ROAD TO RECOVERY

I wanted to say thanks to all of you. The editorial team, the voluntary contributors and the livestock that make RC my reading of choice. Especially right now, because I cannot ride. After 43 years and half a million miles of motorcycling, I had the Big Off. A slow speed shunt flung me into some street furniture.

Result: broken neck, broken back, 10 broken ribs, broken wrist, punctured lung, damaged kidneys. Twelve days in ICU. Almost died. I am lucky. I am alive and neither paralysed nor brain damaged. My consultant says my neck and back are fine, my ribs are healing well. I am walking, talking and eating curry.

Wot I ave lerndid:

Wear good kit. In my case 1.4mm leathers from Held, with D30 armour. A top of range, brand new Arai was crunched and the visor torn off, but no face or brain damage. AlpineStars boots and gloves stopped the leg breaking and limited any wrist damage to a minor bone. The ambulance crew had trouble cutting this kit off me, and remarked on how tough it was

Be fit. At 61 I was gym-fit and pretty strong. This was, in the eyes of those who know, a major factor. Muscles protect bones and organs, plus they provide proteins for organ recovery

Have mates. People have come to see me, oftentimes from distance. They’ve kept me sane, made me laugh and stopped me mithering

Mentioned last but always coming first, the First Lady. She’s nursed me, lifted me, smiled at me, washed me... There can be only One During this spell of enforced inaction, I have looked forward to, read avidly and then reread until dog-eared, my copy of RealClassic. I don’t ride a classic at the moment because I do 12,000 miles a year which kind of dictates a modern bike: mine was a Trophy 1200. But I love classics and was restoring a Guzzi when the accident happened. I love the scene, the people and the magazine that connects us all together. So thanks a million for making my‘worst three months ever’ slightly more bearable.

One love

You’re welcome, John. Glad we could help in a tiny way, and thanks for the excellent advice. Hope to see you back in the saddle soon!