July 10: New Chapter Not On Two Wheels
Having circumnavigated Australia and ridden to the tip of South America on my beloved CB500x during the last year, I never thought I would find myself resting at home this summer after recently sustaining injuries to my right leg on two separate continents. With Adventure Baby up for sale in Germany, I am starting a new chapter in my life, determined to find joy in my circumstances despite the absence of two-wheeled travel, at least for now.
This last Spring Break while visiting Vietnam, the wheels of the cheap scooter I was renting in Hanoi slid out from under me on some loose gravel when I pulled on the throttle to avoid being hit by a car coming right at me. With my leg broken in three places and my right foot twisted almost backwards, I managed to pull myself to the side of the road before being taken by ambulance to the Hanoi French Hospital where I received surgery to repair my Tibia and Fibula.
Returning home, I spent three and half months diligently doing physical therapy several times a day to rebuild my body. With x-rays showing my bone healed and having received a green light from my doctor to ride abroad, I headed to Frankfurt Germany on July 3 to be reunited with Adventure Baby. Although my care team anticipated my leg would not be fully recovered for up to a year and half, we had been hopeful the adventure bike would be light enough for me to manage.
After loading up Adventure Baby in Heidelberg and leaving to head south to France, I quickly discovered that my right leg lacked the muscle strength necessary to keep the bike stable on uneven surfaces when entering and exiting parking areas. Reaching Dole and stopping to take a picture of the beautiful historic stone houses lining the riverbank, I dropped the bike leaving the viewing area.
Although my engine guards prevented me from breaking my leg again, the fall itself resulted in a sprain to my mid foot, making it impossible for me to walk. I made the difficult but necessary decision to transport my bike and gear back to Germany and return home to receive medical care and focus again on recovery.
The trip itself, although unexpectedly short, was a blessing in so many ways. I’m grateful that the new damage to my leg was not worse and that it occurred so soon after I departed, making it a relatively simple matter to get me and my bike back to Heidelberg.
I’m also stoked about the fact I got to eat out at my favorite barbeque place, a hole in the wall eatery located behind a chain link fence near my bike storage place. Hakim, the owner there, creates his own spice rub and barbeque sauce and fries up his ribs on a hot griddle, making the outer layer of meat deliciously crunchy and the inside tender enough to fall off the bones.
It was wonderful to take in the sights of the French countryside as I traveled south, feel the wind in my face, visit the charming historic town of Dole, and practice a little bit of my French.
I’m also grateful I had enough airline miles to fly home in business class so I could keep my leg elevated, get some rest, and enjoy the great service.
With motorcycle travel out of the picture for this summer and most likely next summer, I have decided to sell Adventure Baby rather than pay storage and maintenance costs on a bike I can’t ride.
In the meantime, I’m truly looking forward to planning an overseas trip next year that involves a train pass, hiking shoes, and a backpack or roller bag. Although I won’t be traveling on two wheels for a while, I’m excited that I can put some of the great travel tips I’ve learned into practice as I visit new locations with great views, delicious food, and off the beaten path adventure..
