Here is my understanding of the essence of riding, for whatever it's worth.
The main thing to understand about riding is that it is not simply a more dangerous variation of driving. Driving gets you from point "A" to point "B", but riding brings you into an altered state of consciousness which yields pleasures and sensations unknown to most of the world.
Having said that, riding is less forgiving because any loss of traction or control usually results in an "accident" (ie a get off). It also raises the stakes dramatically for any type of mishap because you are so vulnerable. Having the right gear helps but it is designed mostly to protect against impact with the road/ground. Against stationary objects, not so much.
So if you ride, accept the possibility that you're going to go down at some point. Don't obsess about it, but be realistic. If you're not willing to accept that possibility, don't ride. If you do accept that, the risk becomes part of the appeal and managing it becomes your central challenge. 99% of the risk in motorcycling can be controlled at some level.
The challenge enters in because the risk management is so open ended - there is always something more to learn but you know that whatever you do you can never completely nail that last 1%. There's always the proverbial golden B.B. out there which can bypass your defenses, no matter how advanced they are. But even that golden B.B. could be avoided if you only knew how.
But the essential ingredient is focus, because once you get to the stage of technical competence, riding safety becomes mostly a mind game.
So dress for the occasion, and always be focused.
Don't ride if you're not focused.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Back in the saddle
This is an update on our status now that it's been almost 11 months since our accident. Almost one year gone. Diane's leg is almost healed. She can walk normally when she remembers but when she forgets or is tired she limps again out of habit. No visible sign of facial surgery. She triggers the alarm every time we go through airport security and has to get the pat down.
I have almost regained the strength in my left arm except for permanently limited mobility in the wrist (only 45 degreee flexion but almost full extension) and some pain when I do reverse curls. No lasting effect from my chest injuries.
Monday I picked up the motorcycle I purchased last fall as a replacement for the VN750. It is a Honda Varadero (the bigger one) and it had been sitting in storage over the winter.
The timing wasn't the best. I had booked a pick up time of 2:00 pm with Rocky Mtn Honda but what with one delay and another I didn't get out on MacLeod Trail with it until after 4:30. Those of you familiar with Calgary traffic will know that's not a good time and place for a first ride.
I was a nervous and a bit rough on the controls for the first few miles. Fortunately I had planned a route that took me on to the 22x westbound to Bragg Creek within a mile and I settled down for what should have been a more relaxing ride. The only problem was that I was paranoid of each vehicle that I passed waiting to turn out from a side road. As I approached each I would visualize it pulling out across my lane and would involuntarily slow down. But no matter how slow you go there is a point of no return beyond which you have no sure recourse should the other driver decide to pull out. I eventually decided that was part of the irreducible risk I had to accept if I wanted to continue riding.
First day jitters. I took the 1A west from Cochrane and by the time I reached Exshaw I felt a lot more in control and had gained enough confidence to do the curves at 15 km/h over the advisory limit. The bike handled them very well. The next day I took the bike into Calgary for a meeting and this time was able to deal with traffic without having to think too much consciously about its handling.
The bike: it's upright, tall, heavy and powerful. I like the seat height, which gives a commanding view of traffic. Shifting is smooth. It's not exactly flickable but it responds instantly to steering inputs from the wide handle bars and holds its line very well. The suspension handled everything the rather ripply 1A highway could throw at it without getting unsettled in the curves. Acceleration is miles ahead of any cruiser I've ridden (including the VN750) though I do miss the VN750's howl and surge in the high rpms. I don't think I've taken the Varadero over 6000 rpm yet, and that got me up to 130 km/h.
The riding position is very slightly forward, which puts relatively more weight on my arms when I brake. This is something I'll have to get used to due to the arm injury. However a winter of push ups is now paying off. The brakes are insanely good. I haven't used the ABS yet (plan to test it in the parking lot first), but the bike hauls down very fast with two fingers. I tend to end up against the gas tank when I do that so I have to train myself to use a knee grip when braking.
