Christopher recalls:
I DO remember those days and the bike, Norton 850 Commando. Wonderful! Judy, partner these 34 years, and I went travelling throughout Europe during the summer of '77. Absolutely brilliant time, riding around Rome on a warm summer evening, finding little piazza's and wonderful restaurants. Touring up the old Yugoslavian coast before war and mass tourism had changed it forever, then up and over the Semplon pass, the bike never missing a beat, ahhhh those were some days!
Unfortunately there is a sadder story to tell. In '87 I had a massive accident on a subsequent Bike I acquired (not my fault, rarely is) and ended up in Hospital flat on my back for 6 months with multiple injuries to my leg, pelvis and hip. Luckily I survived and after many years of operations and rehabilitation I am happy to say that I still have my leg, although somewhat disabled, and I am able to carry on a full life including a weird but exhilarating version of skiing (on one ski).
I have since the accident fathered another child, a wonderful girl called Nell who is already 15 years old and running her parents ragged with her busy and varied life. We live in Bath now and I work around the world at producing Theatre Shows, in fact for about 14 years from 1990 I produced Rocky Horror all over the world from Buenos Aires to Japan, from Finland to Greece including many tours of the UK.
I am enjoying the ups and downs of life and I must say I still miss the thrill of riding but I promised my family that my motorcycling days are over and, bless them, I owe it to them to stick by my promise. |