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divingbiker
05-20-2007, 08:34 AM
I didn't believe it would happen to me, but it did. This morning my neighbor and I went to Rosaryville State Park for a mountain bike ride. Just three-tenths of a mile in, right before a stream crossing, I apparently hit a root the wrong way and endo'ed, landing on my face.

Luckily, the damage isn't great, but my back, shoulder, face, jaw, and throat are pretty sore. If you're going to crash, it's nice to have a riding partner who's a doctor; she doesn't think the damage is bad enough to require an ER visit, and I'm just going to take it easy and read the Sunday paper for the rest of the day.

Guess I'll be sending my helmet to Running Mommy.

Here's my lovely swollen lip.

3309

Apparently I landed on my shoulder, too.

3310

The cracks on the right are in the front of the helmet. I think the visor kept me from breaking my nose.

3311

silver
05-20-2007, 08:37 AM
Sooo sorry!! Take care and rest up! Sounds like an excellent riding partner!

oldbikah
05-20-2007, 08:54 AM
I was riding into a seasonally closed rest area near where I live, one where the wire which holds warning signs has been sagging on the ground and where I have been riding over the wire where it is on the ground. You know what's coming---yup, I wasn't paying attention to my turning radius and hit the wire where it was about 10 inches off the ground---instant endo, cracked helmet, road rash on knees and head, and stiff neck, but otherwise OK. The price of stupidity and lack of attention!

I did something similar on skis this spring -- caught a barrier rope, near the bottom of the chair lift, at boot top level and ejected from both skis in a flash. (but that time it was in front of 100 people!) My friends said it's time for an eye exam!!! or a short term memory loss test!

pooks
05-20-2007, 09:23 AM
Ouch, ouch and OUCH!

I'm glad your friend is a doc. Take it easy!

Zen
05-20-2007, 09:42 AM
DIVINGBIKER, I have a rr scar in the exact same place on my shoulder from trying to hug the white line(slipped off the shoulder) on my Raleigh Record...eons ago.

Glad to see you're well enough to post though, and BLESS THAT HELMET!

when you get tired of telling how it really happened, tell them you were in a bar fight :eek:

Velobambina
05-20-2007, 11:58 AM
Take care of yourself and speedy healing.

I agree---tell them you were in a bar fight, but w/a hooker!! LOL

Duck on Wheels
05-20-2007, 01:17 PM
ouch! :mad:
Hope you heal up real fast!

Darby361
05-20-2007, 01:53 PM
Yikes! heal quickly!

Kalidurga
05-20-2007, 02:05 PM
Oh my gosh, Janice, I hope you're ok! I'm so glad that your helmet helped to prevent it from being worse. If you haven't already, make sure you take plenty of ibuprofen and a hot bath to keep your back, shoulder and neck from stiffening up.

I'm wishing now that I had gotten your number last weekend. Let us know how you're feeling tomorrow!

Tam

KnottedYet
05-20-2007, 02:17 PM
Ooooh, ouch! Take it easy, lots of rest and fluids, do some online shopping for a new helmet?

How are your teeth in your lower jaw? Did they go thru your lip? (it looks suitably dramatic, I like the barfight idea!)

cosc
05-20-2007, 03:38 PM
Ohh, that looks mighty sore. Must make it hard to eat too.:mad: Sure hope you heal up fast.

7rider
05-20-2007, 03:54 PM
Ouchie, Janice!
A faceplant!!!
Niiiiiice.

You poor thing. Rest up. Ice lots. Heal well.
And keep an eye on your lower teeth.
Keeps us posted on your healing.
Hope you feel better soon.

CyclaSutra
05-20-2007, 06:10 PM
Oh, DivingBiker, I'm so sorry you crashed.

With every endo, the pain is so bad right away and you knock your breath out of your body and you think this is so bad and then your confidence is shot, and if you have to keep riding (in the middle of a long ride) it's just agony.

But I find that if I hit the dirt REALLY HARD about once a season, it makes me more cautious, more alert, and ultimately a better mountain biker. I'm sure you've heard the saying "If you don't fall, then you're not riding hard enough." Yeah, but when you get to a certain age, falling is no longer the objective. :rolleyes:

Out of three really bad endos I can remember, two happened after I was riding at a really high heart rate for a long time, and my balance isn't so good when my heart rate is over 170, then I got my front wheel caught sideways on a rock. The other one, I had a new backpack and when I started down the steep singletrack, it rode up and hit my helmet and I tried to ADJUST IT on the fly. Way dumb.

But it sounds like that root just had it out to get you. Best wishes on speedy recovery!

