On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 7:53 PM, Mister Tom <TomsGroups@salicos.com> wrote:

> I wonder if any other Vanagon pilots have gone through shoulder
> replacement?
>

> . For second to third or
> second to first I've been reaching through the wheel with my left arm. This
> really sucks.
>
  I did in my left wrist in a bicycle crash few years back.  A Mom on a bike
path screeched at her kid as I approached...freaked the kid out and he then
tossed HIS bike out in front of me, causing me to do a head plant.  She goes
"That's ok, my boy is fine, you didn't hit him.........."   That one made my
jaw drop!     I came very close to mayhem on the Screeching Mommy..The kid?
He was some kinda embarrassed he had got scared by mommy's scream, and made
me crash....

I got back on after some time (and my bell stopped ringing) and rode on,
only to find out when I reached my vanagon (content) that my wrist was
actually broken and so was my $3500 DeRosa bike...I was very lucky my
fractured carbon fiber fork didn't just snap as I rode the 20 miles back to
the van, considering the big fractures.

  Casted the wrist and began riding my other bike with the cast on....only I
couldn't move the left (broken) wrist in the motion it takes to change the
front chain...a 'rotation of the little finger, under'....So for almost two
months I was reaching across and snagging the left brake/shift lever and
pulling it inwards with my right hand...while steering with my casted broken
wrist...
  Have you ever tried riding a bicycle with your hands crossed on the bars?
Scary.

  I never did find that mommy again, or I would have handed her a bill for a
new bike and about $15k to the orthopedic guy..

  Friday story with very little van content.  Don Hanson