Rider down

AZjeff

$50 Site Donor 2023
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
8,622
Location
in Az where the Deer and Antelope play
Got a text this AM from a friend back in Pa that my best pal went down hard riding mountain bikes last night. He's 60, been riding a long time and still likes to go hard when he can. Lawn darted off a water bar going downhill, busted up a collarbone, broke 2 ribs and a partially collapsed lung. Been texting with his high school sweetheart all day, he's just come back from recovery room after getting the collarbone plated. I know he has no regrets, we've always said better to be healthy and have to have a repair once in a while that sit on the couch and get old. I still ride trails but have dialed it back from the edge, healing up just takes too long now. Now he has to get good enough quick to get the heck out of that hospital where sick people are.

Can't wait to tell him while he was under the knife I was riding some awesome new trails, what are friends for?
lol.gif
 
Glad to hear your friend will be ok. I agree that it's worth accepting some risk to enjoy life, especially when it comes to staying fit or at least moving. It's all about balance.
 
You live once, taking risks in life is what we all do to feel alive. I've got my share of injuries.
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted by IMSA_Racing_Fan
I just bought a bike after a 18 year layoff. This thread is my wake-up call. Hope your friend fully recovers.


Just start out easy, don't over extend physically or what you try to ride. There are few things an old guy can do to feel like a kid again for a bit, take your mind off things and be in the moment like riding a bike.

The thing about riding bikes in the woods is you're perfectly in control until you're not. It happens.
 
I'm 48 and bee riding for 30years. My 14 yo can beat me both up and down the trails this year. Oh well.
 
gave up dirt bikes years ago after a rather mild crash or should I say minor injuries..figured why push my luck...hope all is ok with your friend
 
I'm waiting on a delivery of a 1st gen Kawasaki Concours so if I end up in the woods it'll be an unplanned excursion.🙂
Picked that over a more modern sport bike (looked at several) because
a. I've pushed such bikes hard over many thousands of miles so I have that steer by the horns technique down.
b. I'm too old for the monkey + football fornication riding posture. lol
 
Last edited:
Love mountain biking. Not worth getting hurt over - exercise time in the woods is great, but I feel like there is often a bias towards making trails harder. Glad your friend is OK!
 
Lots of ways to get exercise to keep your self young, fit and healthy. Some are risky, others not so much. Mountain biking is just one of those ways.
 
So did you text his HS sweetheart all day or did he text his HS sweetheart all day? Was he or the sweetheart married? This sounds kind of like a messy affair.
 
Originally Posted by IMSA_Racing_Fan
I'm waiting on a delivery of a 1st gen Kawasaki Concours so if I end up in the woods it'll be an unplanned excursion.🙂
Picked that over a more modern sport bike (looked at several) because
a. I've pushed such bikes hard over many thousands of miles so I have that steer by the horns technique down.
b. I'm too old for the monkey + football fornication riding posture. lol


I knew a guy who owned and rode a CBR 929 and CBR 954, into his 80's.
 
Originally Posted by PandaBear
So did you text his HS sweetheart all day or did he text his HS sweetheart all day? Was he or the sweetheart married? This sounds kind of like a messy affair.

Yeah, someone always has to twist things up. He married his high school sweetheart, who really is a sweetheart, I reached out after I got the text from another old friend and she kept me updated through out the day.

Update as of this morning: X rays of the plate and lung looked good so the chest tube was removed. They're going to keep him overnight to monitor his chest and he'll go home tomorrow if all is well. I talked to him briefly this morning, he's a hurting puppy. I asked if this was a slam the ground with no warning crash or a drawn out oh - $#!7 crash, it was a mis-calculated launch from a small roller that led to a front wheel wheelie then over the bars and down. He knew it was bad, no attempt to jump up and give the classic "I'm good" line.

After the collarbone is healed the plate will have to come out so his summer is pretty well shot but he'll get back riding when it's time and if the times allow he'll be in Arizona in the fall riding my trails.
 
Originally Posted by AZjeff
Yeah, someone always has to twist things up. He married his high school sweetheart, who really is a sweetheart, I reached out after I got the text from another old friend and she kept me updated through out the day.

Update as of this morning: X rays of the plate and lung looked good so the chest tube was removed. They're going to keep him overnight to monitor his chest and he'll go home tomorrow if all is well. I talked to him briefly this morning, he's a hurting puppy. I asked if this was a slam the ground with no warning crash or a drawn out oh - $#!7 crash, it was a mis-calculated launch from a small roller that led to a front wheel wheelie then over the bars and down. He knew it was bad, no attempt to jump up and give the classic "I'm good" line.

After the collarbone is healed the plate will have to come out so his summer is pretty well shot but he'll get back riding when it's time and if the times allow he'll be in Arizona in the fall riding my trails.


Good to hear he is doing better. It's just unusual to say text his HS sweetheart all day when it is 1) his wife and 2) didn't mention who is texting his HS sweetheart. It sounded like a "wait what?" drama in the making.
 
Back
Top