[harky]

Hustling back on one of my many XC runs. Feeling good. So I take a detour thru a bmx area and hit one of their jumps. Up ramp...big air...down ramp. (Got the picture?)
...only I had NO IDEAof the proper speed and wound up overshooting big time...landed hard on the front wheel, endo'd big time and lauched!

Wound up with shattered hip, broken back and separated shoulder. A 911 call to be sure!

That was almost 4 mos ago and I'm just now able to throw my leg over the bike for a ride around the neighborhood. I will ride again! My wife thinks I'm nuts (I am!) It's a passion! You guys understand that. I have never had more fun doing anything else in my life, and I've done alot, than riding mtb!!!

I'm 57 and I figure if I stay away from the BMX track, and anything else involving big air, I should be able to have fun for another 10yrs or so. (Touch wood!)

 

[FuRosHeckLer]

I feel your pain!

Harky,

Same happened to me just about. I'm starting to feel older but probably still younger than you, no offense LOL. Anyway it was December 16, 2006 almost before Christmas. I was riding Sycamore Canyon in San Diego and after the entire ride (about 4 minutes to get to car) I decided to hit the BMX jumps. I tell my friend to hold on there's a section I want to check out. Famous last words...

I get more than enough speed and launch okay then my back tire hits the jump and just literally spits me upwards with handlebars facing down. All I could do is absorb the impact. All my weight came down on my left shoulder (ouch!).

Broke my collarbone, 2 ribs, and right middle finger. The worst part about it was the stupid little jump looked harmless. So ruined my Christmas and just now started riding again for the last 3 weeks. I feel good not 100% but wen to the Dr's on Monday and my bones are still broken good. He said the X-rays will be the last thing I see to be fixed but after doing test he says I'm responding/healing well and just play it by how I feel.

I love MTB riding though especially with my new Santa Cruz Heckler... Good luck!

 

[thebigred67]

Oh man the transitions on BMX jumps do that to MTBs. Allot of the times I have hit BMX jumps on a MTB I have ended up riding my front wheel! You have to pull up really hard to avoid that. Or lean back which is a hard thing to do.

 

[Arbuz]

What did the little voice in your mind said before you guys hit the jumps?

 

[Dwight Moody]

What did the little voice in your mind said before you guys hit the jumps?

I'm going to guess it was curiously mute. Or screaming it's little head off and being completely ignored.

 

[thebigred67]

Mine says, "Your too damn old for this sh!t!"

 

[JimC.]

you simmply need more

padding, like this old pic of me at 56. I just bounce, dust myself off, and best of all, no hassles on the home front. Well, unless I need a new bike

 

[charliemeehan]

Yeah Harky!!! I'm showing your story to my wife. She needs help understanding why we get beat to hell on our bikes, and then go back on trails into the woods as soon as we loosen up enough to pedal!!!!! I separated my shoulder chasing my 18 year old son down a steep trail. I'm 53, he's 18 and fearless. 18 and 53 are a tough speed mix! As soon as I recovered I went on a night ride. It gets worse!! I forgot to charge my battery completely and it went out on me. You can still ride fast if you stay close to the guy in front of you huh? Concussion time. It's been a couple of weeks and I still have bees in my brain. Xrays, CAT scan, and MRI show (I have good Insurance) that my C4 and C5 vertabrae have fused from all the end o's and wife beatings.No brain bleeding though. The Doc says to quit riding. How???