[JimDirt]

Both bikes are S W E E T !!!

[Hammer]

Thanks Jim.fixing up my bikes are just as much a hobby as riding is.

[Aussiecrf230]

You mean you can ride these things as well as fix and service them.
What nonsense is this.

Yeah haven't be able to ride in a while, one thing after another.
This getting old stuff is starting to give me the sh( you know) its.

[JimDirt]

Yea I am always tinkering with my bikes myself , I just turned 60 and still ride MX , even after a heart attack , cancer and almost losing my left hand , have a fused neck (C,5-6-7) and broken my back 3 times ,,, just got informed yesterday I have Osteoarthritis in my left hip ...... ironically , what makes it feel better is moving around rather than sitting , so I ride .... Dr's are O.K. with that

My toy's (I am old so I use a kickstand)

[Hammer]

Aussie I don't know if you are trying be funny or not. But I've had major surgery. I'm not going to jeopardize 5 months of recovery.

When I can't ride working on my bike keeps my sanity. Not to mention maintenance is very important in keeping a bike in running in top shape as long as possible.

Never forget this statement, " a clean big is a happy bike ". How happy is your bike.

Ride on jimdirt , ride on.your a inspiration. Imagine if you stopped riding when you first had health problems. What would your life be like.

I can see you've put in the time on your bike. It's awesome. I'm sure your bike is your baby just like mine are.

Jim, I had a lot of Health problems too. Compound fracture of ankle and Tib , fib. Reconstruction of acl , back fusion, and shoulder replacement.

The only goal I had during recovery. Was to get back to riding as soon as possible.

[Aussiecrf230]

Hi Hammer,
Definetly not being funny or trying to take the p1ss out of you.
Just saying we all have health issues some age related , some we just get broken and it is good to have something to keep as focussed as we mend.
Actually a bit jealous you have a new ride waiting for you.
Sounds like between Jim and yourself you both had more than you fair share though.
I have just had my heart not pumping enough blood so low blood pressure and tired most of the time. Still manage to get a bit done in the shed though little ride time.

[JimDirt]

Ride on jimdirt , ride on.your a inspiration. Imagine if you stopped riding when you first had health problems. What would your life be like.

I can see you've put in the time on your bike. It's awesome. I'm sure your bike is your baby just like mine are.

Jim, I had a lot of Health problems too. Compound fracture of ankle and Tib , fib. Reconstruction of acl , back fusion, and shoulder replacement.

The only goal I had during recovery. Was to get back to riding as soon as possible.

Yea , I hear ya ... I went thru all I mentioned , with the wrist , and heart attack and cancer and partial loss of my right lung and a paralyzed vocal cord , all in 1 year (Aug 2016 to Sept 2017).... it unfortunately kept me off the bike for that time , all but about 1 week of riding at the end of the year just before the snow hit .... I have not got back (and most likely will not) to what I was before all this , as I struggle with stamina due to the heart issues , much like Ray has issues with as he mentioned ...... along with the minimally functioning wrist/hand , and learning to adapt to holding on with minimal grip strength as well as a rigid wrist , so without a custom made brace , I would not be able to ride at all ....

As with you , my goal was to get back riding , which I have , but I fight the issues every time I ride , but I do not give up .... it is my focus and what drives me to push thru the pain and ride as long as I physically can ..... over this past Labor Day weekend , I was at a track with some friends , it took several months to arrange to get everyone together and meet at the MX track we chose that was about 250-300 miles from each of us , my back had gone out a week prior to the trip (I had a vertebrae moved out of place at L4) , it was so painful I could not stand upright , and it was all I could do to get on the bike ....

We rode for the 3 day weekend , and all my friends could not figure out how I could ride and hit jumps , even though I could hardly stand or walk .... I told them that with the effort it took to get everyone together from across 2 states then all of us meeting in another state (I and 2 friends are in Idaho , the other was in Washington , and we all met in Oregon) that I did not want to let everyone down including myself by not riding ...... I had to stop every 50 miles for the entire drive there , and back ..... The pain was intense to say the least ... but that passion I have for riding kept me going and I am glad that I went ............I am actually going to the local track today , in a bit ...... and in about 2 weeks I am going to Washington , to ride with 2 of my friends at 2 different tracks there (one in Kennewick and one in Spokane) ... I am the oldest of the bunch , one friend is 4 months younger , and he rode with me while he was going thru Radiation treatment for Prostate Cancer just a few months ago ... , All we think about is when we can ride next , and what we can tweak on our bikes , everyone I ride with is over 50 years old , me being the "old man" of the bunch and the most beat up ......it is honestly what keeps me going ... and gives me a reason to look forward to each day , no matter how bad I feel , I know I have a bike or 2 waiting in the shop just waiting for a rider ....

