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An amazing thing happened to me

Miles Monroe

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As most of you know, motorcycles are a huge part of my life. For more then a decade now, I've been battling problems with my hands and arms that keep me from riding as much as I would like. Over the past 4 months or so, it's become so severe, I've had to stop riding for pleasure, and have others do most of my test riding at the shop. I had all the testing done, and have severe carpal tunnel in both wrists.

About 3 weeks ago I came to the very hard conclusion that I would no longer be able to ride my beloved Bonneville, even after surgery. Time to move on with a bike that has ergos more suited to touring then racing. With the economy as it is, and the shop still not able to produce enough hours for full paychecks, a new bike is out of the question. I had been chasing a customer who basically abandoned her bike at the shop with an outstanding bill, but refused to sell. it's an old BMW, with little value, but perfect for my needs. I had enough money saved to buy the bike, but after many failed attempts, I gave up on the bike, and purchased a new camera body.

Go figure, a week after I get the camera, the owner of the bike contacts me to say I can have the bike. My only option was to sell my Bonnie to get the BMW, so I listed it on the two club forums I belong to. It also meant I would have to leave one (BIR) of the clubs. The members went nuts, insisting I shouldn't sell the bike until I had both surgeries. It was so nice to hear how much of an asset I was to the club, and how I would be missed. After speaking with many of the guys off forum, they swayed me, and the bike came off the market for the time being.

At the same time on the other club forum, the members took it to another level. Mort, one of the admins, and a long time friend posted a thread. He basically stated that there was no way in hell the club was going to let me sell the bike. I know it sounds ridicules, as it's my property, but these guys weren't kidding. We all know the old saying, what goes around, comes around.

The magnificent bastages of the Fez Monkeys Motor Cycle Club have raised the money to buy me the BMW. Of course, I insisted I couldn't accept, and was told that it's payback for all I've done to help others in a number of clubs over the past 6 years, and have no choice in the matter.

In all my life, I've never had anybody go so far above and beyond to do something special for me. I don't have the words to express how this has touched me.

With all the lousy stuff you hear about every day, I just had to share this with all my friends here.

Cheers !
 
Way cool Pete. But knowing you, I'm not surprised at all that you mean so much to these guys they'd feel compelled to do something that generous for you.

That's just who you are :cheers:
 
Well how cool is that? It's something of a rarity but always a heartwarming story to hear of things like this. I don't know who benefited the most, them or you. :claps:
 
It's simple Pete, you reap what you sow. Glad to hear it, you deserve it.

Of course in the midst of all that motorcycle talk, all I could think about was what kind of camera body did you buy? If memory serves me correctly, you use Canon.
 
I picked up a T2i El. It's a nice upgrade from the old Rebel XT, which was already obsolete when I got it. I would have liked a 7D, but it was out of my spending limit. I still haven't gone out to shoot with it, as I couldn't grip it for more then a few seconds. I'm hoping to be able to go out and shoot in about three weeks. Had surgery on the right wrist this morning, and the stitches come out in 2 weeks.



Thank you all for the kind words.
 
I picked up a T2i El. It's a nice upgrade from the old Rebel XT, which was already obsolete when I got it. I would have liked a 7D, but it was out of my spending limit. I still haven't gone out to shoot with it, as I couldn't grip it for more then a few seconds. I'm hoping to be able to go out and shoot in about three weeks. Had surgery on the right wrist this morning, and the stitches come out in 2 weeks.



Thank you all for the kind words.

I am thinking about making the switch to Canon, but I have so much invested in my Nikon gear.

Get well soon Pete. I will say a few words to the Big Man for you!
 
Very cool, MM. Along the line of what El said-we have a phrase here in North Carolina for things like that.

What goes around comes around. Glad to hear about things like that. :claps:
 
That's outstanding! Hope things go well to get that carpel tunnel fixed
 
If anyone deserved this act of generosity it would be you. You're a good man and have enjoyed our conversations for a number of years. Not that either of us are old. :)

Now I am going to tell you what to do that will help your hands...and no I am not crazy. Get some white raisins and soak them in gin (need a good brand and not bottom shelf). Just put the raisins in a bowl and cover with gin. Once gins is absorbed you are ready. Take 8 or 9 raisins a day and no more.

