Morning folks! Just wanted to put this out there. I am 24 years in recovery, I ride but don't fly colors. As part of another site we have a group "In The Wind" for other recovering bikers. Some fly colors and some don't no matter. Its all about the wind. We are planning a meet and great for June. If there are any folks here in recovery and want more info let me know. I will plug you in. 

I never had a problem drinking, drink, get drunk and fall off,, no problem
I never had a problem doping, dope, get broke, sell everything, walk, no problem
Until it was. 
Love and Respect
G

Good on ya Grover and well done. I'm very fortunate not to have had this problem - though a few family members did. Ride safe and free

Hugs (o:

Clean for 23 years here and same as you, we ride but we don't fly colors, although we ride with others who do and that's cool with us. Ron and I are both in recovery and have both worked in the field, he with adolescents and parolees and myself with adults and in prison. It's an interesting path we travel, but it doesn't have to be a long or hard one, it's just all part of the journey.

Thankfully I also have not had to deal with any of these. To those that have and are being successful...Kudos. To those not so successful....hang tough, keep fighting, and seek out help.

       
          1000 percent!!!!!!!

I actually go from one addiction to another. I've just learned to replace the destructive addictions with positive ones. I have an excessive personality. Regardless of what it is I am involved with, drinking, substance, excercise, eating, sex, racing I have no moderation. Can't say it doesn't enter my mind, I just don't pay attention to moderation. But life is good and I am clean and I like me. I live life to the fullest everyday.

To all those who suffer from any addiction may god help and bless you Me been sober % years now look back at those times and wonder was I really having fun or was I just Supid?? Don't have that answer But I and now Married To the most wonderfull woman in the world, have 11 Grand-babies and one more on the way,House and Land paid for,and two new harleys.Not to brag well wait I beat the addiction I WIN!! God can truly do great thing if you ask.I don't mean to preach.See my brother in-law always wanted me and my wife to ride with him so we went and got our first Harley In September 2008 ya see here inlies the problem never got the chanch to ride with him he was killed on his way back from NC when a cracked up drunk driver turned in front of him 5miles from home.So any time You get the chance to help someone change ther life take it and run with it.You will be Blessed

IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOEY D HOLMES
Riding With Crist

To all those recovering or in recovery: First of all I greatly admire that you acknowledge the problem and even more that you choose to address it. Like Pat (Chocmintz) I have never been in your shoes, so I have no idea what I would do or how I would respond. However, I have been the spouse of a person suffering from a cocaine addiction and then from a crack addiction. Trying to help him when he never admitted there was a problem was impossible. Don't ever give up! If you need or want help, just ask..... God Bless You.....

The thing is, no one ever plans on addiction or abuse.  Before you know it, something that used to be "fun", becomes the first priority.  I had enough will power to make sure that my son was always taken care of first.  Some don't or can't put anything but the problem first.  But it did become a problem.  And then, when I'd finally had enough, when I knew if I didn't change, I would end up orphaning my son, that's when I got on my knees and asked God to take it from me.  And he did. I have been clean for over 2 years now.  I'll never go back, and I've said to anyone who will listen, that I would rather be dead, than ever "live" like that again. That may sound extreme, but it's just how I feel. Plus, knowing where the alternative got me, death seems almost welcome. As to riding clean and sober, I have to tell you, there just ain't nuthin else like it!  I really enjoy the rides, especially when I don't have to worry about being pulled over.  Where do ya'll meet up? Maybe we could plan something for Bike Week?
Ride Free...always!
Tweek

Many recovering folks use In the rooms site as a tool. Our group there is In The Wind. We are planning a Meet and Greet weekend in June. It will be our first, with speakers from NA and AA both. It will be held outside of Mo on the west side of St Louis. I will not be able to make Bike week. Ride safe, ride free.
G

Hey Grover, let me know if it pans out, Ron and I are 5 hours away, would be a great road trip for us!

I have been there, alcohol, and drugs. They are two of the worst choices I ever made. I did kick the drugs, by myself. The alcohol is under control. I can now have a glass of wine, or a beer with dinner, and be ok with that. I was 30 some years into the booze, not so much with drugs. The bottom line is, I am thankful to have my life under control, and admire anyone who never had a problem with substance abuse, or anyone that has kicked the addiction. God Bless you all.

Friend of Bill W's since 1982.

To those who still suffer...

There is a way back.

