One of which was the Scooter Tramp triathlon. The contestants had to come out of a zipped up tent, put on their boots, run across a field to their motorcycle, race down to the river, STOP, take their boots off and swim to a boat in the middle of the river. There were several close calls in the race but everyone seemed to come out OK till it was my turn. I really got caught up in the moment and came blazing in towards the river much too fast. I knew I was in trouble with no traction in the mud and gravel. I came sliding in sideways and just as I thought I might pull it off, the bike dug in and high-sided. I knew to abandon ship so as the bike flipped, I let it throw me and landed on my feet but I was going too fast and did a cart wheel before coming to a rest on the concrete boat ramp. I felt my thumb throbbing and thought it was broke, then I looked and my crumpled heap of a motorcycle and decided to continue on with the race. I swam out to the boat and of that day had the best time and got first place.
The next couple of days my thumb hurt but I could move it so I thought maybe it was a sprain or a jamb. I continued on the next couple of days at the event competing in the rodeo games, riding with everyone across the backwoods creeks and even reaching under a tree stump in the river and pulling out a big snapping turtle. There are videos of all this on my facebook profile or search "Bean're" on youtube.
I had a deck to build in Miami so after the BMR I put the bike in the back of my truck ( I hate doing that but needed my tools and truck to do the job) and headed south to Miami. I got down there and was suppose to have the job finished that following weekend. It was sweltering hot and my thumb was really hurting and the first thing I had to do was demolish the old deck and load it into my truck and haul it away. I worked a couple of hours but gave up and hoped to do it the next day. The next day arrived and I began only to bump my thumb and the pain was excruciating. I decided to go to the emergency room. They x-rayed it and said it was broke in 3 places and that I needed surgery. They put me in a temporary cast and sent me home. In the cast, they pulled my thumb back and it was that night I really painful. Later that night I removed the cast since I was going to have surgery anyways.
The emergency room visit was on a Friday and I wasn't able to make an appointment with the surgeon until Wed. I worked everyday on the deck pacing myself and slowly getting a little done at a time. By the time my appointment came my thumb was heeling. The doctor said I needed the surgery. I explained it was getting better. He said it was serious enough that maybe I would have trouble riding my bike even after his surgery AND rehab. I then informed him that I rode my bike to see him that day with no problem. He said I shouldn't be doing anything till it heeled. I told him I was building a deck everyday and in 2 weeks had mini bike races at the Smokeout that I had to attend. He stared blankly at me then said " Well I guess evil Knievel had some broken bones that he had left to heal on their own so maybe you will be ok." I now wonder if that means I can start wearing a cape?
I continued on my own route but many people said I should seek a second opinion. I decide to hire a professional ( a private nurse) and even at her rates ( hourly) she was still cheaper and the rehab techniques was much more enjoyable. I am well on my way to a full recovery and am feeling very confident about the mini bike races.
Hope to see everyone at Rockingham, NC and cheer me on as I blaze through yet another race!
sdadas
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