Gear: Full face helmet (Airoh S4), which is enduro style and therefore has a large field of vision and allows plenty of air flow. I've removed the beak for highway use. Darth Vader gloves, motocross knee guards with articulated joints that strap on above and below the knee. Protects the front of my legs from mid-thigh most of the way down my shins. Draggin jeans are back ordered. Riding boots. Hit-air jacket - remember to hook up when mounting, or you'll ride away trailing the connector cord behind you.
So I'm back in the saddle and it feels very good. Looking forward to a productive summer of riding. Diane has said she will ride with me again, but first wants me to get to the point where the bike is an extension of my body.
I'm working on that.......
I have almost regained the strength in my left arm except for permanently limited mobility in the wrist (only 45 degreee flexion but almost full extension) and some pain when I do reverse curls. No lasting effect from my chest injuries.
Monday I picked up the motorcycle I purchased last fall as a replacement for the VN750. It is a Honda Varadero (the bigger one) and it had been sitting in storage over the winter.
The timing wasn't the best. I had booked a pick up time of 2:00 pm with Rocky Mtn Honda but what with one delay and another I didn't get out on MacLeod Trail with it until after 4:30. Those of you familiar with Calgary traffic will know that's not a good time and place for a first ride.
I was a nervous and a bit rough on the controls for the first few miles. Fortunately I had planned a route that took me on to the 22x westbound to Bragg Creek within a mile and I settled down for what should have been a more relaxing ride. The only problem was that I was paranoid of each vehicle that I passed waiting to turn out from a side road. As I approached each I would visualize it pulling out across my lane and would involuntarily slow down. But no matter how slow you go there is a point of no return beyond which you have no sure recourse should the other driver decide to pull out. I eventually decided that was part of the irreducible risk I had to accept if I wanted to continue riding.
First day jitters. I took the 1A west from Cochrane and by the time I reached Exshaw I felt a lot more in control and had gained enough confidence to do the curves at 15 km/h over the advisory limit. The bike handled them very well. The next day I took the bike into Calgary for a meeting and this time was able to deal with traffic without having to think too much consciously about its handling.
The bike: it's upright, tall, heavy and powerful. I like the seat height, which gives a commanding view of traffic. Shifting is smooth. It's not exactly flickable but it responds instantly to steering inputs from the wide handle bars and holds its line very well. The suspension handled everything the rather ripply 1A highway could throw at it without getting unsettled in the curves. Acceleration is miles ahead of any cruiser I've ridden (including the VN750) though I do miss the VN750's howl and surge in the high rpms. I don't think I've taken the Varadero over 6000 rpm yet, and that got me up to 130 km/h.
The riding position is very slightly forward, which puts relatively more weight on my arms when I brake. This is something I'll have to get used to due to the arm injury. However a winter of push ups is now paying off. The brakes are insanely good. I haven't used the ABS yet (plan to test it in the parking lot first), but the bike hauls down very fast with two fingers. I tend to end up against the gas tank when I do that so I have to train myself to use a knee grip when braking.
Gear: Full face helmet (Airoh S4), which is enduro style and therefore has a large field of vision and allows plenty of air flow. I've removed the beak for highway use. Darth Vader gloves, motocross knee guards with articulated joints that strap on above and below the knee. Protects the front of my legs from mid-thigh most of the way down my shins. Draggin jeans are back ordered. Riding boots. Hit-air jacket - remember to hook up when mounting, or you'll ride away trailing the connector cord behind you.
So I'm back in the saddle and it feels very good. Looking forward to a productive summer of riding. Diane has said she will ride with me again, but first wants me to get to the point where the bike is an extension of my body.
I'm working on that.......
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The old man must die
David Porter over at boomerinthepew.com discusses the seeming harshness of God in preventing Moses from entering the Promised Land because he struck a rock to bring water from it rather than speaking to it as God had instructed him.
David writes: "I found my fingers unwilling to type as I was trying to understand this scene. The Israelites have driving this man crazy for decades, and now, because he responded out of clear disrespect to Yahweh, he is banned from the Promised Land."
