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Wow, so sorry to hear about your crash and your injury, that is a tough deal. Glad to hear the guy came over to apologize, for what it is worth.

 

I enjoy reading your blog, it is a great insight into racing - the good and the bad - and I'm sure the next installment will be an interesting one to read.

 

So... I can't believe no one else has asked... how's the bike? :)

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Hugh,

 

I'm way bummed to hear about your injury. I would imagine that's a pretty horrifying experience but I'm glad it wasn't even worse. On the upside, chicks dig scars so... you've got that going for you. If nothing else, you now have a future as a shop teacher.

Are you gonna keep on racing? Out of curiosity, did you have a lever guard on your bike? Manufacturers claim that in addition to guarding the brake lever, they may also help prevent hand injuries. Not sure how true that is but I guess it seems plausible...

 

Best of luck,

Benny

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So... I can't believe no one else has asked... how's the bike? :)

 

Somehow it seems funny to me that it is the girl who asks this question. Not sure why.

 

That bike crashes amazingly well. It needs the fairing stay straightened, new clip on brake lever, and throttle tube. Plus some paint on the fairing if I want it to be pretty. But I am not sure when all that will get done because I am at least three weeks away from being able to hold any tools. Maybe longer.

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Hugh,

 

I'm way bummed to hear about your injury. I would imagine that's a pretty horrifying experience but I'm glad it wasn't even worse. On the upside, chicks dig scars so... you've got that going for you. If nothing else, you now have a future as a shop teacher.

Are you gonna keep on racing? Out of curiosity, did you have a lever guard on your bike? Manufacturers claim that in addition to guarding the brake lever, they may also help prevent hand injuries. Not sure how true that is but I guess it seems plausible...

 

Best of luck,

Benny

 

The brake lever guard was one of those cheap chinese ones and it got torn out, leaving the end of the clipon bare. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if I had had a proper bar end in there. I had a better setup before - a custom RhinoMoto bar end with a Woodcraft lever guard attached - but that got ruined in a previous crash.

 

Not sure yet about future racing or even track riding. That is a conversation I need to have with my wife. This stuff really upsets her and at a certain point (like coming home with missing body parts) it seems a bit selfish to put her through it.

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Hugh,

 

I'm way bummed to hear about your injury. I would imagine that's a pretty horrifying experience but I'm glad it wasn't even worse. On the upside, chicks dig scars so... you've got that going for you. If nothing else, you now have a future as a shop teacher.

Are you gonna keep on racing? Out of curiosity, did you have a lever guard on your bike? Manufacturers claim that in addition to guarding the brake lever, they may also help prevent hand injuries. Not sure how true that is but I guess it seems plausible...

 

Best of luck,

Benny

 

The brake lever guard was one of those cheap chinese ones and it got torn out, leaving the end of the clipon bare. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if I had had a proper bar end in there. I had a better setup before - a custom RhinoMoto bar end with a Woodcraft lever guard attached - but that got ruined in a previous crash.

 

Not sure yet about future racing or even track riding. That is a conversation I need to have with my wife. This stuff really upsets her and at a certain point (like coming home with missing body parts) it seems a bit selfish to put her through it.

 

 

OK, the "coming home with missing body parts" made me laugh - you are doing an impressive job of maintaining your sense of humor through this whole thing. :)

 

My husband and I both race and we both worry about each other. Sometimes the risk of something happening to one of us makes me want to stop racing... but it seems like every time I give that any serious thought, something happens in EVERYDAY life that almost kills me (like a week ago when a speeding pickup truck very narrowly missed plowing into the back of my STOPPED car and squashing it - and me - like a bug) and suddenly track riding doesn't seem so foolishly risky anymore.

 

I'm not sure that is any help to hear right now, when the body still hurts and your wife is probably still upset, but I do want you to know that you aren't the only one that has asked yourself if this whole riding/racing thing is such a smart idea sometimes.

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Thanks, I do appreciate it. I have also had great support from the other SOAR racers who have sent me lots of kind messages and reminded me how much they enjoy seeing my strange bike out at the races. Today is a much better day than yesterday - stuff has mostly stopped hurting and I will likely discontinue the pain meds altogether. I have also had two days to process things and so am much less freaked out than I was. The whole experience was pretty gross and traumatic and I must say it haunts me a bit when I lie down in bed at night. That will stop soon too I am sure.

