On December 12, 2014, John writes:

Hi Joanne and Cristi Congratulations on Episode 56! I'm stoked that you guys are still going, even with Joanne's defection from the Best Coast. I've been following along since about Ep20, and I think it's time I thanked you both for keeping my hide as intact as it still is. with Joanne's gearchic alter ego, Cristi's high speed interaction with deer, and your interview with Brittany Morrow, you kept gear and safety forefront in my motorcycling life - which I get to continue despite my first crash this October.

I started riding as a commuter in 2010, with a 2003 Shadow 750 as my starter bike. Four years later, I was still wearing my hi-vis jacket w/ce rated inserts, gloves and full face helmet. The accident was me rear-ending a Prius on 237, who had braked down to about 30 suddenly (I was looking to pass a bus to the left and was following too close). I ended up about 40 feet from my bike, which had tumbled spectacularly, with my guardian angel firmly holding onto the scruff of my neck. Other than lacerations on my elbow (through the armor!) and two broken hand bones, my only other injury was a bad gash on my big toe - where I had left my old Kevlar-Toed boots at home in favor of my comfy sneakers. So, mostly I listened, I guess.

Anyway, my awesome wife is not opposing my return to two-wheeled life, although I am going to need a new ride. Probably that will have to wait until my physical therapy on my clutch hand is done. Anyway, I love your show, and look forward to hearing more of your adventures . Best regards.

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While I hate reading emails like these, I'm happy to hear you were able to walk away from that crash, albeit with a few broken bones. I would love to know what jacket/gloves you were wearing during the crash. I'm a curious sort such that whenever someone mentions a crash, my first question is to ask about their gear. No one wants to learn crash statistics firsthand, but I find it is helpful to pass the information along, be it a particular brand recommendation or a reinforcement of wearing that article of clothing altogether. The more I feel people can learn from my accidents or mistakes, the better I feel about the experience in the long run. I think I can speak for Joanne when I say we both wish you a speedy recovery on that clutch hand! Brittany, Joanne, and I all praise the value of gear. Hearing your story is encouraging to us, because it makes the sacrifices and the effort worthwhile knowing we made a difference.

That said, thank you John for sharing your experiences with us; even more so, thank you for listening! We're stoked you've stuck around with us for the ride and we hope you continue as we change our schedule to once every two weeks, starting in 2015.

Cristi

PS - Thumbs up to your awesome wife for being supportive!