I finally got my motorcycle back-2 months to the day after the accident. After going several rounds with the insurance company and having to pick my battles, it felt almost surreal to have some kind of resolution-at least in this chapter of my adventure (I still haven't received a letter as to when my court date is; I plead not guilty because I was unable to see the second light, which means this will go to trial).
I have to admit that in spite of missing all of the riding I could have been doing, I was a bit nervous to get back on the bike. I guess it's only natural, as my last experience involved shattering glass, twisted metal, an ambulance ride, and my life briefly flashing before my eyes. Not to mention some painful contusions. Still, it never occurred to me to not ride again. It was just a matter of dealing with the demons that were still haunting me from the accident and the passage of time that had allowed that to happen.
When the service manager called me to tell me my bike was ready, he sounded just as happy as I was. I have been in touch with him regularly and am on a first name basis with him; I almost feel like we could go have a beer after work and talk about how silly (I'm being nice here) insurance companies can be. I felt that he was not only happy to get my bike out of his shop, but was genuinely happy for me to be able to ride again. I told him that I'd be there as soon as I got off work.
I arranged for Bob to pick me up at work, as the shop is close by. Bless his heart, he offered to ride the bike home if I was too nervous about riding it just yet. That never occurred to me-if I can't ride my own motorcycle home from the shop, then how can I expect to ride it anywhere else? Plus the sight of a man who's 6'1” and weighs 200lbs riding a little 250cc bike would probably make me laugh so hard, I'd get in a car accident while following him. And that's the last thing I need.
It was strange to ride again-I had a mixture of apprehension and familiarity. I originally planned on doing some laps around the parking lot, but then once I started moving forward, I realized I didn't need to. Then as I was getting ready to turn onto the road, I almost wished I had. I was very cautious taking any kind of turn; I always tend to take them a little slow, but I could tell the confidence I'd built before the accident had been shaken. Still, it didn't keep me from giving up-I just had to remain focused and not think about the accident. I decided to think about my motorcycle class and compare any fear I felt to that which I felt at the beginning of the season, after not riding all winter. It kind of put everything in a more realistic perspective.
The ride home was uneventful and I gradually felt the familiarity of my bike again; kind of like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes that you haven't worn in awhile. My bike looks brand new, but then it should-I think over half the parts were replaced, and it still amazes me that the insurance company didn't total it. I am glad they didn't though; I wasn't ready to give up that bike. I plan on putting many miles on it before graduating to something bigger.
When I got home from the dealership, I felt a sense of accomplishment; I'd gotten over a small but very important hurdle-getting back on the horse after being thrown off. And in spite of the support I've gotten for wanting to ride, some of my friends were surprised that I rode it home that night. Why wait? I knew the first ride would nerve-racking and wanted to get past that. Now I can focus on building my skills as a rider and simply enjoying the journey itself, hopefully this time keeping the shiny side up.
Ellen M. White
9/28/07
