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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Jan 29, 2023 18:59:21 GMT
It was inevitable I suppose.
Started cycling again in Dec 2019 with a 7km ride around the block in the pissing rain. In time this somehow developed into trying to accompany my son in his quest to do more and more downhill and enduro type riding.
Since he bought a double suspension Orbea a few weeks ago we've been a few times to a huge mount in a park quite near to our place which other freaks have converted into an unofficial bike park (not very legal, but the police don't seem to care).
At first we rode there, did a few climbs and descents, then rode home, 17kms each way. But since he's had his new bike we've taken them by car and just saved energy for as many climbs as we can fit in.
Today the inevitable happened. Gaining confidence on a "red" descent run, I momentarily lost control, just as I had to pass between two trees on the entry to a bermed curve.
All I remember is thinking was "shit, I'm gonna hit that tree". Next thing I remeber I am lying on the ground looking up at the sky through the trees. My bike is close and the rear wheel is no longer in it.
My left hand was still on the handlebar when it hit the tree and my first and second finger took the impact. The first bone in the index finger is split diagonally and the finger tip looks like a blood coloured half filled water balloon. I knew I'd broken it, it hurt like fuck, I even said to my boy "if I pass out call an ambulance". I almost vomitted, but didn't.
When I tried to stand up I realised my thigh hurt like fuck too but didn't think much of it, probably just a bruise I thought.
Managed to get back to the car and realised that I couln't press the clutch without big pain but eventually made it to the hospital. Turns out I've torn the muscle in my thigh. How, I have no idea.
3 weeks minimum recovery time, but I was threatened* by the traumatologist that if I don't rest it properly I could be looking at three months till its right again. Bollox. That could seriously eat into track day season.
*when I say threatened, the hospital round our way is predominantly military, and though now open to the public its still staffed by military personnel and it shows!
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Post by elnoodle the reasonable on Jan 29, 2023 19:18:45 GMT
Silly cunt.
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Post by Eddie The Bastard on Jan 29, 2023 20:41:02 GMT
 Ignore him Diego the toe clipper. Will you do it again? It sounds like fun. No shame in nearly chundering. When you injure yourself, your body takes blood away from your stomach resulting in the nausea or something. Its normal. Did the Mrs call you a silly cunt too? Mine would have,
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Post by beefus on Jan 30, 2023 6:19:27 GMT
You're not as young as the man you think you are!...bad luck Clippster, take it easy and let the body heal.
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Jan 30, 2023 6:48:58 GMT
Ignore him Diego the toe clipper . Will you do it again? It sounds like fun. No shame in nearly chundering. When you injure yourself, your body takes blood away from your stomach resulting in the nausea or something. Its normal. Did the Mrs call you a silly cunt too? Mine would have, Ha! I didn't post here for sympathy! I am a silly cunt indeed. I'v already started looking for better protection to buy for when I can get back on the bike. Or maybe what I need is a better bike? If I had a full suspension bike maybe it woudn't have happened? Food for thought... My Mrs had to call off her plans for lunch and the afternoon to come and take over driving the car, take me to A&E, then go and get bandages, crutches etc. She didn't call me a silly cunt exactly, but let's just say I'm not exactly the most popular member of the family right now! |
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Jan 30, 2023 8:57:09 GMT
You're not as young as the man you think you are!...bad luck Clippster, take it easy and let the body heal. Funnily enough I was chatting to a couple of riders at the top of the run (on nice days there can be a queue of riders waiting to start) and I didn't ask their ages but they were considerably older than me, I'd say 55 minimum, on e-bikes too, so they must be weighing around 20kg. You really don't want to be crashing with one of those! And at that age... But I hope to still be riding (non-e) at their age. |
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Post by mekon on Jan 30, 2023 10:54:51 GMT
3 weeks! you'll be lucky!
This is peril of larging it as you get older as I discovered a few years ago when I had my BMX and MTB revival in my 40s. You've sort of still got the skills but you just don't bounce anymore when it goes wrong.