In a way, Moses is like John the Baptist, playing a key role in bringing in the new order but not able to partake of it himself. Of John Jesus said,
among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
By Jesus' own account John was greater than Moses, yet even he was not fit for the kingdom as he was. What I understand Jesus saying from this is that the very best of natural men can't enter the kingdom: you must be born again.
This is a message that all of us need to take seriously. None of us can be greater than John or Moses, no matter what we do. If they couldn't make it to heaven on their own, neither can I. It is what I allow God to do in me through faith in Jesus that saves me and makes me fit for heaven.
So back to Moses - if we look at Israel's journey to the Promised Land as containing a figure of our journey to salvation, then the message of his death is clear: the old man must die.
That is the picture-lesson of Moses' death, but we don't need to spare any tears for him. The next time we see him, he is speaking with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. God gave him a far greater privilege in that than in what He withheld from him.
And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. Heb. 11:39,40
David writes: "I found my fingers unwilling to type as I was trying to understand this scene. The Israelites have driving this man crazy for decades, and now, because he responded out of clear disrespect to Yahweh, he is banned from the Promised Land."
In a way, Moses is like John the Baptist, playing a key role in bringing in the new order but not able to partake of it himself. Of John Jesus said,
among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
By Jesus' own account John was greater than Moses, yet even he was not fit for the kingdom as he was. What I understand Jesus saying from this is that the very best of natural men can't enter the kingdom: you must be born again.
This is a message that all of us need to take seriously. None of us can be greater than John or Moses, no matter what we do. If they couldn't make it to heaven on their own, neither can I. It is what I allow God to do in me through faith in Jesus that saves me and makes me fit for heaven.
So back to Moses - if we look at Israel's journey to the Promised Land as containing a figure of our journey to salvation, then the message of his death is clear: the old man must die.
That is the picture-lesson of Moses' death, but we don't need to spare any tears for him. The next time we see him, he is speaking with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. God gave him a far greater privilege in that than in what He withheld from him.
And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. Heb. 11:39,40
Travel Travails
Washington....and our luggage has already gone astray. I had expected this to happen, if it was going to happen, with Ethiopia Airlines somewhere between Addis Ababa and Nairobi, but apparently it's too much to expect United to carry it between two North American hubs without losing it.
We're getting conflicting stories here..... the call centre gal in Mumbai assures me that the missing bags have been located in the Dulles terminal and will be delivered to our room in the morning. She goes on to tell me to use the online tracker to get further updates - but then the website tells me that they are nowhere to be found. So which is it - is the call centre telling me what I want to hear in the Asian manner or are they just not updating the tracker website? Not reasssuring either way.
On the upside, we got upgraded from a compact car rental to a Caddy for $20 extra, and due to our late check in, a complimentary upgrade to a suite at our hotel because they've "run out of smaller units".
So, it's not an auspicious start to our trip in the old Roman augury sense of using the behaviour of winged beings to divine the future, but again it's a mixed message. Are we supposed to, like, not go on this trip but just stay in Washington? That would be a drag. With a gray sky leaking rain at 34F in DC, the weather's better in Canmore.
We're getting conflicting stories here..... the call centre gal in Mumbai assures me that the missing bags have been located in the Dulles terminal and will be delivered to our room in the morning. She goes on to tell me to use the online tracker to get further updates - but then the website tells me that they are nowhere to be found. So which is it - is the call centre telling me what I want to hear in the Asian manner or are they just not updating the tracker website? Not reasssuring either way.
On the upside, we got upgraded from a compact car rental to a Caddy for $20 extra, and due to our late check in, a complimentary upgrade to a suite at our hotel because they've "run out of smaller units".
