[JL de Jong]

Menso, a Dutch colleague of mine and I were riding some fun trails in Santa Cruz yesterday. We had crossed Empire Grade road into Wilder Ranch State Park, where we took the first single track on the left. I had never ridden that trail before, but felt pretty comfortable following Menso and doing some small jumps. However, all of a sudden Menso is yelling out "go right, big drop here", but it was too late for me. There was a giant log across the trail with the whole area in front of it filled up with dirt, so I didn't see the 2+ feet drop until I was fully committed. That was too much for my very limited jumping skills and I landed at a 45 degree angle on my front wheel, slammed the top of my head onto the dirt and catapulted my bike up side down further down the trail. I rolled over once more until I came to rest face down on the trail. I had to stay there for a few minutes to recollect myself and check for movement in all limbs.
Fortunately, the only damages were a sore neck, a bruise on the knee, a cramp in my calf and a cracked helmet. We rode (Old Cabin, Twin Oaks, Zane Gray, and back to Hwy 9 Rincon parking) on for another three hours after the crash, thanks to that helmet! I'll go buy a new one today. Don't leave home without it!

- J.L.

 

[Ryan G.]

That log has a reputation (if it is the one I think you speak of).

 

[rho]

Glad to hear that you're doing ok...
Sounds like crash that could have been a lot worse, but wasn't.

Make sure to see if your neck is still doing ok in a couple of days.

 

[rensho]

Wowsers. Glad you're so OK after such a crash. We call that "Derek's log", after bustamove. You thinking about getting that neck x-rayed?

That trail doesn't exist, so we won't talk about it.

 

[RJG]

Roll right, jump left! I nearly killed myself the first time over that thing.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Who makes your helmet.

Check with them for a crash replacement policy. Bell, Diro, THE... they all hook it up as far as new helmets for a heavily discounted price.

 

[Pete Fagerlin]

It's refreshing to see that silly sensationalism is alive and well.

 

[Oobus]

I would think things like that would happen when your riding with a guy named "Menso".

 

[scooderdude]

I used to manual-to-bunny-hop over that log before it was built up at the lead up to it. Not that it exists or anything. Or that trail.

Where is that again? Water Dog?

 

[The Law]

Three years ago on my birthday ride, Derek went off that log and broke his collar bone good. Doctor said he never saw such a bad break. You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself badly. Scold your son for not warning you sooner about that!

 

[Menso]

Three years ago on my birthday ride, Derek went off that log and broke his collar bone good. Doctor said he never saw such a bad break. You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself badly. Scold your son for not warning you sooner about that!

Don't blame me. JL decided that some trail heard about on the internets sounded cool. I warned him about it in general, and let him know that it had some "mandatory obstacles" but Mr Stubborn Dutchman wouldn't listen. I also yelled "drop" and "go right" as I jumped the very unspectacular (maybe 1.5') glorified curb.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

JL, you are your own worst enemy!

One would think that after all these years you would knwo better than to follow Menso. I hope you are okay. MM

 

[NoBalance]

I was riding the area solo once and tried that trail out. Its a tricky trail. Its fun and its fast and then there are a bunch of logs where its easy to go on the LEFT side. I think I know the one you're talking about because when I came up on it I was going to go left again but decided to just stop and check it out. Sure enough, the drop was on the left side this time.

Oh and how did you like the ending of the trail? Kinda stupid eh?

 

[JL de Jong]

Yes, following Menso on a new trail is not a good idea. (OK, call me an idiot). Usually he's so much faster that I lose sight of him in a turn or two, but we had just regrouped prior to log.
Anyway, I'm glad that all I have is a stiff neck, a cracked helmet and another lesson learned. I'm going to practice jumping 6" curbs first - land on both wheels. Then I'll move up to Francis' ramp on his driveway.
- J.L.

P.S. I hope Derek has fully recovered from his broken collar bone. I've seen him riding again.

 

[JL de Jong]

Oh and how did you like the ending of the trail? Kinda stupid eh?

Even without the crash I would have walked that last rocky section to the creek. Menso climbed back up to ride my bike down as well after slipping and sliding his hard tail single speed down it.

- J.L.

 

[SVSocrates]

Your crash sounds identical to the one I took there a couple years ago. I was following someone that had warned me about the log, but he got ahead of me as I saw him hit the log. He hit the left side so smoothly that I concluded that THAT couldn't be the log he had warned me about...oops. I broke my helmet and walked away with a sore neck and shoulders. Could have been much, MUCH worse. Glad to hear you are okay.

Get out there and practice jumping. It will come. I hit that log with no problem these days.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

Someone broke their neck there late summer. And yes, Bustamove shattered his collarbone. That log is really dangerous because it is unlike any of the dozens of logs in there.

Maybe a warning or a down ramp is called for?

I give a big warning speech to all riders every time I go to that log. But I've never been there so it never happened.

fc

 

[Francis Cebedo]

Menso, a Dutch colleague of mine and I were riding some fun trails in Santa Cruz yesterday. We had crossed Empire Grade road into Wilder Ranch State Park, where we took the first single track on the left. I had never ridden that trail before, but felt pretty comfortable following Menso and doing some small jumps. However, all of a sudden Menso is yelling out "go right, big drop here", but it was too late for me. There was a giant log across the trail with the whole area in front of it filled up with dirt, so I didn't see the 2+ feet drop until I was fully committed. That was too much for my very limited jumping skills and I landed at a 45 degree angle on my front wheel, slammed the top of my head onto the dirt and catapulted my bike up side down further down the trail. I rolled over once more until I came to rest face down on the trail. I had to stay there for a few minutes to recollect myself and check for movement in all limbs.
Fortunately, the only damages were a sore neck, a bruise on the knee, a cramp in my calf and a cracked helmet. We rode (Old Cabin, Twin Oaks, Zane Gray, and back to Hwy 9 Rincon parking) on for another three hours after the crash, thanks to that helmet! I'll go buy a new one today. Don't leave home without it!

- J.L.

Impostor!

I rode with the real J.L. some time ago and on a 5 minute downhill, we waited 10 minutes. I was going to call 911 but his son said. "He's fine. Just reallllly cautious...'

What have you done with the real J.L. you alien abductor?

fc

 

[SVSocrates]

Did the person that broke their neck recover? No way to really give a warning on a trail that doesn't exist unless you are with someone. Right side has a ramp, or, so I've heard...

 

[SVSocrates]

Sounds like J.L. is becoming........a mountain biker.