I’m looking to hear perspectives on this business of getting back on the bike after a hard crash.

Today, I sat in a wheelchair looking out on a pond while my riding partner did our regular Sunday morning trail ride (the trail ride that happens when the road ride isn’t happening, that is). I sat there with my dog and cyclists rode by. They spoke, I spoke.

In between, I wondered if I’m supposed to get on again? Maybe my last crash, where I broke my pelvis and a vertebra, maybe I’m not supposed to do this. I know my body will heal. I was healthy and reasonably young. I will get better. Nobody’s said “you’ll never ride again,” much less “you’ll never walk again.”

For some of you, I know there’s no question. But I think most everyone has a breaking point. A point where the road hit back so hard you knew it won. When that happens to motorcyclists and cyclists, what do we do?

Maybe it’s just an issue of “you can’t see that far from here.” Like I can’t see that far today, and maybe I shouldn’t try to. Like I’ve adjusted to this accident as I’ve gone along, first knowing I’d use most of my accumulated sick leave, then knowing I’d use every drop of my sick leave, then knowing I’ll have to use every hour of my whole year’s vacation leave, watching my colleagues jet off to New Hampshire and Italy and who knows where while I sit at my desk and sweat it out for another fall (and school year’s supply of vacation days) to roll around. It’s all a matter of adjustment. Right?