Went to Diablo today. Had a funny feeling about being there, just like I did 2 years ago when I broke my back. Any way, made one run and started to feel more comfortable. Go for my second run, get to the bottom of Alpine where the trail ends on the straight "service road" section and BAM! I go over the bars as if someone jammed a stick in my front wheel. I still can't figure out what happened.
I landed on my right shoulder(on rocks), then my head(helmet) slammed into some more well placed rocks, my body "crunched" and I ended up on my back with a hard thud.
Initial inventory check revealed that there was no major physical damage, I could see straight with no woozy feeling, just a bunch of pain. When I sat up to wait for the real pain to begin I checked my helmet which popped off my head on impact because I had the strap loose enough to remove the helmet with out undoing the strap. All I can say is, if I had a x-country helmet on, I wold probably need facial recronstructive surgery. My face has some bruising and scrapes on the side and under my eye. If I had no helmet, I would be dead. The rear, top of my head has a huge lump and a good size abrasion (BIG headache). Thank you Specialized for such great full face lid. A lid that is trashed. The inner hard styrofoam almost came completely out of the outter shell, which has half the paint it came with.
My right shoulder has bad scrapes and some swelling, but did not pop out(I have a problem with both shoulders dislodging on impacts). The scrapes are from chafing under the pads.
Here's the best part. I slammed my back very hard. Aside from a slight soreness from my body folding farther than it meant to, there was no damage to my back and tail bone. Thank you, thank you so much 661.
Oh yeah, my ribs are bruised from the way that I rolled. X-rays and CAT scans revealed no abnormalities in my chest, ribs and head.
I can't say enough about the importance of wearing good quality, properly fitted protective gear. The armor only cost $100 at GreenFish. The shin/knee gaurds were around $50. When I broke my back I wasn't wearing any protection but a full face helmet. That ordeal cost $47,000 and 3 months out of work.
Sorry for the ramble, (Vicodin is a hell of a drug) but I haven't been here in a while an I wated to let everyone who doesn't wear the protective gear know that it really does work. If it cost 5 times the money, it would still be worth it. Ride safe guys and girls. None of us like to hear the horror stories. I consider myself lucky that I am ok, and fortunate that I was smart enough to learn from my previous mistake.
I landed on my right shoulder(on rocks), then my head(helmet) slammed into some more well placed rocks, my body "crunched" and I ended up on my back with a hard thud.
Initial inventory check revealed that there was no major physical damage, I could see straight with no woozy feeling, just a bunch of pain. When I sat up to wait for the real pain to begin I checked my helmet which popped off my head on impact because I had the strap loose enough to remove the helmet with out undoing the strap. All I can say is, if I had a x-country helmet on, I wold probably need facial recronstructive surgery. My face has some bruising and scrapes on the side and under my eye. If I had no helmet, I would be dead. The rear, top of my head has a huge lump and a good size abrasion (BIG headache). Thank you Specialized for such great full face lid. A lid that is trashed. The inner hard styrofoam almost came completely out of the outter shell, which has half the paint it came with.
My right shoulder has bad scrapes and some swelling, but did not pop out(I have a problem with both shoulders dislodging on impacts). The scrapes are from chafing under the pads.
Here's the best part. I slammed my back very hard. Aside from a slight soreness from my body folding farther than it meant to, there was no damage to my back and tail bone. Thank you, thank you so much 661.
Oh yeah, my ribs are bruised from the way that I rolled. X-rays and CAT scans revealed no abnormalities in my chest, ribs and head.
I can't say enough about the importance of wearing good quality, properly fitted protective gear. The armor only cost $100 at GreenFish. The shin/knee gaurds were around $50. When I broke my back I wasn't wearing any protection but a full face helmet. That ordeal cost $47,000 and 3 months out of work.
Sorry for the ramble, (Vicodin is a hell of a drug) but I haven't been here in a while an I wated to let everyone who doesn't wear the protective gear know that it really does work. If it cost 5 times the money, it would still be worth it. Ride safe guys and girls. None of us like to hear the horror stories. I consider myself lucky that I am ok, and fortunate that I was smart enough to learn from my previous mistake.
