain street bike trip last October (deals gap). We left with one fatality, and four fewer bikes than the group went up there with. I came home and wheeled the bike in the garage where it has sat since. I just lost a very good friend (who was on that trip) this past weekend from a street incident. He leaves behind an 8 year old and a 5 year old. I don’t plan on ever selling my street bike but it will be a while before I get it out of the garage. I haven’t even started it. As of now, that juice isn’t worth the squeeze anymore.
Moto, I had a few injuries a couple years ago that had me asking myself the same question. At the end of the day, I didn’t make a decision to stop riding, just change up my discipline a little. I still Moto, not as much though. I’ve been racing hare scrambles here in Florida and it has completely rejuvenated my love for riding dirt bikes. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t get rid of anything. I didn’t make any decisions and still haven’t with the street bikes. I’m just taking a break. When I’m ready, I’m ready but I won’t push myself. The street bikes recently completely terrify me as there usually isn’t a second chance. Dirt, we get slower and wiser as we age and maybe have a little more control of the situation. That brings me peace.
My friend, who still has my bike and is cleaning it up for me before he brings it back said the only thing wrong with it is a broken top clutch bracket/clamp.
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