Rob,

No I don't ride any more...I had a critical wreck back in 2004 and spent 3+ months in a level 1 trauma center out in Denver...over 2 of them in ICU. The docs told us as we were leaving the hospital that they gave me a 1% chance of waking up after the initial surgery...God was with me every step of the way and continues to influence my life is such positive ways. Along the way I've had 17 abdominal surgeries and my internal plumbing isn't like yours or most others...but thankfully thru my skilled trauma surgeons hands it works just fine!

My wreck happened just outside of Denver in Golden after I had actually just returned from the Black Hills and Spearfish area on an amazing ride thru the western part of your state...but ultimately I would remain in Denver much longer than I could have ever imagined...but it is all good my friend...

If you get a chance you MUST ride Spearfish Canyon and the other amazing areas out in the Black Hills...

One of the best things that came out of my wreck is other than me surviving that is ... is the fact we sold the Harley and started tent camping as a family. We eventually bought a 27' travel trailer and "attempted" to pull it behind a Hemi powered Durango...well if you notice my username...that Hemi ain't all it is cracked up to be...so we bought the Ex and pulled our camper out to your state and to Yellowstone and then down to Denver where I visited with all the nurses and doctors that had saved my life 2 years prior (this was in 2006) and I actually got to meet the lady that stopped for me as I lay alone on the side of the road in the middle of a desolate part of Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Golden...that's right...i was all alone and ended up about 10' DOWN a tree lined embankment splatted up against a very large and very hard tree...that's where all the internal injuries happened...but I stood up and asked God for the strength to get back up the hill on foot because if I ddin't...I was done...no one could see me and no one knew where I was at either...so I got up and hiked up that hill and collapsed at the top and this lady stopped...anyway we got to meet her in 2006 and I still to this day keep in touch with her...and you know what we both have the SAME birthday!!!...

Sorry for the long answer...but no I don't ride any more...we RV as a family and like I said...our 11 and 13 year old daughters have been to 35 states thus far and after this summers travels they'll be at 40 states...all because I sold the Harley!

Aren't you glad you asked!

Joe.

 

Wow Joe! That is an amazing story! Glad you came out of it, can't imagine what that would be like. I sold the Fatboy in 2006 just before we moved to SD from Omaha... I seriously thought about giving up motorcycles completely since our kids were so young. I only lasted 3 years without a bike. Picked up a Yamaha in 2009 and that only made me miss the Harley more. I got my current E Glide last April. Our girls are 8 and 11 now, and the 8 year old is begging to ride with me. The wife hasn't been on the bike yet, she doesn't think we both should be taking that risk.

What ER were you at in Denver? My wife was an ER/Trauma RN in Denver until 2001 when we moved to Montana... She always said bikers and cowboys were the best patients in the ER, lol.

 

Rob,

I was in St. Anthony's Central in Denver.

The ICU nurses always told me they could tell what season it was too by the patients in their beds...motorcycle or skiers!

I still miss riding...but with what I put my wife and daughters thru...I'm content with RV-ing around the country right now...but as I pass a bike on the road...I still have that itch!

Joe

 

The wife worked at the level 2 trauma center at Aurora Med Center... eastern suburbs of Denver.

I completely understand your longing to ride, and it is great that you've found something to replace that with. I don't think I could get back on a bike if I had been through that.

 

Wow Joe, that's one scary story! Sounds like you got a second chance for sure. Nothing will cure the motorcycle itch quite like a brush with death, or someone you know having one or even being killed. As soon as I can, you'll get a rep for surviving that!

I've been riding street bikes since '86. Bought my first one while working my first dealership gig. Was in the biz til '98, starting out as porter, then tech and eventually service manager. Then landed a stationary engineering job and got out altogether. (still do side jobs though)

Anyway, I sold my 700 Nighthawk after getting married in '89, and rode whatever the dealer had available til '98. Demos and anything I wanted from the used inventory.

Then the spring of '04 rolls around and that damn bug came biting and he bit hard! My wife will tell you haw much of a PITA I was for those couple weeks

I ended up with an FZ1 shortly after. Rode it quite a bit (for me anyway) those first few years then we got pregnant and had our youngest son in July of '08. Haven't ridden hardly at all since, only twice last year. Partly because there just ain't much time with a toddler around and partly because I want to be around for my toddler. I've had it up for sale a few time but it hasn't sold. The way I see it that's God's way of telling me to keep it.

We'll see what happens. Maybe I'll give it to the kid in 20 years. It'll be a classic by then.

Sorry... looks like I got to rambling there. But you guys started it with the bike talk!

Have a great Friday everybody!

 

Good Morning Indiana!

Happy TGIF!

 

Happy Friday to ya mates!
Lets get rolling for a long weekend!
Have a great day!

 

Morning everyone!

Yeah Dave...it sure was a close one but a wonderful eye opener if you know what I mean...our family life path has been wonderfully altered because of it and now my daughters take family vacations with dad instead of dad out in Denver on a Harley ride by himself...ya know?...so everything DOES work out for a reason!

Nice story yourself...I'd keep the FZ1 (nice bike BTW...a buddy of mine has one and he loves it) for the little one someday...a buddy of mine just bought a Honda CBR 750...talk about a classic!

So what's the plan for the day today fella's?...anything good?

Time to feed the kiddo's and get them off to school!

Talk to you guys later.

Joe.

 

If he's not a member he should be!

FZ1OA

 

TGIF!!!!! Its been one helluva week! Good Morning BS Crew!

 

Guilty as charged! Funny how bikes can take over a conversation!

I've had a couple Yammy's.... my first street bike was '90 Virago 750, then I had an '05 Vstar 1100 in between my Fatboy and my current bike. Almost bought a BMW 1200RT... wow, that thing handled like a sports car! Also demo rode a new Triumph sport bike last summer... sweet. But, I like the laid back recliner ride of the big Harleys, never been much of speed demon, but I sure can understand why some are, lol.


Ok, enough of that, I'm already in trouble for talking chevy and pontiac in the Nebraska chapter... lol... I still do have a Ford truck, honest!

 

Mornin' all.

 

I like the laid back rides too. My all time favorite bike is still the Gold Wing. Would love to have one someday.

 

I test rode a Wing last year before getting the HD... It was sweet, couldn't believe how fast is was. It felt a little top heavy for my liking. I'm sure I would have gotten used to it. I'm only 5'9" so it was a struggle to touch ground flat footed on both sides. A couple of my buddies have Wings and they love them.

 

Good afternoon to all of my friends who are part of the "IN crowd," lol.