So long overdue, although two weeks later, it still sounds exciting and just plain crazy. What I did was:
1. Woke up at 3:45AM
2. Got on my bike and met three fellow MS riders at 4:30AM at the local gas station.
3. Rode 75 miles on I-90E to Cle Elum in pitch darkness, on grooved pavements, and with near-frozen fingers.
Didn’t do a whole lot this long weekend, but I did manage to get my first post-accident long ride in. I rode down to Port Townsend yesterday afternoon, spent the night at the youth hostel in Fort Warden, and got back this morning. I’ll post a complete ride report later.
Onward we go…
Onboard the ferry
Downtown Port Townsend, parked next to a Triumph Thruxton.
Downtown is full of lovely old brick buildings.
The waters of the Juan De Fuca Strait
Heading back…
The view from above.
The pictures aren’t really much to speak of, and don’t do justice to the place, but at least some of you might have seen my earlier photos from there taken the first time I was there: http://www.adventuresinfinite.com/Motorcycling/OlympicPeninsula.html
I saw the hand surgeon this morning for the last time. I say last time because he gave me a clean bill of health, told me stop therapy completely, and not to ever come back. :) I still have to wear the splint on my right hand for about three more weeks, while riding and working out with weights, but outside of that, I am completely plastic-free.
My knee and the contusions on the lower leg are still inflamed and hurting though, even after 2.5 months. The inflammation in the leg is now hard and knotty, and no amount of heat and massaging seems to be helping. I’m going to give it a couple of weeks more, and go see a doctor if it’s still not budged.
I cancelled my spot for California Superbike School for this year, and will probably do it next spring. I simply do not feel well enough to get back out on the track yet, especially with still wearing my hacky glove over the splint, which would offer no protection in case of a crash. I also feel like it’d be a bit of a waste to do the school almost at the end of the season, with barely any trackdays left that I could do. Spring seems by far the best time to take this on.
I’m watching Long Way Round for the second time around and it’s still as amusing and enchanting as it was the first time. :)
I just finished watching The Road Racers for the second time this week. Apparently it seems to be a little known movie as there are no reviews for it on that Amazon link, and a web search didn’t reveal anything from the title alone.
Nevertheless it is a brilliant watch – it is a short documentary about an unofficial racing team in Ireland called the Armoy Armada, consisting of Joey Dunlop, Mervyn Robinson and Frank Kennedy (that first name at least should be familiar). I can’t decide what I found most charming about it – the then superbikes roaring through the Irish backroads, the quiet, rural backdrop and the intimate look at these racers’ lives, or the thrilling clips of them in action on the road circuits. Now I don’t watch MotoGP that much, but those old races have something about them that makes modern racing seem so clinical and calculated. I was especially amused by the scenes in which both of Frank Kennedy’s hands are broken and in splints, and how he struggles to eat and drive and be normal. *ahem*
Sadly enough, both Frank and Mervyn died in high speed crashes in the space of a year. As did Joey Dunlop a few years ago, although he at least, got to live a little bit longer and enjoy his fame and glory.
I stayed home sick today because I felt like crap when I woke up. Amd going to stay home and rest up in the hopes that it goes away. Am welcoming the downtime in the wake of all the stress of the past few weeks. I also find myself able to relax in a way I never do during a vacation or weekend, seeing as I feel just sick enough that I don’t feel guilty about lying and doing nothing productive.
I got my bike back yesterday evening. The radiator leak is still a problem, but I reckon I should be okay to ride it five miles to work and back before I fix it. I bought a cheap pair of FirstGear gloves in men’s medium size, to wear the right one over my splint. I had to tape down the ends of the fingers with electrical tape to get them to fit somewhat okay.
I’m a little curious to see what it will feel like to ride after a two month hiatus and a high speed crash.