Ash is in hospital

acotrel said:

The only time motorcycle road racing is really dangerous, is the first time anyone tries to do it. They have not lost their ego by crashing, and are still deluded. I have crashed about 5 times during road races. There was only one crash in which I genuinely believe that I could have been killed. It was caused by another rider's stupidity. He knows it, and so do I. It is pure dumb luck that I am still alive. I had a motorcycle licence at age 18, a car licence at age 21. I rode motorcycles on public roads until age 29, then went racing. I had ridden motorcycles on race tracks several times prior to actually racing, and most of my motorcycles had been hotted-up 650 Triumphs. I still managed to chuck my 500cc Triton up the road at about 90 MPH, the first time I raced. This photo was taken about 2 seconds prior to a very big crash when the front brake grabbed :

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ibb.co

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Here we go again listening to the same old broken record… sigh …

Richard Tool said:

Here we go again listening to the same old broken record… sigh …

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I must be the very rare exception - 33 road races (Including Daytona, Barber's, Willow Springs and Road America, not simple private tracks), a pass down the Bonneville salt flats, and 2 passes down the Goliad Texas mile on my scratch built Triumph Bonneville - ZERO CRASHES (1 podium, 2nd)

9 road races on a borrowed H1R replica in Formula 500, including Grattan, Miller MSP, Sandia & Barber's - ZERO CRASHES - 3 podiums, (2) 2nds, and a 3rd)

2 Formula 1 Sidecar races at Willow Springs (2 wins, in class) - ZERO CRASHES (as I was just the Monkey, I have to credit Rick Murray)

1 VMX250 dirt race @ the Sandia Classic - Dave Aldana won, I took 2nd, ZERO CRASHES.

No need to mention many thousands of miles on over 180 motorcycles in well over 50 years, with only ONE self-induced crash which I rode away from with zero injury and only minor scuffs to the bike's hand grips and footpegs.

I guess I'm living on borrowed time...

SORRY FOR THE HIJACK, ASH!

grandpaul said:

... only ONE self-induced crash which I rode away from with zero injury and only minor scuffs to the bike's hand grips and footpegs.

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I'll lay it out there-

I was tooling along one fine warm afternoon on my low miles, like new, all original '80 KZ1000 when I approached a short twisty bit that was 4 lanes wide (2 lanes each way), with a grass-scaped median with the 4" vertical curbs that had turn lanes every block (so "islands" more or less).

There was no traffic at all, no pedestrians, I was VERY familiar with the road, so I twisted the fun handle and leaned into the initial right hander, easily maintaining my lane with nothing near scraping. It felt so good that I twisted in some more fun and leaned it over a bit more. Just as I approached 40MPH, came the switchback to a left-leaning curve. I negotiated the switchover and "stayed on it" but by then, my speed was "inching up" a bit. As I approached the next switchback to a right-hander that had a bit of a "ripple" in the pavement that is constantly subjected to 100F+ temps day in and day out. The prevailing traffic had basically "gathered" the soft asphalt into a few large ripples.

That was all it took, the ripples put the OEM tires off their game, and I nailed the curb at a slight angle. The bike did a flip with a twist, thankfully landing NEXT to me, rather than on top of me. I freely admit I was exceeding my riding ability, and also the bike's roadholding ability in that particular circumstance. In retrospect, and having mulled it over immediately following the incident, I still don't know if leaning it in harder would have helped, maybe "ride the curb"? It all happens kinda too fast to decide between alternatives.

Once again, @ashman I hope you are feeling better. Maybe reading this put a bit of a smile on your face for a moment...

Grandpaul, "The fun handle". I like that term for the throttle

GP, i yhink we all had moments like that over the years, i had my share of stills on the Norton pushing it to its tyre limits but a few times wasn't the tyres fault but loose gravel in the corners don't help when your cranked right over.
I built my 850 Featherbed si nothing scrapes the pipes are tucked right into the frame, my footpegs sit high so no scraping there, the only thing that will scrape is the end of the handbars and of course thats a bit late lol.
When i was younger i lived with my grand mother, there was 2 ways to get in and out of the street mornings going to work i go out the top end of the street but after work i come off the highway zoom up the road and turn into my street, it had a short rise from the corner and could take it on the Commando (this was before the Featherbed conversion) with a bit of cranking and speed, so this day everthing was normal as ususal went to work, but during the day the local counicl decided to retar the street then lose road base gravel, as usual i came home and started to hook it in the corner of my street, as soon as i seen the lose gravel there was nothing i could do and the front tyre just lost it and i ended up in the gutter.
I had lots of gravel rash to my leg with gravel inbedded but i got the bike up and made it home, my granny said she was going to phone me up at work to warn me but didn't, she said i needed to go to hospital to get the gravel out but i said to fill the old cast iron bath tub up and bring a big scabbing brush as that is what they will do at the hospital, fu ck that was painful but had to be done, healed up pretty quick.

