Thursday, August 6, 2009

Falls, Spills, and More Stuff

I'd say for the past four years I've managed to mountain bike loads without any significant crashes. Some might say that I'm just not pushing it hard enough, but I really love living to mountain bike another day. For instance, I don't need cuts, gashes, and bruises to have a good ride. A good ride to me is not crashing and then being able to get up tomorrow and do it again.

The Fine Line Between Mud and Clean

Yet, the mountain bike gods can not shine on you everyday. Here are some things that I learned about crashing my mountain bike and blowing out tires recently:
  • A good fall involves bruising at least three limbs and preferably your ribs. So let's see... both knees- check, an elbow- check, a shoulder- check, and my rib cage- check, check.
  • During and following a good fall off your mountain bike you have no idea how it happened, how you got there, or how your bike ended up looking that way.
  • Bruising your ribs hurts when you are going down stairs, when you're breathing, and when you are trying to scooter, and sometimes when you laugh. This is really cramping my style.
  • Blowing out a tire while driving 65 mph on the highway may be the most terrifying thing ever. It's even better when you discover that your spare tire is also flat and rusted on to your car. Cool.

2 comments:

Red Bike said...

I've never hurt my ribs. It's always my knees and my wrists.

I dreading that first BIG fall. I will no doubt be on my own and miles from anywhere.

Betty Mountain Girl said...

This rib bruising, was a first for me too. Generally I hurt my knees, sometimes elbows, and luckily not my wrists too often. I basically went slightly over the handlebars and too the left, but my body got caught on my handlebars, which I am pretty thankful for to tell you the truth. It was in front of a huge audience too. I'm not sure what is worse- by yourself and far away or in front of like everyone you know, over a nothing obstacle :)