leadguitar65

[leadguitar65]

Perfect for 45 RPM 7” vinyl records

[leadguitar65]

I’m recovering from my second serious motorcycle wreck in two years and I’m sick of going down and breaking bones! One fraction of a second inattentiveness will get you hurt or killed. Neither accident was really a rider skills issue but rather a poor instantaneous decision or impulse that brought me down…

1 September 4 2021: one common thread is riding too many hours in a day. This was the case both times. I had started out early morning on my beautiful Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring- yes my last cruiser before discovering BDR / Adventure Riding!

So after riding all morning solo I called my drummer and best friend Walter and we met for lunch at a diner… we decided to take a ride from Sussex NJ to the Mountain Brauhaus in The Catskills- great food and German suds and incredible vistas… The Guzzi behaved well like the Italian thoroughbred that it is taking hairpins fast and with ease and generally giving me the thrill of a lifetime But about 20 minutes from the restaurant I was in the middle lane for a red light when Walt took a right! The SMART move is go straight because you are set up for that- but Noooo! I tried to make a 12 mph sharp right on a top heavy bike (Guzzi cylinders are always sticking out the top on the left and right… I failed to make the turn and barely glanced off a stopped SUV - just enough force to send me over on my right side… the first body part to hit pavement was my right shoulder and it really didn’t hurt I had a second to gloat but then the 745 lbs of Italian iron shattered my tibia and fibula as it landed on my right leg! You can’t imagine the pain! I served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom for 22 months right after the Twin Towers were attacked and I have experienced pain, but man this was a 10/10 if you like the crazy rock movie “ it goes to ELEVEN!” Well it DID! Walter was over a 1/4 mile away when he realized I wasn’t coming so he doubled back to find police and EMT activities. I said where did you go? He answered he wanted to show me this beautiful scenic overlook! I’m like jeez Louise! Plan your ride and ride your plan! (Yes I stole that from my SCUBA instructor). So as I was whisked to the local ER, Walter got my foot rest bent back to normal so he could shift the bike and bring it to the local precinct, He then visited me at the hospital but knowing his terrible night vision I quickly told him to get home! No need for two accidents this day!

To this day Walt feels responsible- NO, he did not turn right at 12 mph, I had everything ready to continue safely yet a split second impulse said “follow him” and I spent 8 months learning how to walk again… Aretha says “ THINK”!