Ash

ashman said:

When i was younger i lived with my grand mother, ... as soon as i seen the lose gravel there was nothing i could do and the front tyre just lost it and i ended up in the gutter. I had lots of gravel rash to my leg with gravel inbedded but i got the bike up and made it home, my granny said she was going to phone me up at work to warn me but didn't, she said i needed to go to hospital to get the gravel out but i said to fill the old cast iron bath tub up and bring a big scabbing brush as that is what they will do at the hospital...

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<OUCH>

Worst part of my get-off was I tore the rear end of a BRAND NEW pair of Levis "Big Bells" that cost $25 back then, which was a lot of money for a pair of jeans...

Well bùsy morning today had brekkie, then toilet and shower all without assistance then 2 of my close mates dropped in for a visit before my 11am workout, did some knee bends on the bars getting up out of the wheelchair did that for sometime then while at the bars standing up and balacing on my one leg then a few test for my balancing without holding on to nothing, and the final session getting up out of the WC and putting crucher on, the first walk on the cruchers was a bit wonky walking 10metres turn and back to the chair, second time did 20 metres turn around and back to the chair, was a ĺot better the second time.
For the first time i did pretty good but the cruchers was a bit of work with only one leg, that was a good workout and the cruchers with one leg was the hardest but i did it, my trainer said i did well for the first time and he said he have me diing the steps by the end of the week, i hope so.
Well got back to my bed just in time for lunch.
I feel a bit buggered now lol.

Ash

ashman said:

Well bùsy morning today had brekkie, then toilet and shower all without assistance then 2 of my close mates dropped in for a visit before my 11am workout, did some knee bends on the bars getting up out of the wheelchair did that for sometime then while at the bars standing up and balacing on my one leg then a few test for my balancing without holding on to nothing, and the final session getting up out of the WC and putting crucher on, the first walk on the cruchers was a bit wonky walking 10metres turn and back to the chair, second time did 20 metres turn around and back to the chair, was a ĺot better the second time.
For the first time i did pretty good but the cruchers was a bit of work with only one leg, that was a good workout and the cruchers with one leg was the hardest but i did it, my trainer said i did well for the first time and he said he have me diing the steps by the end of the week, i hope so.
Well got back to my bed just in time for lunch.
I feel a bit buggered now lol.

Ash

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Keep the LONG VIEW in your mind at all times.

EVERY step is in the "right direction".

grandpaul said:

<OUCH>

Worst part of my get-off was I tore the rear end of a BRAND NEW pair of Levis "Big Bells" that cost $25 back then, which was a lot of money for a pair of jeans...

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I found 2 pair of Levi red tab jeans i use to wear in my youth one pair 32"waist and later the other pair 34"waist they bee sitting in my wardrobe for over 40 years as i grew out of them , bloody beers, but the kast few years i have down sized my weigth and now back into size 34" and i found my old Levi and the 34" fit perfect again but the 32" i just couldn't get the button to fit, these old jeans are so more rugged than my newer Levi jeans.

Ash

ashman said:

Well bùsy morning today had brekkie, then toilet and shower all without assistance then 2 of my close mates dropped in for a visit before my 11am workout, did some knee bends on the bars getting up out of the wheelchair did that for sometime then while at the bars standing up and balacing on my one leg then a few test for my balancing without holding on to nothing, and the final session getting up out of the WC and putting crucher on, the first walk on the cruchers was a bit wonky walking 10metres turn and back to the chair, second time did 20 metres turn around and back to the chair, was a ĺot better the second time.
For the first time i did pretty good but the cruchers was a bit of work with only one leg, that was a good workout and the cruchers with one leg was the hardest but i did it, my trainer said i did well for the first time and he said he have me diing the steps by the end of the week, i hope so.
Well got back to my bed just in time for lunch.
I feel a bit buggered now lol.

Ash

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Good job Ash.

Fast Eddie said:

Here yer go Ash, a friendly face to cheer you up …

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Didn't know Joe smoked a cigar ........

ashman said:

I found 2 pair of Levi red tab jeans i use to wear in my youth one pair 32"waist and later the other pair 34"waist they bee sitting in my wardrobe for over 40 years as i grew out of them , bloody beers, but the kast few years i have down sized my weigth and now back into size 34" and i found my old Levi and the 34" fit perfect again but the 32" i just couldn't get the button to fit, these old jeans are so more rugged than my newer Levi jeans.

