[Rev Bubba]

Why is crashing so much fun? I was riding last night when I should have just stayed home. It had rained and the rocks were, well, slick.

Ever have one of those rides when you knew something was going to go wrong?

Heading down a rocky drop, already aware that I did not have the correct tires for the conditions (Python Air Lights do not make a good mud and wet condition tire but we all know that already) my front tire washed out.

Washed out and deflected directly into a large boulder. Stopped me dead! I rotated around the front hub, left the bike in a well defined "Superman" position, hit the rocks and cursed loudly. Very loudly. Very, very loudly and often.

End result. Bike was fine.

Me, not so fine. Gonna' make one of those Canadian injury surveys if I keep this up.

The carnage. One sprained wrist, bruised shoulder, bloody thigh and knee and stiff neck all on the left side and (can't figure out how this happened) one very bloody back of the right ankle.

Got up and rode for another 3/4 hour without further incident.

Back at the car another rider rode up and took a look at me. I never bother to clean off after a fall. Guess its like a baseball player who refuses to brush himself off after slidding into second.

He says "Slick today?"

"Yup" I answer.

Today I'm looking back and thinking how much better crashing in the rocks is than watching television. Hmmmmm. We are a sick bunch. I get to compare injuries with a woman I took riding in Jim Thorpe last weekend. That's a whole other story and I may even write about it soon. Or, maybe not. Over five hours in the woods with two women.

Wife's last words as I left for work this morning were, "You're not going to ride today are
you?"

"Sure" I answered. "Just don't plan to fall."

Peace
REV

 

[cbchess]

good one Rev - thank for the passion hit

 

[otis24]

Weired huh? How is Jim Thorpe I've heard it's some of the best riding on the east coast. I have some friends I visit from time to time who live west of Stoudsburg.

 

[max-a-mill]

riding (if you still can) after an injury is a good way too loosen up the stiff joints...

i completely understand! good story.

 

[Rev Bubba]

I like Jim Thorpe very much.

It's large enough to actually get lost in which is a nice change from the parks I normally ride. Also, if you ride long enough you will find a constant change from technical to just good relaxing fire road. On top of that, if you just want to cruise, there is a 25 + mile rail trail along the Lehigh River. Nothing challenging but fun to do at least once.

Lots of rocks and slippery climbs and drops to hurt you.

Pretty funky old part of town too. I think it is where old hippies go to die. Purple Victorians mixed with head shops, coffee houses, ocult stores, antiques and the Inn at Jim Thope which is a killer, if somewhat expensive, place to stay.

 

[wg]

Fun? I dunno about that but it does remind us that we're alive and not staring at the TV. My wife looked at my last set of wounds as I groaned around the house and said "I have some symapthy for the injury but not much. Its something you decided to get yourself into"
In other words, its my own damn fault. And I'll go back to do it again and again and again....

Thanks for the passion hit.

Werner

 

[Stupendous Man]

Bodies heal, bikes need repaired.

The moral - save the bike, sacrifice the body!

 

[Rev Bubba]

Another way of putting it is......

I have health insurance, the bike doesn't.

 

[*rt*]

ouch!

python air lites = THE WORST tire for wet conditions!!

sounds like it was a fun ride despite the landing.

rt

 

[Rev Bubba]

I did ride again last night

Same conditions, wet and slippery, but a lot more stable on 2.3 inch knobbies this time. No falls. I was careful.

 

[®andyA]

Awesome passion hit Rev.

Over five hours in the woods with two women.

I'd make a comment, but I won't go there ... Pimp Master

Guess its like a baseball player who refuses to brush himself off after slidding into second.

Actually, I'm more the baseball player who refuses to brush himself off after a brush back pitch. But that's more a message to the pitcher than anything else...