So, it's not an auspicious start to our trip in the old Roman augury sense of using the behaviour of winged beings to divine the future, but again it's a mixed message. Are we supposed to, like, not go on this trip but just stay in Washington? That would be a drag. With a gray sky leaking rain at 34F in DC, the weather's better in Canmore.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Update on the fly/Rachel's blog
Diane and I are sitting in the Calgary airport, having cleared US customs and with 2 hours to kill before our flight. We're on our way to East Africa for 2 1/2 weeks on a tour with my mother and my aunt Lois. We're really looking forward to it - our first time "over" seas if you discount Hawaii which doesn't really count in my book as it's not foreign enough.
We'll be spending 2 weeks in Ethiopia and 4 days on a short safari in Kenya. Returning March 20 to Washington and then touring around Virginia for a few days before flying home Mar 23. By then it should be spring (or close enough) and time to bring my motorcycle out of storage. My long deferred return to riding - I can hardly wait!
Rachel has finally got a blog of her own at http://www.clayinthemakershand.blogspot.com./
In her first post she discusses her evolving vision of ministry:
I feel blessed that God is leading Rachel in this direction. I have long felt that as important as it is to minister to peoples' material and social needs, social ministry without a spiritual component is ultimately empty. By spiritual I mean a ministry that shares the gospel of salvation and spiritual wholeness through Jesus Christ with aim of bringing others into that fellowship with us which transforms them from subjects of ministry into brothers and sisters in Christ. So the proper end of mission work is to birth (or midwive?) new life in others which will allow them to minister to us and each other as we have ministered to them.
I'm not sure that adequately explains what I mean but I'm too tired to improve on it so I'll stop now. In any case I encourage anyone interested in Rachel's ministry to check it regularly. It is really worth a read!
We'll be spending 2 weeks in Ethiopia and 4 days on a short safari in Kenya. Returning March 20 to Washington and then touring around Virginia for a few days before flying home Mar 23. By then it should be spring (or close enough) and time to bring my motorcycle out of storage. My long deferred return to riding - I can hardly wait!
......we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.1 John 1:2-4
Rachel has finally got a blog of her own at http://www.clayinthemakershand.blogspot.com./
In her first post she discusses her evolving vision of ministry:
This last week I was translating for a medical team and had the privelage of working with doctor Kit who works in Cambodia. I was so amazed by the openness of all the people who came to see him. We were able to share the gospel with some of the patients and have some meaningful discussions and prayer times. This really opened my eyes to how much people really are searching. I honestly was expecting more rejection but instead all I saw were people who were hungry for God. What an encouragement that was!
It was also neat because one of the things that I have been praying about is doing more relational and discipleship ministries. It’s like God was telling me to feed them. They were coming with different health concerns but there was this intense spiritual hunger that I saw. God really used this time to encourage me and helped me to focus more on the reality of the spiritual struggles that people are going through. Perhaps the biggest lie is the assumption that people don’t want to hear.
I feel blessed that God is leading Rachel in this direction. I have long felt that as important as it is to minister to peoples' material and social needs, social ministry without a spiritual component is ultimately empty. By spiritual I mean a ministry that shares the gospel of salvation and spiritual wholeness through Jesus Christ with aim of bringing others into that fellowship with us which transforms them from subjects of ministry into brothers and sisters in Christ. So the proper end of mission work is to birth (or midwive?) new life in others which will allow them to minister to us and each other as we have ministered to them.
I'm not sure that adequately explains what I mean but I'm too tired to improve on it so I'll stop now. In any case I encourage anyone interested in Rachel's ministry to check it regularly. It is really worth a read!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Rachel's newsletter
First of all, what a wonderful blessing the last month has been! It went by so fast that I finally remembered that it was probably about that time to send out an update. Most of you know that Kelsey (my sister-in-law) was here visiting me. That time with her was so precious to me! This was the first time in years that I really had some one- on -one time with her.
