Well he did it again ....

[the Ferret]

... and I'm afraid it's for good this time.

Got an email today. My good friend and riding buddy Jnor has sold his motorcycle (that he just bought a year ago) and all his riding gear, and given up riding. Again.

It's not the first time he has done this, maybe the 3rd time he has given up riding ( I think I even posted a thread about it here one time) but for some reason, I think he's serious this time. He says his heart is no longer in it. That he no longer gets pleasure from riding. He's afraid of being in an accident and ending up in a nursing home. He turns 69 next month.

Together we have ridden many thousands of miles, through many states, had some awesome trips. He was a great traveling companion.

We were scheduled to ride back down the BRP down to the Dragon this summer, and next year when we both turn 70 we were supposed to repeat our 2014 cross country ride to California and back. I am dissapointed we won't be making those trips, but to tell the truth with some medical issues I am having the trips were iffy anyway. Still it saddens me to think there is no possibility of them happening now.

It's tough to lose motorcycle buddies, but as we age, it's bound to happen more and more. I'm going to miss him.

Jnor on pacific Coast Highway California

and somewhere in middle America ...maybe Wyoming?

 

[pdedse]

Sorry you'll miss out on riding with your friend. I've always preferred riding alone...but of late, I'm thinking it would nice to find someone to ride with at times.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

It is tough to ignore the body if it can't keep up with the mind. It also represents a sort of freedom lost and we all don't enjoy that feeling. Many times there are others to consider and the call has to be made. It can't be easy as a chapter closes.

- - -

Which brings up a thought of augmented reality.

For those who wish to ride with others but cannot, it would be unsurprising in the not too distant future where one can join the experience, but in the comfort of their garage/basement/family room. The actual riders will ride, but one will be outfitted with video and motion sensor capturing technology and relay the data back to the home buddy whose computer will translate the experience on a sort of "electric horse" (looking like a real motorcycle) and HD television monitor. It could be in real-time with live conversation and recorded for later experience and replay for anyone, including the original host rider.

Maybe this is done already, or the market isn't ready for it just yet.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Very sorry to hear this, but you know Ferret, you've got a whole network of eager riding buddies right here. I know you could easily stitch together a great cross-country route and have a riding companion for each leg. You certainly have the Rockies covered. Just give me a 24-hour notice.

 

[pdedse]

Very sorry to hear this, but you know Ferret, you've got a whole network of eager riding buddies right here. I know you could easily stitch together a great cross-country route and have a riding companion for each leg. You certainly have the Rockies covered. Just give me a 24-hour notice.

Yes, indeed, Pacific Northwet is covered for you as well.

 

[Offroad]

Yep, as long as it's in June and/or July anywhere you want to go.

 

[Cormanus]

That's a sad thing, Ferret. It's good to have a buddy you ride with a lot and with whom you are comfortable. It's mostly un-stressful and makes longer trips a bit less lonesome.

 

[KiowaEagle_imp]

And of course if you want to head East....

 

[the Ferret]

Thanks fellas., and I appreciate the generous offers.

Cormanus you are right. For you I imagine it would be like Pterodactyl giving up riding. Someone you've traveled with a lot and are comfortable with.

I have had great rides with fellow forum members as well..MTC, dUh, DAC, Offroad, and LongRanger, not to mention those I have ridden at forum rallies with. And every year we have a gathering of family members for a trip somewhere in the Fall Men's Trip. So I am not without riding companions.

 

[LouA_imp]

Well,I can relate. Maybe,just to keep his toe in,joining a vintage club and keeping in the bike world by helping at meets or maybe a restoration. It is hard to cut the cord.

 

[Rocky_imp]

I don't ride with one particular person all the time but rather different friends over the summer.
However, the older I get the "older in their own minds" my much younger friends as beginning to get and are not as enthusiastic. They're not giving up, but they seem to be giving in. A day ride very often amounts to half a day so most of the time I ride alone.

All that said, I know the day will come when I'll have to hang up the helmet. At age 81 that horizon may not be too far off, but in the meantime (years), miles of smiles for me

 

[emptysea]

Ferret - I have not been riding long enough to develop motorcycling relationships with the depth of yours, but I'm sure that this is a difficult time for you and for him. I echo LR's and others' offers to ride with you. Anytime. Any place.

 

[the Ferret]

Well,I can relate. Maybe,just to keep his toe in,joining a vintage club and keeping in the bike world by helping at meets or maybe a restoration. It is hard to cut the cord.

Lou he no longer has any interest at all in motorcycles. He is full blown into racing RC cars (another of his long time hobbies) at this point.

One nice thing, he sent me his First Gear Jaunt T2 jacket he wanted me to have. Nice jacket. Very high tech compared to the Tourmaster's I normally wear. So I guess wherever I ride, if I'm wearing that jacket, he is along in kind as well.

 

[pdedse]

I don't ride with one particular person all the time but rather different friends over the summer.
However, the older I get the "older in their own minds" my much younger friends as beginning to get and are not as enthusiastic. They're not giving up, but they seem to be giving in. A day ride very often amounts to half a day so most of the time I ride alone.

