A topic near and dear to my heart lately has been getting back on a motorcycle after an injury knocks you off it. That injury could be crash related, but it doesn't have to be, which is my situation. Although I haven't suffered the confidence loss in my riding abilities that a big crash would give me, I've still dialed back my dual-sport game a great deal. I've even questioned whether I'll go back to any serious dirt riding at all since this experience has taught me that my body is not as young and resilient as it used to be.
Our pal EveRide recently went through this himself. A particularly bad off has cost him two weeks off the bike, a great deal of pain, and the possibility of permanent nerve damage. This, on top of some back injuries last year, has made him question how much longer he can keep beating himself up like this.
Not Too Old For This:
Then he remembered some of the people that have joined him for his guided tours of Utah's wilderness. Some of them are far more advanced in years than him, and can still shred with the best of them. A few have suffered debilitating injuries themselves, including one on one of EveRide's tours. Though recovery takes time and effort, they didn't let it stop them from hopping back on and playing in the dirt.
Dirt riding is also far more physical than just cruising down the road on a Harley. Hanging up the knobby tires and sticking to the pavement, as I've done for the time being, is certainly an option. As the saying goes, though, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
The stories and epic cinematic footage here have truly inspired me. I don't yet have the strength to begin tackling the trails again, but when I do (not if), I'll give it a go. If nothing else, I'll prove to myself that I still have it in me.