It was great just to see her and share with her my life here in Costa Rica. There’s just something so wonderful about having someone come here to see the people and ministries I talk about. She was such an encouragement to me and it was so hard to see her go….but….my work continues and God continues to bless me both on the good days and on the tougher ones.Goodbyes are always difficult for me and this month not only did I have to say goodbye to Kelsey but also to a couple little twin girls at the Children’s Home (one pictured above). It’s always such a risk to love the kids there because sometimes it seems that right when I get attached, they get taken away. I constantly have to remind myself that this is what I want. I want these kids to have a forever home. Most of the kids there have very little hope of being adopted, so there is always a need for love at this place and always all the other kids to get attached to. I also have the privelage of reaching out to the “tias” ( house mothers) when times get stressful and to just hold them when they cry when a child moves on. I can’t imagine what it is like to take care of a child and love them 24/7 for an extended period of time and then see them leave. These are just some of the challenges of working at the Children’s Home.
My ministry in Los Guizaros has been tough, but I am learning so much through it. To be honest, this ministry has been a huge struggle for me. I was actually trying to pass it off to someone else but soon realized that there was really no one else to do it. Then I realized that it’s not just because I am busy but because in fact I am afraid to. With the chaos of such a small building packed with kids, packed with my inexperience, soft voice, and lack of resources, I felt that I just couldn’t do it. Then I came to the realization that it is just time to face my fears. The truth is that I CAN teach these kids and I CAN learn to use the things that I have. I CAN do all things through Christ who gives me strength. I have been sitting down and brainstorming how I can make this children’s program better.
One project I have decided to move forward with is building a little puppet theatre and starting to do puppet shows with the kids. God is helping me to get my creative juices flowing, now I just need to continue in prayer and give this feat to the Lord! I believe that he will provide the funds needed to complete this.
I’m slowly learning to step out in faith and do what is needed to be affective. God provides. I’m sitting in my apartment right now and I’m looking around…..God provided everything here! All my furniture and most of my dishes were donated by some wonderful people here! I stepped out in faith and bought a car and God has already provided the support to pay back half of it! I am a daughter of Christ walking in his will and he will provide always! What a lesson to learn and continue to learn. I am so human sometimes and just worry but then I’m reminded that I need to put my human logic away sometimes and just continue to step out.
This month has also brought on a lot of change. Keith Britton, the missionary I work with has headed back to The States for a 4 month medical leave. He will be getting a major surgery which involves taking his ankle out and replacing it with a titanium one. While he is away, I will be in charge of making sure the Rehab centre is taken care of financially, as well as buying monthly groceries for the centre, the children’s soup kitchen, as well as running errands as needed. Please pray for me as I try to manage these things while he is away.
Anyways, thanks so much for your prayers, they are so important to me and to my ministry here. We are a team and without you, I am unable to be here. I have been so blessed by all of you and look forward to seeing you all when I come to visit in December! I will be in Calgary from December 10th to January 4th and hope to touch base with all of you if possible! Blessings in Christ,
Rachel Garber
God in Action Ministries
Apdo 428-1011
La y Griega
San Jose, Costa Rica
Note: Rachel has since sent the following note:
Hey Everybody!!!!!!!!!!
I am very excited to announce that the website for the sponsorship program I am working on is up and running!!!!!! It is a very interesting website and explains the areas we work in and the needs of these communities. Feel free to check it out and learn more about it!
Just remember that to help a child who lives in poverty get an education this year, it costs less than a family outing to the theatre. This sponsorship program is also unique because it is a one time donation and its completely your choice to intentionally continue in the future.
The website is www.sponsorcostaricakids.com
Anyways, God bless you all and thank you for all your prayers!
Rachel Garber
God in Action Ministries
San Jose, Costa Rica
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Freedom Day
Diane and I went in for orthopedic follow up yesterday and now have clearance to start using our limbs. They removed the external fixator which I have been wearing on my arm for the past 11 weeks.
The removal was a unique experience to say the least. First the attendant unscrewed the connecting rods leaving the 2 couplings projecting from my skin, each supported by 2 pins. Then he loosened off each coupling and slid it off its pins.
This was not as easy as it sounds as I had conscientiously kept the bolts fairly tight and the attendant was using a sloppy adjustable wrench which kept slipping off the bolt heads. This is not a fun experience when you are working with something which is anchored in bone and I gently suggested that he use an open-ended wrench in future. I'm going to bring one for him next visit.