All that said, I know the day will come when I'll have to hang up the helmet. At age 81 that horizon may not be too far off, but in the meantime (years), miles of smiles for me

Riding at 81! Nice
...if I can do as well as you, that means I could ride 25+ years still. I try to stay in good physical health by hiking the Columbia Gorge every chance I get, swimming twice a week, mix in running, and light weight lifting and I'm feeling pretty good at 55. Yet...my 19 year old daughter has three friends her age with cancer so I'll try to enjoy and be grateful for the good health while it's here.

 

[Rocky_imp]

I don't ride with one particular person all the time but rather different friends over the summer.
However, the older I get the "older in their own minds" my much younger friends as beginning to get and are not as enthusiastic. They're not giving up, but they seem to be giving in. A day ride very often amounts to half a day so most of the time I ride alone.

All that said, I know the day will come when I'll have to hang up the helmet. At age 81 that horizon may not be too far off, but in the meantime (years), miles of smiles for me

Riding at 81! Nice
...if I can do as well as you, that means I could ride 25+ years still. I try to stay in good physical health by hiking the Columbia Gorge every chance I get, swimming twice a week, mix in running, and light weight lifting and I'm feeling pretty good at 55. Yet...my 19 year old daughter has three friends her age with cancer so I'll try to enjoy and be grateful for the good health while it's here.

Riding at 81! Nice
...if I can do as well as you, that means I could ride 25+ years still. I try to stay in good physical health by hiking the Columbia Gorge every chance I get, swimming twice a week, mix in running, and light weight lifting and I'm feeling pretty good at 55. Yet...my 19 year old daughter has three friends her age with cancer so I'll try to enjoy and be grateful for the good health while it's here.
You said as mouthful my friend, tomorrow is promised to no one. Keep doing what you're doing and it pays off many years later.
I did much of the same things at your age and still stay very active and fit at my age.
I'm blessed to have the strength and stamina of a much younger man, but I don't take it for granted. You have to do your part to eat right and stay active and fit.
But in spite of all you do bad things can develop in your body and put you on a very rough road. So far, so good.

 

[misterprofessionality]

in my estimation, it's all about continuing to *do it.* The minute you stop moving, that's when you start to break down. just like a bike. it's sitting that kills them, not riding. a bike that's on the road every day will go for 200,000 miles, but one that spends the vast majority of its life in a garage will have nothing but problems. you and your partner are more alike than most people imagine in that way.

You keep throwing a leg over and you'll keep being able to throw a leg over. If all else fails, get a Ryker.

P.S.: if she can do it, anybody here can stay up:

you got a good decade to go Rocky. don't quit.

 

[Rocky_imp]

in my estimation, it's all about continuing to *do it.* The minute you stop moving, that's when you start to break down. just like a bike. it's sitting that kills them, not riding. a bike that's on the road every day will go for 200,000 miles, but one that spends the vast majority of its life in a garage will have nothing but problems. you and your partner are more alike than most people imagine in that way.

You keep throwing a leg over and you'll keep being able to throw a leg over. If all else fails, get a Ryker.

P.S.: if she can do it, anybody here can stay up:

you got a good decade to go Rocky. don't quit.

Thanks Mr. P. What a great video! Love that lady

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

in my estimation, it's all about continuing to *do it.* The minute you stop moving, that's when you start to break down. just like a bike. it's sitting that kills them, not riding. a bike that's on the road every day will go for 200,000 miles, but one that spends the vast majority of its life in a garage will have nothing but problems. you and your partner are more alike than most people imagine in that way.

You keep throwing a leg over and you'll keep being able to throw a leg over. If all else fails, get a Ryker.

P.S.: if she can do it, anybody here can stay up:

you got a good decade to go Rocky. don't quit.

Inspirational. Thx!

 

[Nortoon_imp]

I don't ride with one particular person all the time but rather different friends over the summer.
However, the older I get the "older in their own minds" my much younger friends as beginning to get and are not as enthusiastic. They're not giving up, but they seem to be giving in. A day ride very often amounts to half a day so most of the time I ride alone.

All that said, I know the day will come when I'll have to hang up the helmet. At age 81 that horizon may not be too far off, but in the meantime (years), miles of smiles for me

81 and still riding! That makes me feel much better.

I played hockey until I was 48 and baseball till I was 56. I always felt blessed with my good health and was often mistaken by other people to be much younger than I was. I think my positive attitude had a lot to do with that as well.

But over the last 5 years the doctors have stealing parts from me. First my gall bladder and recently my prostate gland. Recovered better than expected from the prostate surgery. But then had large kidney stone blocked the duct from my kidney to my bladder and ended with a late night trip in an ambulance. Fortunately it passed a few days later without pain.

Definitely sleep more and run out of steam late in the afternoon. Both signs of old age. My 73 birthday is less than a month away. But I have already started back walking the local nature trail. Hopefully that will increase my stamina a bit. I still want to be able to ride from 8 in the morning to 5 in the evening. May take a few more rest stops though.

I prefer to ride alone, but always have my cell phone with me just in case. May have to consider some carrying some Tylenol just in case.

 

[rboe]

We all have different abilities; we all age a bit differently so props to him for knowing when to call it quits and to actually do it.

Still; tough to lose friends (but better than seeing them killed off).