Considering what happened to a fellow rider in NL, that gives me great pause heading out for a little trip together. We actually haven't gone out together for a long while.
I'm that fellow rider in NL.
We were on a 3 week trip, had just done the Trans Lab and the Labrador Coastal Highway. Had been camping in Gros Morne and were headed towards Cornerbrook NL for a hotel room, laundry and a shower. My wife rides her own bike, and there were three of us in total. Minding our own business, a car crossed the centre line and hit all three of us, head on. I am in the hospital with ... let's just say an impressive array of injuries and a spectacular amount of luck, the third rider was unharmed and my wife died on impact. I'm now facing an 18 month recovery and the rest of my life without the love of my life; my best friend and the best goddamned riding partner I ever had.
It's late. I can't sleep. I don't even know why I'm replying to this thread. But people have asked me if I will ride again, and my honest answer is I don't know. I like the idea of riding again, but that's for future oomis to figure out.
What would my wife want? She'd want me to do what makes me happy, and if riding is that, then she'd want me back on 2 wheels as soon as possible.
My crash wasn't a motorcycle accident. It was a freak accident that was a random act. I won't go into it, but there's literally no conceivable reason why the driver that hit all of us couldn't have stayed in his lane. And honestly, had we been in a car, it might have turned out the same way.
When faced with the decision to get back on or to stop, I strongly believe that you'll just know. And if you don't, perhaps the conservative thing to do is to give it some more time. And for crying out loud, don't turn to the intertubes for advice.
If riding is in your heart, you'll know. If it isn't, you shouldn't.