The pins in my 2nd metacarpal had stripped loose, as I had suspected from the escalating pain in my hand over the last 12 days, and as soon as the connecting rods were removed the coupling in my hand waggled around freely in the bone. I had to hold it tight with my right hand so the attendant could loosen off the bolts without damaging the metacarpal more than it already was.
After that it was time to remove the pins themselves. Again it was out with the adjustable wrench and the attendant first unscrewed the larger pins in my radius. He warned me in advance that it would be a strange sensation but I would say it was more of a "funny" sensation - as in funnybone. I noticed that the pins had self-tapping threads. Boy am I glad they put me out for the insertion!
The distal pins were much simpler since they were stripped and the attendant was able to unscrew them with his fingers.
The whole removal procedure was done without anaesthetic but except for the unfortunate matter of the metacarpal I would say it was well within my personal pain tolerance. Not a pleasant experience but nothing to be feared either and well worth it to be free of that device.
Still, there was something amateurish and tentative about the whole process which gave me the impression that they don't deal with external fixators that often. I would suggest that a proper set of tools would be a good start:
1) 10 mm open ended wrench for the bolts
2) larger adjustable wrench to grip the coupling while loosening off the bolt so it doesn't twist the pins against the bone.
3) T handle wrench for the pins so they can be loosened without torquing them from the side.
And now it's on to physio for both of us. The surgeon was well pleased with our x-rays so I trust that we will get the full use of our limbs again.
Afterward, Diane and I wandered around shopping and at one point kind of accidently turned into the parking lot of a Honda dealership. Since we were there anyway we spent some time looking at the bikes, specifically a CBF1000, a Varadero and the Wings. Do you offer demo rides? Great, but not today, thanks. Maybe in a month
The removal was a unique experience to say the least. First the attendant unscrewed the connecting rods leaving the 2 couplings projecting from my skin, each supported by 2 pins. Then he loosened off each coupling and slid it off its pins.
This was not as easy as it sounds as I had conscientiously kept the bolts fairly tight and the attendant was using a sloppy adjustable wrench which kept slipping off the bolt heads. This is not a fun experience when you are working with something which is anchored in bone and I gently suggested that he use an open-ended wrench in future. I'm going to bring one for him next visit.The pins in my 2nd metacarpal had stripped loose, as I had suspected from the escalating pain in my hand over the last 12 days, and as soon as the connecting rods were removed the coupling in my hand waggled around freely in the bone. I had to hold it tight with my right hand so the attendant could loosen off the bolts without damaging the metacarpal more than it already was.
After that it was time to remove the pins themselves. Again it was out with the adjustable wrench and the attendant first unscrewed the larger pins in my radius. He warned me in advance that it would be a strange sensation but I would say it was more of a "funny" sensation - as in funnybone. I noticed that the pins had self-tapping threads. Boy am I glad they put me out for the insertion!
The distal pins were much simpler since they were stripped and the attendant was able to unscrew them with his fingers.
The whole removal procedure was done without anaesthetic but except for the unfortunate matter of the metacarpal I would say it was well within my personal pain tolerance. Not a pleasant experience but nothing to be feared either and well worth it to be free of that device.
Still, there was something amateurish and tentative about the whole process which gave me the impression that they don't deal with external fixators that often. I would suggest that a proper set of tools would be a good start:
1) 10 mm open ended wrench for the bolts
2) larger adjustable wrench to grip the coupling while loosening off the bolt so it doesn't twist the pins against the bone.
3) T handle wrench for the pins so they can be loosened without torquing them from the side.
And now it's on to physio for both of us. The surgeon was well pleased with our x-rays so I trust that we will get the full use of our limbs again.
Afterward, Diane and I wandered around shopping and at one point kind of accidently turned into the parking lot of a Honda dealership. Since we were there anyway we spent some time looking at the bikes, specifically a CBF1000, a Varadero and the Wings. Do you offer demo rides? Great, but not today, thanks. Maybe in a month
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