Ash

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HA! I also found an old pair of 28 waist just last week. I wore 28 waist for 25 years, at 125#; now I'm 32" @ 145#. "It came slowly"

I wore the 28s just fine, unbuttoned. I have been meaning to fabric-ate some "Jean extenders" cut from old cut-off legs, just a double-layer piece of fabric with a buttonhole on one end and a button (from unusable jeans) on the other. Only has to be 2" long to cover the ones I've been wearing unbuttoned for 5 or 6 years now. I'll send you one when I make 'em.

ashman said:

I found 2 pair of Levi red tab jeans i use to wear in my youth one pair 32"waist and later the other pair 34"waist they bee sitting in my wardrobe for over 40 years as i grew out of them , bloody beers, but the kast few years i have down sized my weigth and now back into size 34" and i found my old Levi and the 34" fit perfect again but the 32" i just couldn't get the button to fit, these old jeans are so more rugged than my newer Levi jeans.

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As it turns out, they make "button extenders"!

I ordered 2 packs.

If you PM me your address, I'll send you a couple. Just let me know what "shade" you'd like, they come in "new" blue, washed blue, faded blue, and VERY LIGHT blue.

ashman said:

.... toilet and shower all without assistance ........

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Nice one ................ if you can do that then you can do absolutely anything - sometimes a little ingenuity needed but still anything possible.

Milly - dogs don't like change least of all old ones but you'll be home soon and that should help her settle back down, dogs don't forget !

Thanks GP but the size 32" are my old filfy riding Levi's that hadn't been washed, my old bike riding pants, they are so stained with oil and grease stains and stink like buggery, don't think they ever been washed in there yesrs of riding so might hang them up in the shed to remind me of my old riding days when we were rebels without a cause and running a muck.
These dsy and for about 30 years i hsve only worn black Levi's straight legs they seem to fit better and out last the blue Levi's of today, but i only wear yhem on the bike or going out on the town or outtings, any other time i live in shorts, blue Bonds singlet and thongs on my feet (flip flops to the rest of the world) which is most of my time at home.

Ash

Well its been 32 days since the accident and 3 weeks i lost my leg/foot, still no one has found it yet lol, today they are going to take the stiches out.
Tomorrow i have a trip up to the other hospital that did the job on my leg for a inspection and hopefully get time to see the wife all depends on time.
Debra hasn't been feeling good the last few days, not eating much from feeling sick, also feeling a bit down is not helping, but a few friends plan on visiting her on Thursday and hopefully me as well.
Another workout for me this morning and more practise on the cruchers, my daughter is coming tomorrow with my scetch book and pencils so might do a few drawings of my views of the bay area.
6:45am 45 mins to brekkie time i wake up here at 4 am each morning so a bit of time brfore i get to feed the worms lol, i better put my pants on lol and do my hair, well thats about it for me so far.

Ash

Just got some pics of my wife right leg, not a pretty sight lots of damage and skin gratfs.

ashman said:

Thanks GP but the size 32" are my old filfy riding Levi's that hadn't been washed, my old bike riding pants, they are so stained with oil and grease stains and stink like buggery, don't think they ever been washed in there yesrs of riding so might hang them up in the shed to remind me of my old riding days when we were rebels without a cause and running a muck.
These dsy and for about 30 years i hsve only worn black Levi's straight legs they seem to fit better and out last the blue Levi's of today, but i only wear yhem on the bike or going out on the town or outtings, any other time i live in shorts, blue Bonds singlet and thongs on my feet (flip flops to the rest of the world) which is most of my time at home.

Ash

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Sounds like a plan, Ash. I have a couple of my old racing leathers hanging in my shop looking pretty much the worse for wear, but they do remind me of the pleasure I got from those years, in spite of all the injuries. Now that I'm a widower living alone, I've hung a few more pictures around the house and in the shop, from the racing days. Good memories as I get older.

Ken

ashman said:

...and thongs on my feet (flip flops to the rest of the world).

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Hee hee, when I talk about wearing thongs, people look at me funny and scoot their chair further away, or excuse themselves...

ashman said:

...my daughter is coming tomorrow with my scetch book and pencils so might do a few drawings of my views of the bay area.
Ash

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Drawing is one of my FAVORITE pastimes. Either pencil & paper, or AutoCAD on the computer. Just transfer what's in my head onto the paper or screen.

Then, I have the luxury of saving, or just "exit" and forget the past...