Modern Vespa

Well, the road's been rocky along the way
It's been a long, hard haul on the motorway
But if it gets too smooth it's time to call it a day - Ray Davies

Yep, alive and (mostly) walking. And today is rather special, as it was the very first day of my Vespista Life, eight years ago, with the GTS300 Super I christened Melody. Nearly all those years were great (with a few hiccups here and there), the last two years being the most calamitous, starting with a minor crash that left me mostly unscathed, but the bike out of commission for several months (age of COVID, remember), then back on the road, only to suffer a much more serious crash that totaled Mel, but somehow miraculously spared me (mostly…some shoulder-blade tissue damage, but otherwise walked away, and made me even more-staunchly All That Gear). The rest has been well-chronicled on these-here MV pages, but this is largely to say I'm mostly out-and-about.

Back on two wheels? Yes, eventually. Le Wife ha been back-and-forth on this, understandably nervous about the idea, but also knowing making me go completely cold-turkey ain't the best idea either.* (She's like me to start driving, but given my PTSD from a new-death experience asa passenger many years back, I said I likely can't comfortably drive anything much larger than a Fiat 500, which only makes her slightly less nervous.) Most likely it means giving up Winter riding, which I'm fine with, but statistically doesn't seem terribly logical. It appears she's fine with my eventually hopping back on Revel scooters in Gotham as soon as I can fluidly hop on-and-off. (Nearly there, but feel the need to wait a few months.)

Much more to go over here, but I thought I'd get this out ASAP.

Another hotel, it's time to check out soon.
As I look around the room
I think of all the friends I left behind
On the road.

(*In the 45-or-so years I was a cyclist in Gotham, in which time I suffered numerous altercations with larger vehicles, I'd likely been beseeched some twenty times to just stop riding and travel/commute "like normal people do" [almost the exact quote, most every time]. And, where I currently live, I'd argue cycling is probably riskier than riding on something with an engine…at least you'd be compelled to suit up in the latter instance.)

Good to see you back on here

Recovery can be a long road, physically and mentally. I know 1st hand after my crash in 2021; took me 8 months to get back on a scoot.

Don't be in a rush to get back on two wheels, but keep it as your goal.

Amateriat, you are one tough, son of a gun. Riding into and around NYC can't be easy, kudos to you for hanging with it. I can handle big cities, but can't say I enjoy it too much. If you are still wanting to ride (I hope so), Spring would be a good to start again. Until then, heal up, take it easy and listen to some good tunes brother. I suggest some cool Jazz - heals the soul. and mind.

Good to so you alive and kicking.
Motorbike deals coming this winter.

I agree that cycling in a busy urban environment is riskier than riding a PTW. When my son went to middle school inside the loop in Houston he rode his bicycle but other than crossing one busy intersection with a light he was on neighborhood streets. When he went to high school I vetoed his desire to ride his bicycle to it as the road he'd have to ride was narrow, no bicycle lane and extremely busy. I did agree to him getting his restricted motorcycle license at 15 and riding our Buddy 125 to high school. Traveling in the lane of traffic at the speed of every other vehicle in it was much safer than trying to squeeze in the 12" between a car/truck mirror ad the cub going hold the speed of passing vehicles.

Heal well, it took me two years after my accident to cross train tracks on two wheels without a mental wince. Even now 10 years later I will have a flashback when I see train tracks at a certain angle with deteriorated road conditions around them.

I am pleased to see a smile on your face, even when holding crutches.

Healing takes time.

I hope you start feeling normal soon and choose whatever you want to do.

Bill

Glad you're back, mostly. As above, it takes time to get back to riding without reservations...on all fronts. Glad you're recovering well, and with luck back in the saddle soon...if not now, next year!

Glad you're back, up and walking (if not quite yet running). But, every time I scroll by your topic, my next thoughts are, "Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play." I'm off by 12 years, but still.

I thought the same thing. 😊

Cool, not to many parents let kids ride motorbikes these days but with electric bicycles being so popular and accepted maybe things will change.
My daughter learned on a Buddy 125 and rode a Sprint 150 to High School, pretty sure only her and one other boy (with an old enduro) out of over 3000 kids at the school had their M1 motorcycle license endorsement. Cool thing about CA motorcycle law, there are no levels of endorsement, you can ride any and all sizes and types of motorcycles once you get your M1 endorsement.