just need to vent

[rayzuki]

Being a new rider there are certain conditions I just won't ride in. Rain being on top of the list. Being in the Pacific Northwest this is the end of the rain season. I haven't riden since October and I am dying to get on the bike again. This last week has been dry and warm. Many riders on the streets and here I am in the passenger seat of my car with my wife driving me everywhere. Why? Good question. I can't drive. I can't walk. And I definately can't ride. I had surgery on my right foot in Jan. The surgery went well. The healing hasn't been according to plan. I forgot the medical term but in short I had cartilage deteriation (sp?) so the doctor went in removed the remaining and fused two bones together. The pain from bones and incisions is just about gone now but my foot is stiff as a board. I have very little movement and can't put any weight on it. I am on crutches and running out of patience. I have a contraption called an external fixater sticking out of my foot. It comes out next week and then off to physical therpy. I can hardly wait. I just need to get this thing out so I can get back to life.

thanks for letting me get that out.

[alanmcorcoran]

Nothing like the betrayal of your own body parts to put all of life's other aggravations into perspective.

Perhaps your therapist will recommend riding the bike as therapy? It's the brake foot after all, and you have the hand brake is the primary anyway.

[Water Warrior 2]

Keep up your spirits and heal up soonest. All is not lost just delayed til you are ready.

[rayzuki]

I have been pretty good with all this until this past week. I just want to walk again and the stiffness and itching is starting to bug me. Things will get better on Wed when the pins come out. I was able to walk a little yesterday with the moon boot and crutches. I was even able to wiggle my toes slightly this morning. Both are good signs. :2tup:

[mr. softie]

I feel for you Rayzuki. I had a busted up shoulder last spring and had surgery and had anchors in my Humerus holding things together and had about 100 physical therapy sessions. Doing better now. Get well soon!

[Canuck]

Ray I've been personal training for 5 years now and done tree planting as well. Both have given me an in depth look at how the human body adapts to anything you throw at it.

Keep up with your rehabilitation, listen to those people and I'm sure you'll gain a great deal of mobility back in that leg.
Try and research anything you can about the issue and take matter into your own hands. The health system cannot be trusted.
things like...
Massage therapy.

Range of motion exercises,

Proper Diet

Stretching and Strengthening concepts

There is tons of useful information. and the body is an AMAZING thing. Empower yourself with the knowledge to get you back in the saddle with confidence!

Best wishes

[5th_bike]

That's no fun... I sure hope you will heal well. Keep your blood flowing.

[rayzuki]

after 5 months of pain/healing/frustration/rehab/theropy I finally got back on the bike today. I am probably only 80% with the foot but it was a beautiful day and I had to ride. I went out for a "short" ride thru the farm country and got completely lost. Couldn't be happier about that. I was able to "ride my ride" I didn't have to worry about traffic because its a holiday weekend and everyone is at the beach. I was able to go thru the twistys at my pace and figure out how to lean more to go thru them faster. Rode for 102 miles and on my way back ended up being in a place I didn't want to be...the highway. Again minimal traffic so it was the perfect day to find out I was afraid about nothing just the fear of the unknown. I rode on the highway for about 10 miles at 60 mph. The bike definetly could have gone faster but holiday weekend and the cops are everywhere and I did not need to go any faster. I was doing just fine where I was. Overall today was great. Beautiful day, great ride, beautiful scenery, great ride, learned a thing or two, great ride, did things I haven't ever done before and in case I didn't mention it yet, great ride. So guess what I am doing tomorrow?

[alantf]

Originally Posted by rayzuki

there are certain conditions I just won't ride in. Rain being on top of the list.

Why not? What'll happen if you go out in the dry, & it starts to rain? Why not get some decent waterproofs that pack up small enough to live in your saddlebags (or even a back pack if you haven't got saddlebags) So long as you realise that the gz is a VERY stable bike, & you learn that the road is likely to be a little slippy just after the rain starts (& before it washes all the microscopic rubber particles off the road) you should be fine. It's just confidence you need. When I lived in England, if I didn't want to ride in the rain I would've had to sell my bike.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alantf

Why not?

Pretty simple really: Different strokes for different folks. Everybody is NOT alike. :roll:

I ride for fun; riding in the rain is a pain in the ass, it's not fun......for me at least.

Just yesterday coming back from the mile flat track races about 70 miles away, I rode through a light shower that lasted about 10 minutes. Slowed down just a tad, avoided some puddles and got just a little damp, except for my pant legs.

It was no big deal. I have a rain suit in the bags but didn't need it.
I am prepared but see no reason to intentionally put myself in a stressful situation if I can avoid it.

As always, YMMV!