Herzalot

herzalot said:
I've bruised my ribs on at least three occasions, including that awful fall I had in Whistler when you were there. You observed me suffer trying to sleep sitting up, and trying to function as we flew home (a journey filled with awful for you). I paid for an x-ray at the Whistler clinic - not broken. Yet for some reason, my ribs are not really bothering me this time. The crash I had 6 weeks ago hurt worse (in terms of ribs) than this one - but there's the evidence. And I am told there are two more broken - not in picture. I am sleeping fine and functioning well. Bizarre. Keep waiting for the rib pain to kick in.
;)
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I can't tell how to look at those things but any chance the ribs are broken in the back vs front? If so, they seem to hurt a lot less for some reason in my experience. I fractured (4) back ribs only (8) days before a trip to Fruita in 2013 and still went and was able to ride at about 80%. Compare that to just bruised front ribs on more than one occasion and it hurt to breathe, cough, sneeze or get in or out of bed. Terrible for a side sleeper!!
 
mtbMike said:
I can't tell how to look at those things but any chance the ribs are broken in the back vs front? If so, they seem to hurt a lot less for some reason in my experience. I fractured (4) back ribs only (8) days before a trip to Fruita in 2013 and still went and was able to ride at about 80%. Compare that to just bruised front ribs on more than one occasion and it hurt to breathe, cough, sneeze or get in or out of bed. Terrible for a side sleeper!!
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Must be the difference. Like I said, there is not much of the usual rib pain, yet there they are in black and white. All of my other rib bruise experiences must have been front, cus this ain't nothin compared to the others I've had. :thumbsup:
 
CBone said:
Bump.
How are you feeling Herz? Give us an update.
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Why thanks for asking. I just got done working on my bike. Therapeutic! :thumbsup:

It's been three weeks and I'm doing great. Getting mobility back in my arm and shoulder, but not testing it in any way since I haven't started PT yet. The c-bone repair job hurts in a superficial way. Like constantly being stapled in the neck. Irritating, but not debilitating. I am hoping that will clear up. No other problems. The ribs are a non issue for the most part. Still not sure where the scapula break is or how it impacts my recovery. I start PT next week. I'm already waaaaaay ahead of where I was when I dislocated my other shoulder 6 years ago. :cool:

Thanks again!
 
herzalot said:
Why thanks for asking. I just got done working on my bike. Therapeutic! :thumbsup:

It's been three weeks and I'm doing great. Getting mobility back in my arm and shoulder, but not testing it in any way since I haven't started PT yet. The c-bone repair job hurts in a superficial way. Like constantly being stapled in the neck. Irritating, but not debilitating. I am hoping that will clear up. No other problems. The ribs are a non issue for the most part. Still not sure where the scapula break is or how it impacts my recovery. I start PT next week. I'm already waaaaaay ahead of where I was when I dislocated my other shoulder 6 years ago. :cool:

Thanks again!
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Sounds like things are progressing nicely. Great news! Sorry if you posted this before, but what's your ETA for being back on the bike? That questions popped into my head when DDD posted about the Cheese social ride
 
buggravy said:
Sounds like things are progressing nicely. Great news! Sorry if you posted this before, but what's your ETA for being back on the bike? That questions popped into my head when DDD posted about the Cheese social ride
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Conservatively - 4th of July. Thanks for thinking of me, but don't wait on my account. Who knows where my head will be at even if my body is cooperative.
 
herzalot said:
Why thanks for asking. I just got done working on my bike. Therapeutic! :thumbsup:

It's been three weeks and I'm doing great. Getting mobility back in my arm and shoulder, but not testing it in any way since I haven't started PT yet. The c-bone repair job hurts in a superficial way. Like constantly being stapled in the neck. Irritating, but not debilitating. I am hoping that will clear up. No other problems. The ribs are a non issue for the most part. Still not sure where the scapula break is or how it impacts my recovery. I start PT next week. I'm already waaaaaay ahead of where I was when I dislocated my other shoulder 6 years ago. :cool:

Thanks again!
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Cool. Thanks for the good news update.
 