[Hammer]

I forgot about my third bike that I built for my nephew. Put a lot work into this one.

Man I maintain bikes and build bikes more than I ride. The list of things that I have done to it would take to long to list.

I forgot to mention the most rewarding part this build is after he got his bike. I got him all the trick and built it together, picked out his gear. I taught him how to ride. Watching him progress from not being able to take off to taking off over jumps, has been incredibly rewarding.

Sharing the journey together is something ill never forget. Clearly it's one of the best moments in my life.

[JimDirt]

Sweet !! , yes you do have a passion for bikes

[Hammer]

That's a pretty good story Jim. Isn't it amazing what we do for something we're passionate about. We can go beyond human limits.

For me and I'm sure you feel the same way too. It's not about how good I ride anymore. It's about how good the ride is. It's about Sharing good times with old buddies, creating great memories, and having fun.

The ear to ear smiles, the laughing, and camaraderie. Can help you forget about troubles, and pain, if only for a moment or a weekend. Is well worth it. No pain medicine in the world can do that.

I'm going ride my new bike this weekend, I'm scared and nervous. I don't want to hurt my shoulder, I feel like I'm doing something wrong.
But yet the track calls to me.

It's a irresistible force that can't be stopped or ignored. If I laugh and grin from beginning to end, it was a great day.

Ride on Jim, and don't stop buddy.

[Hammer]

I forgot about my third bike that I built for my nephew. Put a lot work into this one.

Man I maintain bikes and build bikes more than I ride. The list of things that I have done to it would take to long to list.

I forgot to mention the most rewarding part of this build is after he got his bike. I got him all the trick parts and built it together, picked out his gear. I taught him how to ride. Watching him progress from not being able to take off to taking off over jumps, has been incredibly rewarding.

Sharing the journey together is something ill never forget. Clearly it's one of the best moments in my life.

[JimDirt]

That's a pretty good story Jim. Isn't it amazing what we do for something we're passionate about. We can go beyond human limits.

For me and I'm sure you feel the same way too. It's not about how good I ride anymore. It's about how good the ride is. It's about Sharing good times with old buddies, creating great memories, and having fun.

The ear to ear smiles, the laughing, and camaraderie. Can help you forget about troubles, and pain, if only for a moment or a weekend. Is well worth it. No pain medicine in the world can do that.

I'm going ride my new bike this weekend, I'm scared and nervous. I don't want to hurt my shoulder, I feel like I'm doing something wrong.
But yet the track calls to me.

It's a irresistible force that can't be stopped or ignored. If I laugh and grin from beginning to end, it was a great day.

Ride on Jim, and don't stop buddy.

Glad to hear your going to give it a try ........ Well , do as I always say , as it has helped me since may bad crash ..... Dress to crash and try not to ..... Basically I wear a Body armor to cover my chest ,back, shoulders, forearms , with a built in kidney belt , a helmet (of course) knee guards , and Allsport Dynamics wrist braces , one to give me the ability to ride , the other to prevent the injury I had from happening to my other hand/arm/wrist , about the only thing I don't wear at this point is a neck brace , and I may end up getting one , but I have claustrophobia issues and I have tried them on and it bothers me and I panic , so I have not found one I can tolerate yet ... if I do , I will get one ......

This was not too long ago (right about 1 month before my wrist injury in 2016 , so I was 56 at the time) , but I still look forward to every day I get to ride .... the guy I am riding with is 54

This is my wrist injury , which I was in surgery on my 57th B-Day .. which sucked ... , then had the heart attack , then a few months later was the cancer surgery ... so I got hit with a triple shot of bad luck that year and all I could ask the Dr.'s was when can I start riding again ...

And my neck ... I found out I could get my helmet on with the medical neck brace , so I was riding (when I wasn't supposed to) a few months after my neck was fused ........ it wasn't the smartest thing I have done ..... but at least I got to ride .... which made it go better since I was in a neck brace for 6 months .....

[Hammer]

Ha I was tired after the first lap. That's a sweet place to ride, except for the big fricken rocks. If they look big on go pro their real big.

Won't find a place like that in Maryland. We have 3 places to ride 2 are crap. The best we have is Budds creek or drive 4 hours to another state.

I hate long drives. Then ride a little and make the long drive back. I thing I've met my match for terrible injuries and someone who has worse luck than me. I been through a lot but Jesus you run laps around me.

Man I bet you helped your doctor buy 4 new sports cars a mansion on both coasts, and several trips to Hawaii with different women everytime.
Plus you got each of his women expensive jewelry. Has your doctor thanked you.