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This probably sounds very stupid but I feel much safer when I’m on my Harley and Triumph. My MX skills have made me a very good street rider and I’m confident I’ll be riding down the coast into my 80’s, even though the odds are much higher of biting the big one on a street bike.
The Shop
I used to ride over my head when I was younger. I've had a few injuries but nothing major, a torn rotator cuff being the worst one.
I'm 61 now, and as I've gotten older I try to minimize risk as much as I can. I don't do big jumps and try to ride smart. I've been fit for 30 plus years and try to stay that way. When in doubt. I let off.
It's still a risky sport for sure. But you can mange the risk if you use your head (no pun intended).
I sold my 144 and 250, held onto the 300 thinking I’d want to ride again this year but I’m still not fully healed and my head’s not in it. Going to sell the 300 too. I’m pretty sure I’ll come around and want to get another one but I don’t think it will be any time soon. If it doesn’t sell maybe I’ll try some woods riding but it’s just never really done it for me in the past.
I started mountain biking last summer to get off the couch and it’s actually been satisfying my riding cravings. I’m a complete noob at it so I don’t feel any pressure to try ride at any certain level or huck big jumps. I’m lucky to live in one of the best places in the world for mountain biking so I’m taking full advantage of that. Trails everywhere in and out of the city, huge variety of terrain, have our own ski hill that runs as a bike park in the summer less than an hour’s drive, and Whistler isn’t much farther of a drive than what I’m used to from going to my favorite MX track every weekend. DH mountain biking feels a lot like moto, even uses the same leg muscles.
I didn’t realize you’d lost your leg, do you have a mechanical prosthetic like Ridge? how long ago did that happen?
We were lucky enough to get him into Craig hospital in Denver 5 days after the accident so that he could learn how to take care of himself.We were there for three months, he was 24 when it happened 3yrs later I ask myself that question ( was it worth it ) at least 3-4 times a day. On days when I see him struggling just to go to the bathroom or get into his truck to go to work it was not worth it for me. Then on the his good days it was worth it for for all of us.He is in pain all the time but very rarely says anything about it.
He has never regretted riding because as a family we all had a really good time and met some of the best people at the tracks. He is my hero, he said Dad I can almost do what I did before I just need to find a different way to do it and it will take longer.
I have the same thoughts on riding as you. I loved every minute of it and the friends and memories I made traveling around the country racing are some of the best.
My injury made me a better person and I have done some awesome things and been many places thanks to being in a chair. I have had the opportunity to tryout for USA paralympic wheelchair rugby which wouldn't have been possible.
My advice to people is do whatever makes you happy!
It hit me like a ton of bricks and once I did it was over. I seriously stopped and considered how my body will never be the same and I have to live with injuries every second of my life, what if something else happens.. imagine living with something else too. It worked into my conscious and the fear I had never processed before of knowing I was going to die at that moment and then not dying, but being severely injured, I finally started to decompress.
I had lost the edge and for the first time ever I was second guessing myself and my riding and that will lead to unsafe situations. I never thought it would happen. After riding from 3-29 I sold my bikes. It was time. I had lost the edge and it was dangerous to ride while second guessing myself. Never thought the day would come and wouldnt trade anything and still love the sport Ive just moved on from riding myself to being a fan.
After getting out of the millitary and having deployments etc... bottled up, I was having a tough time so after a year of working with a va therapist I really finally got to go over things I had just bottled up that were affecting my life that I thought werent because I just had moved right past them. I love motorcycle riding but unfortunately 2 horrible experiences Ive had in my life involved them. Still love the sport but Im just a fan these days.
Its weird but the way I had been keeping shit inside before made me demonstrate extreme risk taking, no emotion, no fear...etc which made me a muchhhh better rider. Once I finally learned self preservation the edge was gone n I had to hang it up. It made me ride slower to try to be safe but I hated that so Id ride on the edge again but it was scaring me so I just said F it... if I cant ride like a bat out of hell (on + off road) I have the memories, came out with my life. Sold the Ducati n Husky and Im perfectly fine being a die hard fan. The dudes who just woods ride n get a Harley I have a lot of respect for.. its just not me.
I'm 56 and have been 5'-10 / 160lbs since I was about 20. But if I hit the dirt now it feels Iike i weigh 260lbs and I swear all my internal organs have shifted to different locations of my body.
My last race in 2004 got me hit on the starting line and I finished the moto with a front flat and I still trophied. I realized the front was flat on the big uphill triple at Splendora. I often think what would have happened if the front tire would have come off the rim at that speed before take off.
I have a ZX10 that I enjoy doing track days on so I doubt I will ever quit, just not take so many chances. I used to be a real street squid doing 100 mph wheelies on the freeway but that was before cell phones and everyone looking down while driving. Now I ride 0 on the street because of this.
If I ride a track I ride safe tracks like Rio Bravo during the week when they are not packed. I have raced on and off since 1974 and knock on wood, only hurt once at Whitney pushing my crashed bike out of the ravine. A guy coming up the hill didn't see me and ran over my knee hyper extending it. It is still bigger than my other knee.
My near death experience happened on my MX track. Me and our big Boer Goat buck weighing in at about 300#s. I went in to help a downed kid goat and he attacked me and pinned me to the fence. His left horn pierced my right leg and the Doc says if it went in any deeper it would have ruptured my femoral and I would have bled out in minutes. Thankfully I had grabbed an ax handle before I entered the track and after beating on him until my arm was out of blood, I pried it between his horns and turned him on his side so I could work him w/ 2 hands on the handle. He came at me 2 more times, 1 I base ball batted the side of his head dropping him to 1 knee. I scrambled to get the gate open and he came at me again. This time I golf shotted his chin dropping him for long enough to get out of the pen.
Who knew you could die on a MX track w/no bike?
Pit Row
That goat looks like a real prick. I wouldn't want to tangle with him.
Ridge was a big help to me when i was going through all that about 6-7 years ago.
I did a real number on both legs and feet in that crash. Actually a lot of moto people reached out, who went through similar injuries and results. Their truly is some good people around dirt bikes. That helped me out tremendously being able to talk and relate to people who had been through it. i lost the right and got my left foot fused,which turned out fairly well.
. I had probably 4-5 surgeries before it was just time to take it off, i truly am better off without it. The damage was done, it was time! Although I can function at a high level despite the injuries but it took time.
Awesome on the downhill biking, thats a natural transition from dirt bikes i would think. Loads of fun, and being able to get out in nature and get a workout in a place like you have sounds perfect for coming off a big crash. Sounds like one of the best ways to keep moving and what an option you have, that you can fill your riding fix right out your back door,in places like that.
Still, keep it safe out there, Happy for you to have recovered so well and, all the best moving forward in your endeavors
Travis
i became a much better person as well, once i got everything sorted and i finally healed, it took a long time, but I realized and saw first hand how hard some peoples lives were and the difficulty they faced and lived with every day. A real eye opener for me when i needed it most, honestly, These people and these things i never thought much about, but My injuries put things in perspective for me and seeing how strong people were in far worse comditions than me, really inspired me..
My injuries have also led me to new places and opportunities and i am grateful for the experiences I've had
To the people who go out and ride trails all the time who used to race, did it become just as fun over time? Like is there an epiphany or something? I just couldnt get up to do that every week, but maybe if I was crazy fast in the woods like my dad I would... idk.
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