Returned to the scene of the crime today to see if I could figure out what happened. As I suspected, I exited the rock garden with a lot of speed, slightly right of where I normally ride. In the shade, you can zoom in to see a nasty little vertical wall that I must have hit, which kicked my bike left and dropped me on my right shoulder. I contend that such terrain is par for the course and shouldn't have resulted in any crash at all. The 1000 times I've ridden that trail prior, surely I have been over there and not been influenced by the terrain one bit. Grrrrr.... :mad:

Rock It Run Out.JPG


Close up:

Rock It Hidden Ledge 2.jpg
 
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herzalot said:
Returned to the scene of the crime today to see if I could figure out what happened. As I suspected, I exited the rock garden with a lot of speed, slightly right of where I normally ride. In the shade, you can zoom in to see a nasty little vertical wall that I must have hit, which kicked my bike left and dropped me on my right shoulder. I contend that such terrain is par for the course and shouldn't have resulted in any crash at all. The 1000 times I've ridden that trail prior, surely I have been over there and not been influenced by the terrain one bit. Grrrrr.... :mad:

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Close up:

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Thanks for posting this. It's an interesting mental exercise going back and doing forensics. I can see how that spot could lull you into a careless error and then bite you hard.
 
This photo is a little misleading because that end of the rock garden is actually a step down that is bigger than it looks. I could see how you could drop down and not see that shadowed section on the side of the trail - all the time looking forward down the trail and not seeing what is about to bite you on the flank.
 
bvader said:
MTB version of the"Cosmic Shooting Gallery"... or as I like to say life is a series of statistical events dice just came up wrong that day.

Might have just knock that front tire out wide enough then instead of grabbing it went out.
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Yeah - actually, I think it was the back. The derailleur is scratched, the d hanger was bent and there is a scuff on the right side of the rear rim. Although, maybe that's just the result and both wheels went out.
 
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SnakeCharmer said:
So, the terrain is to blame for all of this?

Bad terrain! How dare you! You go directly to your room and don't come out until we say you can. And no rain for you for 2 months!!!
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Oh shaddddup. Would you prefer I blame the tires? The carbon wheels? The bike? I am not "blaming" anything or anyone but myself, but I am trying to understand what happened. I made a mistake, but what was the nature of the mistake? A person doesn't just fall.

Always the instigator.
 
It interesting when you look at the line there it looks more lined up to that ledge then I seem to remember in real time. Perhaps you're carrying more speed than usual meaning you came off at farther or longer which directed your encounter with that ledge..

Oh and thanks I will be thinking about that spot again on my next run... I certainly was the first time after reading about your dismount ;)
 
herzalot said:
Returned to the scene of the crime today to see if I could figure out what happened. As I suspected, I exited the rock garden with a lot of speed, slightly right of where I normally ride. In the shade, you can zoom in to see a nasty little vertical wall that I must have hit, which kicked my bike left and dropped me on my right shoulder. I contend that such terrain is par for the course and shouldn't have resulted in any crash at all. The 1000 times I've ridden that trail prior, surely I have been over there and not been influenced by the terrain one bit. Grrrrr.... :mad:

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Close up:

View attachment 65893
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TFPU. Seems like a plausible assessment of cause.


"...such terrain is par for the course and shouldn't have resulted in any crash at all."

This I don't agree with. Depending on several factors, an inline rut like that could kick a bike out from under a competent rider. Especially hidden the shadow as it is. If you hit a softball-sized rock just right it could do the same thing.

Complacency may not be the cause you're looking for, but I'm suggesting it was largely responsible. It happens in every sport – so dialed and competent on the regular circuit that thinking and caution are nearly absent. The examples of this are too many to ignore. It kills athletes. I've been badly hurt by it, and have had a few other close calls. I don't mean it as an indictment; it's human nature.
 
As I hit that last part of the rock garden, I concentrate on staying straight and balanced. Solid grip but not tight, elbows out, chest down, eyes up. I know that at that speed any bike malfunction could be really serious. Not go-over-the-cliff-on-Strawberry serious, but hard impact serious. I think @mike and @BonsaiNut are right, got past the section, looking ahead for next move and "BAM."

Fun with Annotation. Black line - path of travel. Brown line - little ledge, yellow arrow - unseen vertical ridge

Rock It Run Out.JPG
 
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In all honesty lately when I am riding with a little more style than speed I like to hit / un-weight on that last ledge and clear it back to center trail.... There is another medium multi-ledge a little further down I try to do the same but it is lead / land ready for the righty
 
herzalot said:
As I hit that last part of the rock garden, I concentrate on staying straight and balanced. Solid grip but not tight, elbows out, chest down, eyes up. I know that at that speed any bike malfunction could be really serious. Not go-over-the-cliff-on-Strawberry serious, but hard impact serious. I think @mike and @BonsaiNut are right, got past the section, looking ahead for next move and "BAM."

Fun with Annotation. Black line - path of travel. Brown line - little ledge, yellow arrow - unseen vertical ridge

View attachment 65894
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Herz, in all seriousness, I have to ask why that line (black arrow) shoots you directly into that left bank? That line (channel) was built for speed. It's like a suicide run.
 
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