January 21st, 2002
Shawna "TreeFrog" Zastoupil
December 5th, 2001, the van stopped rolling and landed on all four tires. It was a nice winter
day, I looked through the crushed windshield and could not feel the right side of my body.
Oh God, I can't feel the right side of my body. My husband (92 Merc), my 2 year old son, oh God,
I told myself to stay still…. Will I ever ride my motorcycle again?
Flash back five years ago; my husband came home with exciting news of a possible purchase of a
Yamaha 250. He asked if I would like to ride. I have never ridden that kind of thing before.
But what the heck, we were young and just purchased a house. The first day I tried to take it
up the block, Dale running beside me. I could not turn. The bike felt like a unicycle. I was
way up high and could barely touch the ground. I got fed up and gave up. My husband was
experienced and rode without any problems. He saw my frustration and registered us in ABATE.
It was a GREAT class. By the end of the class, I could ride! I was so excited. My husband then
bought me a Rebel Honda, which was much lower to the ground. We had fun cruising around town,
but when we got out in the North Dakota wind, the bikes were too little for any distance.
Next came the VLX, and then a matching VLX for me! Our first trip was only 250 miles to our
parents! I felt like the road was part of me.
Since then I really enjoy riding to conferences around the state. I am a Health Information
Professional and when I pull up to the conferences on my bike, the stuffy people in my
profession stare at me. Then I quietly slip into the bathroom and come out with heels, hair and
a professional suit. They can't believe that I can ride 300 miles plus and come out looking like
that! I love to shock them. More than that, I love the road. Watching the airplanes, the cows,
and the little kids in the mini-van pointing me out to the parents!
I am not one for adding comforts to my bike until; my husband let me take his Aero to Wahpeton.
I took it so that my mother could ride "bitch" comfortably. She really enjoyed the ride
considering she was just through abdominal surgery for terminal cancer only 2 weeks prior to our
ride. This comfortable ride was a ride of the celebration of life.
Oh yeah, left you hanging at the beginning of the story. After a horrible, hour long ambulance ride
and a month of rest and rehabilitation I am almost back to normal! I can see the road for
riding this summer. The snow is on the ground and I am more scared of slipping while walking
then driving. My injuries are slow to heal, but I am alive and ready to ride again. I just want
to wish everyone a wonderful year, and many miles of open road.
Shawna
Shawna posing for a picture
Shawna and her ride.
Check out my bike & accessories.
and also visit my husband's page,
Dale 92Merc.