A good friend, retired Air Force, told me and does it every day. Told me he couldn't use his hands if he didn't. My wife has trouble the arthritis and she started and it made a difference. If she misses a couple days her hands and joints will hurt. You can google this and will find this cure everywhere. My father got it in an email from a renown medical center.

Key is white or golden raisins and good gin. Recently I went to buy more gin and guy at ABC store said you're about 5th person in past couple weeks to buy gin for this reason.

As preventive medicine...I started eating the raisins and chasing with gin. LOL
 
I am thinking about making the switch to Canon, but I have so much invested in my Nikon gear.

Get well soon Pete. I will say a few words to the Big Man for you!

Why the thoughts of a switch. Speaking with Brad, who's a Nikon guy since the late 60's, says everything these days is so comparable in quality, there's little advantage between the two brands. Of course, he doesn't shoot any action stuff, mostly composed stuff for magazine adds with fixed lenses.

It's funny,as we're on the subject of photography. About two weeks ago a guy bought a new BMW, trading in his older one with 92K on it. As he was loading his gear on the new bike, I was talkin to our salesmen Bob. He was asking me specifics about the old BMW I was trying to get. I said all I knew was it was blue, and had a Grateful Dead sticker on it, and that was good enough Karma for me. The customer comes walking over as says, you two dead heads ? We both replied yes, and I said I had been to a lot of shows. He said with a grin, me too, six hundred and thirty two in all. Bob and I looked at him, and he smiled again and told us.... he was one of the sound engineers for the band for 15 years. He's also a pro photographer who teaches at a small school on the east coast. A real rider, dead head, and photographer.... Ya wanna talk about Bob and I having major man crushes. Once I'm able to ride, the three of us are going to go out and shoot.

Thanks for the prayers, though I think the big guy has already been lookin out for me quite a bit lately.
 
Let's hope it is sooner rather than later that you are able to get out and ride/shoot. I sure do miss South Florida this time of year. I recently bought a car, if I still lived down there it would have been a motorcycle. I have to admit though, it would have been a Harley.

The switch to Canon is not set in stone. It is more about the switch to Full Frame and with Canon it would be a lot cheaper to get a 5D Mark II than a Nikon D700. If I go to Full Frame, I am going to have to upgrade my lenses anyway. I can use some of my old lenses on the D700, but they won't shoot in Full Frame. The best part of all of this is, I finally got the proper program to edit my images. I got Lightroom! Woohoo!

I am looking to make it down for Sunfest in West Palm in early May. Provided it all works out, maybe you'd like to ride/shoot when I come down?
 
Key is white or golden raisins and good gin. Recently I went to buy more gin and guy at ABC store said you're about 5th person in past couple weeks to buy gin for this reason.

As preventive medicine...I started eating the raisins and chasing with gin. LOL

Thanks Gary, and I'll give the raisins and gin. It can't hurt, and I love raisins, and tend to drink gin in the hotter months.
 
I am looking to make it down for Sunfest in West Palm in early May. Provided it all works out, maybe you'd like to ride/shoot when I come down?

Sounds great, and with any luck, we can make it happen. West Palm is an easy trip from here.

Oh, some of my best friends ride Harleys. I have nothing against the bikes, just what they have become to symbolize these days. Hell, I wish I worked for a Harley dealer, as there the highest maintenance machines on the market, and I'd always be busy. Service at every 2500 miles keeps their techs busy.
 
Pete...just remembered need to go through old photos to see if have any more to send you. Will work on this.
 
Pete...just remembered need to go through old photos to see if have any more to send you. Will work on this.

No rush. I've been so behind on everything, I only started on one of the pics you sent months ago. With the hand out of commission, typing with one finger on my left had is more then enough of a challenge :)
 
Im glad youre cool man...but this is just like that show you hate Sons of Anarchy. The head guy is starting to lose the ability to ride due to carpal tunnel as well...

You're not gonna let me slide on the Sons of Anarchy comments are ya LOL

It's a pretty common ailment for riders. I know a few people who suffer from it that are riders, and there's all sorts of products and gear to help. That type of stuff kept me going for a long time. I get the triple whammy with riding, the repetitive motion of my work. Add in the computer use, and I'm screwed, blued, and tattooed...
 

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