Ouch !!!!!

I am well known to be a clumsy buffoon but, in September 2025, I managed to take my natural propensity to cause myself harm to a whole new level when I severely damaged my left knee when I slipped on the stairs in our house. Oddly, although in my youth I broke enough bones, all over over my body, to warrant my own drawer in the three available in the casualty department of Luton and Dunstable hospital (Aardvark-Aaron to Perry-David Melvin, Perry-David Mitchell, Perry-David Norman to Zulu-Zak …), I had never been in an ambulance, let alone one with its lights and sirens going. Suffice it to say, now, I have.

The fact that this mishap also occurred on the day of my birthday party, when some people had travelled to Prague from abroad to pay their respects and enjoy my hospitality, only added to my acute embarrassment. Seldom had so much slightly cruel banter been directed my way.

I have two Harleys and I make it a point to ride each of them in EVERY month of the year. Perhaps fortunately, I had already done that in September and, due to a very slow recovery, my October “excursions” were limited to slowly riding them, towards the end of that month, a couple of times up and down inside the garage where they are parked. It was surprisingly difficult, even to do that, because they are not lightweights and my leg was still very weak. Luckily, to me (at least), it is the underlying principle that counts !

Sadly, fate was still not done with me.

No sooner had I cheered myself up by proving I could still ride my Harleys, than I suffered an injury to the third finger of my right hand. This was, ultimately, a lot more threatening from a riding perspective as it not only necessitated an operation, but the joints are permanently damaged and will never be quite right again. The surgeons initially wanted to “fix” the finger in a permanently “bent” position – but I managed to resist this as it would have spelled the end of motorcycling for me. Now, it is permanently straight, but at least I can get my glove on and also hold the throttle.

Through the Winter, I continued my rehabilitation and that meant going for short rides on each bike whenever the weather permitted. It was very cold and we had quite a bit of snow – but I still managed. I did “feel” the cold more than normally in both my finger and my knee. What I obviously had to be, was very careful, heavy braking was NOT something I wanted to do. With care, I could manage quite well. I hoped to put my abilities to the test on New Year’s Day when the local MDA supporters traditionally ride through Prague to the Old Town Square for seasonal “goodies” – but sadly for both my “training” and my Christmas cookie intake, this year’s ride did not take place.

I still rode both bikes whenever possible and, with a degree of caution, I was quite all right. I even felt confident enough to take a few trips around the city with Lucie on the back and I began to focus my attention on the “Season Opening” ride that HOG and the Harley Davidson Club of Prague (HDCP) traditionally make to the nearby town of Poděbrady on the first Saturday in April. Although it has not happened every year, HDCP (founded in 1928 and the oldest Harley Club in the world outside of the USA) have recently discovered the first trip was made there in 1931 !

Because of the date of Easter Saturday (April 4th) this year’s event was scheduled for the next Saturday (April 11th) and, although Spring was already in evidence (I had set the onions and Broad beans in my garden …), on Friday 10th, it SNOWED !

Fortunately, in Prague at least, it soon melted, but there was skiing in the mountains ……..

Saturday, April 11th, 2026

Saturday dawned slowly and very dull and overcast – and it was a long way away from being warm. My knee still felt the cold a bit, but my finger felt it with some enthusiasm and although the ride is only about thirty-five kilometres, I wondered how well it would hold up. Still, my lovely wife is a game girl and we decided to wrap up warmly and go for it.

As usual, the two clubs gathered at the Výstaviště exhibition grounds in northern Prague. Also as usual, we had been asked to keep this location a bit quiet. Quite a few unaffiliated “hangers-on” usually try and join the column whilst it is still in Prague and the secrecy is aimed at preventing this. But, as I always say, anyone who knows the date would only need to station themselves in the city and look out (or listen out !!) for passing Harleys.

