Update From Miles' Bolivia / Chile Trip...

[GolfVenture]

In Panama, getting ready to ride over the Bridge of the Americas into Columbia.

 

Tell all the folks on the VR forum that I am doing fine, taking lots of pictures, and keeping a daily running story-log on my laptop of what happens each day.

 

I hope all is well with you, and that you continue to heal well.

 

Miles

 

Gooo.... SeaHawks....

[KIC]

Hey Brian, thanks for posting. I was thinking about you yesterday and wondering how your healing and bike life was going ? There's a great 86 with 31K miles down here with lots of new parts that would be perfect for you.. it just needs all the farkles you had on yours..

 

So how's it going ?

[GolfVenture]

The 2 joints of my 4 fingers starting from my nails are flexing at about 95% :-). But the main knuckles are flexing at about 70%. I can make a fist, the finger tips almost touches the palm. It’s the main knuckle tendons and ligaments that are keeping me from pushing my nails into the palm to make a tight fist for a good grip. I hope to at least get the tips to touch the palm. I do not realistic think I'll be able to dig the nails into the palm. Great progress since the accident in June where I could move the fingers only about ¼ of an inch. And it pained to just look at it.

The first joint of my thumb is at about 40%. I can take my thumb and touch the tip of both the index and middle finger and just barely the tip of the ring finger.

I have my hand/wrist/arm in a wrist cpm machine. It bends my wrist back and forth.

Moving the hand side to side needs a lot of work. It is hard to bend my wrist down in holding a golf club. Also in the golf grip the little pinky needs more work to put a firm grip on the rubber handle. But I plan on to getting back in the swing by March to reestablish my golf handicap. I was a 26 handicap back in May of 2012 before my open heart surgery, and have not played a ground of golf since, for later I had a hernia operation, then now the m/c accident. My handicap will probably go back to a 40 like I was when I started playing about 10 years ago.

My hand grip can press about 30 lbs compared to my right hand of 85lbs. But strength can always be gained later. It is the range of motion that is time critical. The window of time is closing in on me. It has been 8 months since the accident with 2 surgeries in June & Oct.

I will soon start strengthen therapy in my left arm and shoulder for my left wrist/hand is getting strong enough to hold a 5 lb dumb bell.

As for another Venture, I still have my 89 VR with 26K miles and in great cosmetic and mechanical shape. It can be viewed on my profile photo gallery “From Vacaville CA to Buckley WA”. It ran good for a couple of years, but encountered carb issues in 2012. You might ask why I bought the 91 VR. Well I was looking for a parts bike for my 89 VR everyday on craigslist when I came across this 91 VR with only 6500 miles from the original owner. He rode it a little every year, and put new tires on a year ago. All I did was change all the fluids, grease all fittings, synced the carbs and it really purrs. Had I not encountered the carb issue in the 89 VR I would have sold it last spring. Never thought the 91 VR would become my parts bike. Pretty expensive parts bike.

My 89 VR will look just like my 91 VR for I will move all surviving accessories from the 89 VR and add others from ebay. I just picked up a set of gray/black rear trunk arm rest from ebay for the 3 pouch bag with the back rest and the Butler modified seat survive and with a little leather cleaner looks like new. I really like the gray/back vinyl color over the brown color with the Burgundy plastic color scheme.

I got a new helmet and surprisingly my boots survived. After a good clean and a shine the Left boots looks like new, not a scratch. The right got a gouge where the sole attaches to the main part of the shoe, mostly cosmetics, but I will see if I can find something to fill it, that can flex a bit an waterproof. Any ideas?

I like my 2 piece Tour Master Transition Series 2 Jacket and pants, but I think I’ll go for the Tour Master 1 Piece. I got a slight upper butt road rash, I say slight for in 11 days it all healed up. I started my trip with the pants zipped to the jacket but at the 1st rest stop, I never zip it back on. Also they need to put a hook rather than a snap on the front of the pants. 1 Piece will take care of that. Plus I will upgrade to a Rev IT SLR Glove.

My Wrist/Hand Surgeon is well known in the USA. He teaches and trains other surgeons. Been awarded many awards, writes books. He said that he has not seen a situation where every tendon & ligament from the wrist up were so traumatized. He said I’m making great progress.

My main obstacle, is my wife. I want a new riding suit and gloves for my up coming birthday. My goal is to get back in the saddle by 19 June, the accident anniversary date.

 

Goooooo. SeaHawks......

[pmelah]

thanks for the update on both you and Miles glad to see your coming along with your therapy since my accident in Nov. my leg has not progressed like the doc wants the bone is not healing like it should even with the brackets and screws in it but i still have a goal of being back in the saddle by June/July as well if all works like its suppose to if not i think the doc is afraid to tell me i may lose it just another obstical to overcome may have to learn how to walk and ride with a prosthetic either way im going to get back on a bike i have a perfectly good 84 VR sitting in the driveway collecting dust and it needs to be ridden by me well i need to get back to working my leg muscles

[Carbon_One]

My injuries pale in comparison to you guys. Best of luck to the both of you.

Larry

[stroker ace]

I got a new helmet and surprisingly my boots survived. After a good clean and a shine the Left boots looks like new, not a scratch. The right got a gouge where the sole attaches to the main part of the shoe, mostly cosmetics, but I will see if I can find something to fill it, that can flex a bit an waterproof. Any ideas?

 

Glad to hear your getting better. I had my right hand reconstructed after a accident it takes time.

 

I have used this stuff with good results on hunting boots and such.

 

http://www.plastidip.com/

[GolfVenture]

Brian, wanted to keep in touch with you and the VR forum. All is going well down here.

 

We missed our window of opportunity to watch the Dakar Rally on the leg that was very close to the Bolivian border, so we had to ride further into Chile' to watch the rally.

 

We spent the entire day on Thursday watching all the motorcycle and car drivers come toward the finish in Copiapo', Chile'. The rally that day started in Fiambala', Chile', and ended in Copiapo'. We were stationed about 5 km out of Copiapo', and had a great view of all the riders and cars as they came out of the Atacama Desert, riding hard and fast.

We then "tried" to find a room in the area that night, but all were taken by racers or fans. We had to ride about 200 kms north, back toward Bolivia, to find a room.

 

Friday morning we rode back into Bolivia, and will continue our search for the path of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

 

Hope all is well on the VR forum and family.

 

Miles