Well, I ventured out for another half-hour ride on the Harley. Felt much more confident and opened it up a little bit more this time. It's going to piss down for the next few days so that'll be it for a while.
I'm so glad that you got out again on your Harley and felt even better this time, @learningtofly! Moto therapy.
Well, I've decided to take the bull by the horns! I've been thinking of taking the bike down to Lymington for quite a while now so I can spend a day or two enjoying riding through the New Forest (as well as taking advantage of Lymington itself). It's a 3 hour journey each way, which seems doable given the slow but steady progress I'm making, coupled with the fact that I'm due another infusion in two weeks time. Anyway, I'm now fully booked here for the last weekend in April. I can cancel at no cost up to the day before departure too, which means if I'm having any kind of flare-up I just won't go (although I'm hoping that's not going to be an issue, of course). Just to add, I'll be at the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum on the morning of Saturday 29th, so if anyone fancies meeting there and then going for a ride through the New Forest let me know. Oh, and I’ve also booked another long weekend in early June, this time in the iconic biker destination of Bala, North Wales (I’ll actually be staying in Bala town centre, which once again is about three and a bit hours each way). I’ll be meeting about four biker mates who live in the area, and it’ll be an absolute blast, all being well - obviously the same health qualification applies, though. I do understand that it may be a stretch, and I'll be monitoring my health/symptoms carefully. However, I feel like I've lost 3 months of my life, and now I want something to both aim for and look forward to.
Good for you for planning some Jones on your bike, @learningtofly! There are multiple paths to therapy, and they’re not all physical nor medicine. Motorcycles can be great therapy, too! Fingers crossed that your health continues to improve when you can do both of those trips. They sound terrific!
Thanks Sandi - I'm hoping all goes to plan. On the matter of the various paths you mention, there's a body of evidence building that diet (particularly a Plant Based Diet, or PBD) can be at least as effective as a conventional drug-based approach. It can apparently provide a better chance of limiting relapses so I'll be looking into it properly going forward.
Lol… thankfully not though. With a plant-based diet, you can decide whether or not you want to consume animal products, but the focus is very much on eating mostly foods that come from plant sources.
I know you have your reasons for this research, but for now I’ll continue to let the animals do the Plant Based diet and I’ll add a couple of veg.. In the meantime I wish you all the best for the road trips; keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
I doubt you’ll find me stopping for grazing breaks, Rev Thanks re the forthcoming trips! Incidentally, I'm taking the Harley in for a service and it's first MOT in about an hour, and will be coming home on the T120 loaner from the Triumph part of the dealership next door. Looking forward to it for a number of reasons!
Okay… T120 test ride impacted somewhat by rain, but I’d already done enough miles on it to know that it would be perfect for me if I have to give up the Harley. It feels SO much lighter, and rides like a dream… a sublime bike that would give me a 200lb weight saving. Furthermore, I struggled manoeuvring the Harley where I wouldn’t have done before so a swap if things are no better in two or three months is very much on the cards. I had a long chat with the Head of Sales there for both Harley and Triumph, who I’ve known for about five years from when Triumph North London in Hemel Hempstead had the franchise through the Palmers group (in fact he’s the son of the guy that owns Palmers). I’ve already bought three new bikes from him either in Hemel or Watford too. He was really empathetic having experienced a similar situation himself - he was hospitalised for five months and could barely move by the time he was discharged. Anyway, he said that - it it comes to it - he’ll make sure I’m “properly looked after” given my circumstances.
Little mishap today in that I was doing a slow maneuver (parking up on the patio) and the bike started to drop as the turn was too tight. Thinking I was my old self I just pushed it up with my leg; however, because I'm presently so much weaker than I was the end result wasn't what I'd hoped. Fortunately for the bike, all 700lbs landed on my leg, leaving my precious completely unmarked; my leg wasn't so fortunate, however, and I'll be walking with a limp for a while. Lucky my neighbour was in the garden, as he provided emergency assistance
Happens to us all mate, health issues or not. Hope you are not too sore. Goo excuse to get the wife to bring the brews though