Getting out

Got out on the bike for a few hours today. If I was a horse they would shoot me. I used two canes to hobble my gimped body over to my bike and barely managed to throw a leg over to get seated. I can usually walk a bit with no cane or one cane. Somehow I woke up this morning with my ribs hurting on both sides and my knees not liking me. I entertained ideas of quitting before I started but I forced myself to do this.

A few days ago the forecast was for 21C and wind. Instead we received 17C and definite unpleasant wind. The sky was overcast and the wind felt damp. No rain was forecast but rain felt possible. On the highway I would get hit with gusts of wind hard enough to move the bike and cause me to fight it and have to slow down. This was my first ride of the season so I was getting used to the feel of riding and under the speed limit. Unless the 2019 Can Am Ryker is on smooth pavement it tends to bounce around a bit. I admit to feeling anxious being out concerned that something might go wrong. I get that way at times after what happened.

Was it worth it? Maybe. I will be stiff and sore tomorrow. I bought the bike to use it as I enjoy riding a bike, I will ride it or sell it. Besides, some days you have to face your fears.

The road might be calling . . .

The weather is too good to ignore. I hope to get out, enjoy the sun, and with luck come up with something more interesting to post.

Insomnia post

I had an evaluation done by an independent firm organized by my lawyer on March 18, 2026. I got the results back recently. I will say that I have quite a ways to go yet to get back to where I was before. There were excerpts in the report from hospital files such as this one:

“On 16 February 2024, an orthopaedic chart note indicated patient was resuscitated in the trauma bay with four units of packed red blood cells due to hypotension and presumed hemorrhagic shock. He was stabilized and we took him to the OR overnight. Due to his rising lactate and instability, we took a damage control approach rather than early total care and decided that he should be externally fixated to stabilize his lower extremities pending recovery of physiologic reserve. We also washed out his open wounds and sutured them close. With regard to his lower extremity fractures, we will continue to follow the patient closely and assess his physiologic recovery and monitor his swelling. Once he is deemed appropriate for OR, we will take him back for definitive fixation of his lower extremity fractures.”

I had never read that before nor had I been told that. I knew I was hurt in the accident, I never knew how close the other person came to killing me. Reading this really bothered me for a few days. 

I had some thoughts of buying a motorcycle. I tried throwing myself on a new Kawasaki Eliminator at my local dealership. I can barely get on. I own a Kawasaki Versys 300. It is taller and I know I will not be able to get on that, I just do not have the range of motion in my legs. If I park it for another year I might be able to get on it, then again, I might not. I might not be able to ever do some of the things I used to do, like ride on two wheels. There might be a bike going up for sale, I have not decided. I made progress and I think I might be able to do more next year or maybe I am deluding myself.

Too much to think about at four in the morning.

It is my fault

Last Tuesday it was 15C. I ran my 2019 Can Am Ryker to my local motorcycle shop for an oil change and to get a luggage case attached. I told them I was in no rush as I did not know when they would get to it. Yesterday I got a text after they closed saying it was done. Overnight we had a bit of snow and today we are having a bit of a winter storm with a bit of snow and nasty winds.

Come on spring!

There will be road trips

On Sunday I caved and drove my 2019 Can Am Ryker around the industrial area. That part of town is practically deserted on a Sunday. I stayed in town away from traffic to get used to the feel of riding it again. My legs are stronger and I was able to get on and off it a lot easier. The tank was a bit under half full so I put some gas in it before parking it again. I enjoyed it so much I am wanting to take a short trip or two this summer by bike and car. I should be up to it.

My father had two brothers and three sisters. Growing up my father’s side of the family was involved in various feuds with each other to varying degrees. Dad was not one to do things halfway, as long as I could remember he refused to have anything to do with his sister Doreen up to the day he died. My father was in and out of hospitals for some serious issues and when he was admitted he always left word that one particular sister was not allowed to visit. Due to family disagreements we lived in British Columbia where a grew up and they all lived in Alberta. Growing up in a different province I did not have much of a relationship with relatives. Times are different, aunts and uncles have all been dead for years.

I mention this as almost being killed off in an accident a little over two years ago I want to connect with some of the family that is worth meeting. Another reason is that there are less of them as I get older. There were all kinds of relatives on my father’s side, from successes to a few that did time for some serious criminal acts (armed robbery) and even an Orthodox priest. Some I have not seen in years and I may try to reach out.

I have a cousin Linda, ten years older, that lives near Salmon Arm in British Columbia. We have not seen much of each other through the years. I managed to talk her into meeting up in June for a four of five day road trip. I have found out that she is a very Type A personality that likes to plan stuff down to the minute and has already made hotel reservations. She asked what I had planned for this trip and seemed a bit shocked when I said I had nothing planned, I make it up as I go along. I told her she could drive as she likes to be in control however since we are taking my car I control the music. I will not play any Scandinavian death metal. A non-negotiable point for Linda is stops at wineries in the Okanagan. No disagreement here.

I am looking forward to this. It should be interesting.