[Ceezer]

Remember me?

I haven't ridden since that day. It's not because I was necessarilly scared.... At first I was injured. Even though I was told there was nothing wrong with my left wrist internally, it was 3 weeks before I could hold a coffee cup and even today it is still a little sore (3 months later). But while I was recovering I got kinda lazy (partly due to the humidity/heat setting in) and it gave me too much time to think about what happened, which is when I started to become worried. It's not that I'm scared to get hurt because I'm not, I get injured nearly daily just from living. I'm clumsy at life. What scares me is the thought that I ride a low-use trail in a remote area and I can't help but wonder, 'What if this happens there?". I'm worried that the next time I'm laying there, passed out, bleeding profusely from the head, I won't have a buddy to wake me up and help me back to the car; this time I'll lay there for hours before the next guy comes along, if not days. Or even if I regain conciousness, I will have lost short-term memory (as I did that time) and freak out and wander off even further from civilization, disoriented.

I'm not a paranoid guy by nature, and think this is a legitimate concern.

However, I got the bike fixed a month ago and have been yearning to ride it. I've since found out that there is a public trail in town that circles the park and is flat, but it's in an area that someone might notice a guy in a ditch. I'm going to go look for it this weekend and check it out. Maybe riding it a few times will help build my confidence back up to the point where I'll forget all about the potential dangers of riding alone on a 11 mile trail in the middle of nowhere.

 

[29Colossus]

I remember you. Right onto the trail feeling frisky and SMACKER! Lights out.

Just get back on the bike, and ride around a bit. Take it slow. You say that you are clumsy at life. I would say that what happened to you was a fluke, but only you can judge that in relation to how clumsy you are.

I am glad to see you back here. I have thought about you on several occasions while deep in the mountains by myself, but there is no way I would let go of what I do. If I die out there in pain and misery, it will still be an instant of my life. If I knock myself out and don't wake up, so be it. I don't think you can worry about that stuff much. People fall in the shower and die alone everyday ya know what I mean?

Anyway, glad to see ya back. Go ride that trail.

 

[MSU_Grad_121]

Hey there, I'm glad you decided to drop by again. I can understand the aversion to being out there alone considering what happened the last time. If you're still itchin to ride, start with the road or some paved trails. Most of these are pretty close to civilization (although depending on where you ride, FAR more dangerous than on the trail - Detroit, for example), and should allow you to flag someone down if you have a problem.

I'd say get a riding buddy for the trails. I know not everyone can go all the time, but you can at least minimize your concerns by having someone out there with you (preferably someone with medical training). Also, tell EVERYONE where you're going exactly, what time you expect to hit the trail, and approximately what time you plan to be back. Get a cell phone and carry it with you in case something happens out there. You can't plan for every eventuality, but you can make the best preparations you can before something happens. I mean, heck, you drive, right? Statistically, you're FAR more likely to have a problem on the road than on the trail. Of course, now that I've said that, the next time I'm riding some bunny-hill trail, a friggin land shark or something is gonna attack me.

Anyway, don't push yourself too fast, make sure you are as prepared as you can possibly be, and only ride where and when you feel comfortable. Even if you go to the dark side and become a dyed-in-the-wool roadie, you're still ridin, right?

Good luck and keep us posted!

Ross