 

Once my head is totally straight my wife and I can discuss the future of my racing career. But I am really inclined to yield to her wishes this time.

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  • 1 month later...

Hugh,

 

I'm glad to hear that you are back doing what you love so much and your injury has not hurt your riding.

 

On the public speaking thing. Turn that disadvantage into an advantage. You have one heck of a story that you can tell that will break the ice in the right situation. :)

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Hugh, what a great comeback! I was totally convinced that the Forum was going to lose our connection to the Prairie Dog Racing team and all of it's colorful characters and exploits. I even gasped when I read about the idea of Brody's replacing you on the endurance team. Talk about irony! Anyway welcome back and oh yeah - GO DOGS!

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YD, Awesome. I had given up my racing aspirations when I heard about your injury due to the fact that I had a two joint dislocation in my middle finger that is still not completely healed after four months. It looked pretty ugly yet nothing compared to what you must have experienced. Long story short...I am completely inspired and willing to consider the next step of getting some schooling at Penquin next year, Thanks, Nic

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Thanks everyone. I really enjoy getting feedback from all of you on these blog posts, and very much appreciate the encouragement.

 

Nic that sounds like a painful injury! Sorry to hear about that. What happened to me was kind of gross and unfortunately permanent, but at least it didn't hurt that much. Take it easy as you get back into it, and hopefully you will find as I did that the effects on your riding are minimal.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks everyone. I really enjoy getting feedback from all of you on these blog posts, and very much appreciate the encouragement.

 

Nic that sounds like a painful injury! Sorry to hear about that. What happened to me was kind of gross and unfortunately permanent, but at least it didn't hurt that much. Take it easy as you get back into it, and hopefully you will find as I did that the effects on your riding are minimal.

Thanks for the kind words as you have called it exactly right. It is still swollen and painful going back to May 20, 2014... about five months ago but I don't feel a thing when I'm on the bike! Tougher souls like you are pure inspiration.

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Thanks everyone. I really enjoy getting feedback from all of you on these blog posts, and very much appreciate the encouragement.

 

Nic that sounds like a painful injury! Sorry to hear about that. What happened to me was kind of gross and unfortunately permanent, but at least it didn't hurt that much. Take it easy as you get back into it, and hopefully you will find as I did that the effects on your riding are minimal.

Thanks for the kind words as you have called it exactly right. It is still swollen and painful going back to May 20, 2014... about five months ago but I don't feel a thing when I'm on the bike! Tougher souls like you are pure inspiration.

 

 

Well, I might be tough but my wife isn't. She pulled the plug on the final round. Probably did me a favour because it was pretty cold and rainy, but still I would have liked to have completed the endurance racing season. Now I have until May to negotiate with her as to the extent of my involvement next season. It kinda sucks to have your spouse be the biggest impediment to your racing (given all of the other substantial hurdles one must overcome), but I know that I am not the only person in that situation.

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Hugh;

My sincere condolences on your losing your spot on the Prairie Dog Racing Team's [Go Dogs!] final round of the endurance race season...just don't tell us that Brody took your spot. As for SDRP (Spousal Denial of Racing Privilege), you're not alone brother. My wife prays for rain every time I go to the track. After doing this for a dozen years or so, she's getting quite close to God.

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Hugh;

My sincere condolences on your losing your spot on the Prairie Dog Racing Team's [Go Dogs!] final round of the endurance race season...just don't tell us that Brody took your spot. As for SDRP (Spousal Denial of Racing Privilege), you're not alone brother. My wife prays for rain every time I go to the track. After doing this for a dozen years or so, she's getting quite close to God.

Laughing out loud over this. The other people on the plane are looking at me funny... :)

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  • 6 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Here is the blog post for Round 1. By far my most enjoyable race weekend yet.

 

http://prairiedogracing282.blogspot.ca/2015/05/round-one-2015-so-far-so-good.html

 

Finally got around to reading this, I love these blog posts! Very entertaining, and it is fun to keep tabs on how it is going for your team. (My favorite part - having done some endurance racing myself - was the "universal hand signal" part, laughed aloud over that.)

 

Bummer about your fancy digs going away, I would hate to have to tent it on a cold night before a race.

 

Great job on the last race and congrats on your podium finish! (Also, good job keeping it upright during the cold and slick conditions during your practices.)

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