Lucie and I arrived and, despite being prompt, found ourselves very near the back of the line. This is definitely not our “preferred” position because, as anyone who has done “column” riding will know, EVERYaction by those at the front, slowly magnifies as it travels backwards. I consoled myself with the thought that, were we to fall off because of my finger, less people would ride over our prostrate bodies ……

We chatted to a few friends and mooched around for half an hour. Then after a quick conference with the marshals, the Police escorts lit up their blue lights, our trusty “vestáci” took their positions – and off we went !

It was an impressive sight as we moved out. The Police both led and formed the rearguard and our orange clad marshals skilfully blocked all the side roads. As usual this allowed the long column to swing majestically through the city without ever needing to come to a halt.

Our starting point allows an initial choice of routes and, this year, we crossed the Vltava river on what I personally consider to be Prague’s most beautiful, contemporary, bridge. This is the Trojský Most (Troja Bridge) and is an intricate half-moon of white steel. From a distance, particularly at night when it is lit up, it is a thing of real beauty.

There was, for once, almost an incident of high drama. A HOG member in front of me, from what I must stress was ANOTHER Chapter, first accelerated way to hard and was then obliged to brake even harder. For one second, he lost it before, as he stopped braking, his momentum pulled him out of his skid and he narrowly (and I do mean narrowly) avoided the riders in front of him. Lucie and I had to ride through a drifting white cloud of pungent rubber smoke. It really was a close one and the same rider was more than a little hesitant for the rest of the journey ….

We wended our way out of the city, through its outlying villages and into the countryside along Route 19. Oddly, despite the gloomy start of the day, the sun was coming out. It was still not warm, but the growing sunlight made the route along the tree-lined roads through the countryside very pleasant indeed. Many of those trees were already in blossom.

In the little towns and villages, there were the usual crowds lining the roads. I love the way that people come out to watch us pass, often bringing their children, perhaps the bikers of the future to see us go by. As always, some were there to party, with their deckchairs, little tables and, of course, their beers. Everyone was clapping and waving and, naturally, recording us on their cameras and ‘phones.

The side roads and lay-bys were also thronged with non-Harley bikers, waiting to join the end of the long, winding column.

As we began to near our destination, we were diverted to the left because the road was closed for resurfacing. This mean that we did not pass our usual “military” check-point of a Willys Jeep and I also did not see (or maybe failed to spot) the moped club which regularly joins in the festivities right on the edge of Poděbrady itself. I missed them !

Our diversion actually took us through Nymburk – I wonder what the surly Police Chief of that town (who once, in 2022, tried to prevent the ride) thought of that. It is not him in the picture !

We came to the outskirts of Poděbrady via a different route, but word was obviously out and the sidewalks were, as usual, thronged with thousands of people.

The column wound its way to the colonnade, but here again there was a difference. The top part, nearest the town, was being “redone” and we were all directed to the far end. Getting parked was as trying as it is every year – but we managed it.

The renovations meant that there were far fewer stalls than normal and sadly (for Lucie) the stall selling the disgusting sweets she likes could not be located ! We did find a stall selling delicious gyros and smažený sýr (fried cheese) in portions that were both generous (not that Lucie left so much as a strand of cabbage from her gyros) and cheap. We sat on a bench in the now very sunny (but still not very warm) park and gobbled the lot. Yum Yum !!

Then, as ever, we left. We had been invited to a barbecue – so we headed there. Despite the fact that it was some 180 kilometres distant, in a small town near Tabor, the glorious afternoon sun made those kilometres simply fly by ! The only thing that I had to bear in mind was that I now needed to stop at traffic lights and junctions …. We enjoyed some delicious lamb (my friend has a Greek * husband) and were still able to be safely ensconced back in our flat before it was dark.

I never, for one moment, thought about my knee all day. My finger does slightly impede my braking power, but it would only be any kind of real issue in an extreme situation and I try and avoid those.

I am back, baby ! Roll on Summer !

* other nationalities are available.

If you want to see it all on YouTube (and you know that you do !) – here is the link: