Blood, Sweat & Gears: Ramblings on Motorcycling and Medicine

There are two ways to teach. One way is to drill information into the listener's head. The other is to tickle it in. West Coast humorist and offbeat motorcycling personality flash gordon, m.d., (yes--that is his real name . . . no caps, please) author of a popular column in San Francisco's CityBike magazine, is a master of the "tickling" school of education. Reading this compilation of his best essays would be a guilty pleasure were it not for the sound information it contains on various topics related to motorcyclists' health.

flash's experience as an emergency room doctor and 37-year motorcycling veteran allows him a unique perspective--his suggestions are remarkably insightful, and could even prove to be lifesaving. Ever wonder what to check first when someone has an accident? How about treating road rash properly? Experiencing lower back pain, leg burns, hearing or sinus problems--even hemorrhoids? flash tells it like it is--giving sensible advice about what you can treat on your own and what you can't. Though you may have forgotten everything you learned about first aid and safety in school, you'll never forget it again after reading this book--flash spins cautionary tales that are as easy to remember as a song.

The chapter headings may sound wacky, but the tips you'll discover in them will be "anything but:"

Roasting the Fatted Calf (Leg Burns), Here's Lookin' at You, Kid (Eye Injuries), Duh Thrill of Victory, Duh Agony of Duh Feet (Proper Footwear and Footcare), Motoholics Anonymous (Addiction to Motorcycling), Too Cool is Not Too Cool (Hypothermia), "Sh*t, That Was Close" (Adrenaline), That's the Breaks (Broken Collarbones), You Need This Like a Hole in the Head (Sinus Problems), and many more!

We're sure you'll find Blood, Sweat & Gears to be highly informative and entertaining. It's filled with the author's amusing--and sometimes sobering--anecdotes from many years of directing a free clinic in San Francisco. flash takes you from the high jinks of Haight Street to the high anxiety of the emergency room, and does it with intelligence and style. Addressing the most prevalent health issues facing those who spend a good deal of time in the saddle, flash delivers his advice with a strong dose of original humor. The possibility of saving the time and expense of a doctor's visit is certainly a sweet pill to swallow.