Crash landing

Date: 28^th Mar 2010
Riders: Mark2, Dave and a very nice South African
Location: Milton Gore jumps, Summer Lightning, Beggars Canyon

With a new SLX double crank, shifters and overhaul of my cables and test ride was required. Short on time and weather closing in, a dash up the hill to Milton Gore jumps to where after a small adjustment to my front derailleur my bike was shifting sweet as a nut.

Dave arrived 5 minutes later where upon we spent a good while discussing jumping form and what we were going to try today while waiting for the newest arrival to the group, Stefan, a very nice South African. A few easy warm up jumps to get the adrenalin going and we stepped up the pace, goading each other on until we were hitting jumps left right and center, stuff we wouldn’t of considered last week. Incrementally increasing the speed on each of the jumps, we were flying.

Buzzing like kids, Stefan turned up and took a few shots at some Jumps. As Dave and I pushed the boundaries and started to link up some jumps, this is where things went wrong.

Too much speed I hit a small kicker with a steep run out with the idea of linking in the short but long double at the bottom. My right foot slipped as I landed the kicker but I was too committed to bail and even though I had my feet all squared up on the bike I was not straight and going way too fast I launched off the up ramp at an angle and the bike rotated around that angle. Nose down and going sideways at about warp factor 9, the bike hit the ground 2 foot past the down ramp and I hit the ground 3 foot past the bike. My bag was torn from my shoulders and my head hit the ground hard as slid into the up ramp of another jump where upon I stopped followed shortly (1 second) by the bike hitting me. My veggie shin pads have a hole in them, better then my shins. My hip, right upper arm and back have general scrapes and I walk at a funny angle now but I lived.

Not only did I live, but like those crazy kids in the New World Disorder films I tied my pack back on to my back, bent my derailleur back into place, pushed my bike to the top and did the same jump again but without the crashing bit... Boo-Ya!!!

Then off to summer lighting, despite the rain wasn’t too wet and a very fast ride down Beggars Canyon with some nice air time at the death stars exit before the rain.

Lessons learnt

1. Protection gear when jumping is a must (back packs can be considered protection)

2. Don’t do what Dave does do! dig it?

Later

Mark2