Clarksville, TN – Bikers have been described a million different ways.
Cocky, arrogant, fearless, dangerous, and on and on. Let’s face it, you can’t ride one of these things and be a “scaredy cat.” So what happens when you have an accident?
Those of you who have had an accident, know what I’m going through and while my injuries were not that serious or life threatening, the psychological confusion has been a little weird.
It was 2 1/2 weeks before I was able to pick up my motorcycle. The day I picked it up, I took off for a ride. It was 94 degrees, and I just cruised some back roads that I ride all the time. Something familiar. Something I had ridden a million times.
The first thing I noticed was how “anxious” I was about being back on the bike. I was a little apprehensive for a few miles as the accident kept replaying over and over in my head.
Each turn was a careful execution of what I had always done, with my focus on every little thing ahead of me. Running through the gears wasn’t as smooth as usual, and I just wondered if I should even be on this thing.
My friends along with many of you kept encouraging me to “get back on the bike,” “be sure to go down the road you had your accident” and “don’t wait too long to get back in the saddle.”
So I rode for 90 minutes, and when I got home, not only was I exhausted, but I wasn’t sure about whether I still had the same passion about all of this that I once had. I had doubts.
I wasn’t able to ride over the weekend because of the weather, but this morning, I took off for Nashville for an appointment, and I took off on my bike. I started with a good cup of coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops, then, down the road I went.
I felt I was more “tentative” than usual. Not that I was that aggressive before, but I’m not sure if I was “scared” or “anxious” but I guess I was regaining my confidence, and getting comfortable. I’ve logged over 95,000 miles in just three years, so it didn’t take long for me to start to get in a “groove” or to find my “mojo.”
I certainly don’t consider my accident to be that big of a deal. No broken bones, no road rash, and there was minor damage to the bike. Worse things have happened to other bikers.
I have friends who are fighting for their lives, or have other issues that are FAR more serious than what happened to me. In the scheme of things, if the cut on my leg hadn’t gotten infected, I would have long since recovered from my accident. The “down” time gave me lots of opportunity to evaluate my life, especially my life as a biker, and let me tell you, I could have easily walked away with no regrets.
The brain is a powerful thing. Take if from someone who’s battled depression. I MUST constantly be pursuing positive things in my life. The people I call my friends. The brothers I ride with. The people I’ve met through this blog. If you let yourself slip into doubting yourself, about anything, then you will find yourself curled up in the fetal position in your bedroom and you will never come out.
Conquering your doubts and fears makes you stronger. When we do that, there’s a sense of accomplishment. Fear is the one thing that holds us back. You can’t take a motorcycle screaming down the highway and be in fear for your life. You have to RESPECT your environment and be in command of your situation and to have the skills and confidence to succeed.
The best part of this journey is the places I’ve been and the people I have met. Those of you who I’ve connected with on this blog have been SO encouraging and supportive. I’ve learned things from you, discovered places to travel from you, and been on the receiving end of your prayers.
I absolutely love it!
As bikers, we all have that ‘mojo” and I’m getting mine back and I couldn’t be more happy. Especially with the Fall weather just around the corner and a couple of trips to the Smoky Mountains on my calendar.
Ride safe my friends and thanks for being along for my journey. Our paths will cross one day and we will ride.
