Preparing for the next Long Ride

I'm reading flash gordon m.d.'s delightful books on motorcycles and medicine,
Blood, Sweat & Gears: Ramblings On Motorcycling and Medicine (2005) and Blood, Sweat and 2nd Gear: More Medicine for Motorcyclists (2008). If you are local to San Francisco you may have read some of the good doctor's articles when he was writing for City Bike, a tabloid-style community newspaper that was so sure that their content was great that they don't waste time on proof-reading. Both books are small, quick reads, perfect for the bathroom (unless you have hemorrhoids in which case you shouldn't be reading in the bathroom - see what you will learn?). It appears that the 2008 edition covers everything that is in the 2005 edition.

I'm a big believer in the umbrella rule of life - be prepared and you won't need it. Blood Sweat and Gears covers the medical issues that riders want to believe will never happen to them such as road rash, getting a cold, lower intestinal compaction, and the opposite problem, the runs. If your riding buddy hits a sandy patch and low sides, would you know what questions to ask and what places to check for injury?

I'm preparing for a long ride and decided to open up the two first-aid kits just to remind myself of what I have and where it is. The small kit I carry with me all the time on the assumption that I'm not far from medical care. The content of the small kit is only good for minor scrapes, but I'd rather have the bandages than say, bleed all over the inside of my glove. I also keep the resuscitation shield with the small kit - thank heavens I've never had to use it.

The larger kit has stuff for handling situations where medical care might take a few hours to arrive and can address nasty stuff like burns, broken bones, and gashes. I'll move the resuscitation shield to the larger kit when I leave and head east. Again, heaven forbid that I'll need to use it. On my last trip I was very happy with the Nuun electrolyte replacement tablets. The new Camelbak allows me to turn my head from side to side without the helmet hitting the Camelbak's shoulder strap. As dr. gordon will tell you, hydration while riding is important! I'm still working on my checklist but I am so ready to get on the bike and ride.