I like the bar fight story. Or, tell them that you tangled with a mountain lion and saved a small dog that was about to become dinner.:D

Running Mommy
05-20-2007, 06:40 PM
I logged on and had a PM from you... It was nice to hear from you, but it was for all the wrong reasons!!:(
Take good care of that trail rash ( not quite road rash- you were on dirt :p ) so it doesn't scar. MAN o MAN!!
Hope you took it easy today. My guess is you will have a stiff neck for a couple of days. Tomorrow may be worse than today. So be prepared!

And yes, I will take the helmet. I'm going to have quite a program when all is said and done. OY!
Take care and heal up!'
Denise
I pm'd you my addy earlier.

Tuckervill
05-21-2007, 04:08 AM
Kinds adds a new twist to your screenname, divingbiker!

Heal quick!

Karen

missymaya
05-21-2007, 04:17 AM
OUCH!! Hope you heal up quickly. In the meantime, take it easy.

Jo-n-NY
05-21-2007, 04:57 AM
Oh, that sure does look nasty....heal quickly.

~ JoAnn

Jolt
05-21-2007, 06:06 AM
Kinds adds a new twist to your screenname, divingbiker!


Exactly what went through my mind! Ouch! Heal up quickly, and here's to no more of these dives!

IFjane
05-21-2007, 06:25 AM
DB - OUCH! Seems to have been a bad weekend for mid-Atlantic cycling. Feel better soon!

divingbiker
05-21-2007, 08:21 AM
Thanks, all. I'm much sorer today than yesterday, from my forehead (where the helmet rammed into it) to my middle back. My lip is huge, and it feels like I've had a shot at the dentist and the novocain is wearing off. But the abrasions are healing over nicely and now look more bruised than anything.

I came into work because we had outside people coming in for a meeting this morning--and the meeting was canceled! Oh well...

Kalidurga
05-21-2007, 08:38 AM
Definitely glad to hear that there weren't any hidden serious injuries, Janice. Hopefully the aches and bruises will go away soon.

Let me know if/when you wanna give it a go again over at Rosaryville. I'd love to get back over there for another "gentle" ride ;)

margo49
05-21-2007, 09:25 AM
Yeeeeowwww, divingbiker
You are lucky.
You musta landed just right to avoid concussion and a broken nose.
Your helmet sure did its job too.

Take it easy for a few days - you will be feeling much better. The day after and the next couple of days are the worst. The adrenaline, etc have worn off, you know

bikerchick68
05-21-2007, 11:01 AM
yowsa :eek: sorry to hear about that crash! and THANK GOODNESS for the helmet... every time I see one cracked I'm grateful it isn't someone's head!

hope you heal quickly... are you taking Aleve or anything for those sore muscles? that stuff works awesome for me... hope you have something to help you too...:)

Batbike
05-21-2007, 05:04 PM
I am glad you are OK ... from my experience, the soreness heals as well as the wounds. The memories of the crash last a bit longer, but the gratitude it wasn't any worst can last forever!!

I am glad you are OK ... be thankful, even if you feel bad ... things can ALWAYS be worst!!! :rolleyes: :)

rij73
05-22-2007, 04:35 AM
Feel better soon!

Jenn
05-22-2007, 06:51 AM
Oh dear!! I hope you are feeling better!! It's always the 2nd day after that's the worst when the soreness sets in. I'm finally on the mend, the road rash is intolerable it's itching so bad it's driving me CRAZY!!! Anyway, I hope you are getting better!!!

divingbiker
05-22-2007, 07:35 AM
It's always the 2nd day after that's the worst when the soreness sets in. I'm finally on the mend, the road rash is intolerable it's itching so bad it's driving me CRAZY!!!

Jenn, you're right--this is the second day, and my neck and shoulders are killing me. But my injuries are much less severe than yours. Glad to hear you're doing better.

What are you doing to minimize the scarring? Anybody else have any suggestions?

PinkBike
05-22-2007, 10:02 AM
isnt it Vitamin E in capsules that you break open and rub on to minimize scarring?

Derf
05-22-2007, 02:10 PM
Yikes. So sorry!

Jenn
05-22-2007, 02:15 PM
I used straight aloe from our plant on my face and just kept antibiotic oinment on the road rash. My knee and elbow are in the "itchy" healing phase and it SUCKS!!! But, at least it's healing and I'm glad, it's 2 weeks today. I went from this 2 weeks ago.....
Oh I took my 800mg motrin every 4-6 hours because I wouldn't have been able to move had I not.

Jenn
05-22-2007, 02:17 PM
Lookin and feeling ALOT better today!! Of course my knee and elbow still look gross, at least I'm up and spinning and riding again!! Hope you feel better soon!!!