If you have actually torn the muscle it will take a lot longer than 3 weeks at your age. I had all sorts of injuries and tried some under the counter type stuff to speed it up a few times but they still look ages to really mend. My left shoulder took literally 18 months to get back.
It's shit that you can't do what you really want as you age. I'd love to skateboard again as I was actually pretty good at it but it's a harsh mistress when it comes to injuries. Injuries I can no longer be bothered to rehab.
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Jan 30, 2023 13:48:35 GMT
I'm translating from the Spanish written diagnosis here but it says I have a "disconuity in the fibres of the muscle". The traumatologist used different words when she was describing it to me which were more like, "you have broken the muscle fibre". There isn't a different verb in Spanish for tear as opposed to break, it's the same for a window as for a piece of paper, so I'm assuming a English doctor would describe it as a tear.
To be fair, 3 weeks was the period of rest which they insisted I stick to, they didn't say I'd be 100% after that, just that if I didn't do it it could be 3 months (to get to what point wasn't clear).
I had a look at the data from my watch this morning. According to GPS I decelerated from 28.3km/h to 0 in 2 seconds when I hit the tree.
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Post by mekon on Jan 30, 2023 18:56:54 GMT
You need Dr Costa. We will prescribe you some dodgy drugs, sew your fingers together and deliver a monologue about the power of angels or something.
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Post by bella on Jan 31, 2023 10:50:55 GMT
You need Dr Costa. We will prescribe you some dodgy drugs, sew your fingers together and deliver a monologue about the power of angels or something. I have some old meccano in the loft, we'll clap some of of that on his hand and tighten a screw every day for a few months, just so he cannot feel his hand on the bars when he rides again. Sorted. |
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Jan 31, 2023 12:07:34 GMT
You need Dr Costa. We will prescribe you some dodgy drugs, sew your fingers together and deliver a monologue about the power of angels or something. I have some old meccano in the loft, we'll clap some of of that on his hand and tighten a screw every day for a few months, just so he cannot feel his hand on the bars when he rides again. Sorted. That's pretty much what they did at the hospital anyway...  Pretty disappointed that there's no tactile pad on the tip for mobile phone use... I thought medicine was at the forefront of technology. |
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Post by mekon on Jan 31, 2023 12:19:46 GMT
Steve Austin levels of intervention there. The €6 Man.
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Post by philthewindsurfer on Jan 31, 2023 17:28:51 GMT
Ignore him Diego the toe clipper . Will you do it again? It sounds like fun. No shame in nearly chundering. When you injure yourself, your body takes blood away from your stomach resulting in the nausea or something. Its normal. Did the Mrs call you a silly cunt too? Mine would have, Ha! I didn't post here for sympathy! I am a silly cunt indeed. I'v already started looking for better protection to buy for when I can get back on the bike. Or maybe what I need is a better bike? If I had a full suspension bike maybe it woudn't have happened? Food for thought... My Mrs had to call off her plans for lunch and the afternoon to come and take over driving the car, take me to A&E, then go and get bandages, crutches etc. She didn't call me a silly cunt exactly, but let's just say I'm not exactly the most popular member of the family right now! I'd be looking for tracks without trees in the way. Hope it heals up soon. |
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Jan 31, 2023 21:51:05 GMT
Trees kind of go with the territory if you know what I mean..
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Post by Diego the toe clipper on Mar 13, 2023 15:05:57 GMT
Got back on the mountain bike about week ago. started with short rides on tarmac surfaces then got up to a bit of gravel / night time 25kms stuff. All OK with the leg and only mild grief from the broken finger.
So yesterday I thought I'd have a ride on the GSXR. Only did about 30 kms and my finger hurt from the clutch after about 15 kms. The swelling is still too much for the glove it seems. And this morning I had a pain in my leg where the muscle was torn.
Glad I hadn't reserved any track days as it would have been a waste of money... how the hell do GP riders get back on the day after? It's been 6 bloody weeks and I'm still whining!
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