I stand n salute all that have taken the steps toward recovery  

When I saw this posting nI had to change my pic just to let people know I've been to too many crash sites Bikes/Cages where it was just devestating to deal with knowing that if these people had only done what you folks in recovery are doing they would be alive today.....

I encourage police officers to take a zero tolerance toward impaired riding / driving, even the slightest hint of impairment... BUSTem!     
                 
                                                                                                                 SAVE LIVES!!!!! 

I changed careers and now I'm a first call tech " I remove/retrieve deceased people and guess what?  I look at the death reports n my heart breaks when I see someone that deceased because of alcohol / substance abuse...

GOD BLESS ALL THAT ARE IN RECOVERY,  BE STRONG...STAND PROUD...and most of all...LIVE WELL n HAPPY...

RandyJoe...Ride Strong...

Amen.

My nephew is 19 years old. He is a heroin addict. My prayer is that he will see inside his own heart to who he is... minus the drugs. For there, i believe, is the only desire for recovery. Without the desire for recovery... there is no recovery.

God bless you all, who have recovered. You are my heros. You are my inspiration. You are the example of strength and courage.

Get that young man something to do! have him paint your house, buy him a basket case bike and have him fix it. Anything so that he feels a sense of reponsibility and a sense of worth. My best friend Died of a heroin overdose back in the late eighties, i tried everything I could to get him to stop heroin and he always told me not to worry about it and after awhile I got complacent and just figured that was his business and that he could handle it. I was dead wrong and will never forget getting the phone call from his brother Bill saying that Jimmy had died saturday night. I have always felt that I could have and should have done more to help my buddy who had a big problem.  RIP James Leornard Engleton we will have our ride on the hwy like we planned one day.

Unfortunately, he doesn't live near me. He is in NH.

Another nephew (by a previous marriage) is also in a very bad place with drugs and alcohol. He is very close by. i have tried to 'help' him, but without the self desire to be helped, it is fruitless. Very sad. I keep trying though, without condemnation.

Drugs, alcohol, smoking, whatever. The individual HAS to have the mindset that they want to be done with it. Without that, it turns into a visious circle. You can try to help all day long, but if the individual doesn't want to quit, they won't.

"Without the desire for recovery... there is no recovery."

True enough.

One has to want recovery more than the first fix. pill, toke, or drink.

if only the loved ones could do it for them... but what the loved ones CAN do is inspire their desire and never give up on them... Sometimes you have to draw a line. For example, my son took in his cousin for a few months to help him. But he ended up stealing from him stole drugs from friends homes (legitamate rx drugs) and breaking into the neighbors house. My son has two young children... after he was arrested, spent some time in jail, he was not allowed to go back there. My son had to draw that line. Presently, almost everyone in his immediate family has drawn that line. Terrible cycle.

There are meetings for addicts all over the world. Point him toward one... Prayers

Hello all ~ your stories are very inspiring to me, you've come through hell and lived to tell about it. Thank you for your wise words as they uplift those still struggling and those of us who love an addict. Does anyone know if there is an 'In the Wind' chapter in Colorado?

I will not be little the recovery issue. Be it from drugs or drink or whatever. Clean now for over 16 years. I decided I would not trade one for anther. Its a long tuff road. First is the need to be clean. After that its the desire to repair and rebuild. Each day can be a struggle. The demons are strong. The truth is your stronger than you will ever know.
My best advise is to drop your conections to your past. Like changeing your clothes. You have to change it all or the stink will just come with you.
Renew your conections out side that world that you be came part of. All of us Ex Abusers know of your struggles. We are here to help.
For each of us there was a moment when you felt you might never make it. Some slip. Some fall. But never give up. Every day you mangen to stay clean is one more day closer to the day you dont have it cross your mind. The longer you stay clean the easyer it becomes. I can not give you a number of days or the number of hours. But one day it will happen.
I tried it all. My drug of choice was, Meth. But I used it all. You can recover. People are amazingly strong.
Your recovery is your own salvation.
You can 12 step. You can self recover. You can mix and match. As you see fit. You can take the blame or you can give it to God. It not in the way you get there. Its to get there. Once your there. You do need to find a clearing house for the issues that remain. Some find it in prayers. Some find it in group. Some find it in the ride. A long ride has cleared my head more times than I can say.
Build a new you. Reguradless of what works. You are building a new you. You get the choice here. Its time to make the change. What ever you desire away from your old path. You are building a new you.