need moral support from cyclists

[Avocet]

Just need some moral support……. Last night I had a crash on my mountain bike and broke my wrist. Im VERY bummed-to say the least. What is making it harder is that I was just getting comfortable again on my mt bike after a crash last September on my commuter bike going to work – where I broke my elbow and shoulder. SO….now my family and coworkers are giving me a bad time about how dangerous biking is and that I should give it up. As if I don’t already have my own doubt s about it all without their comments! BUT I DON’T WANT TO QUIT. It’s the activity I love to do-it keeps me moving…..are all the naysayers right? Should I give it up? Am I a klutz?
Sidelined and frustrated

[JennK13]

Maybe you ARE klutz, but if you love doing it, who cares! Keep it up. I know it took you a while to get comfy after your accident last year, but if you still love it after yesterday, then heal fast and keep it up! I play softball, and I'm pretty agressive at it (nothing gets past me - even if that means knocking the ball down with my face!). Several people tell me I should give it up, that i'm getting too old for these games, and I should live more safely. Well, forget them!
Mental note about what went wrong, try to avoid it in the future without letting it interfere with your rides. I went down last year on a mud slick I didn't see hidden by a shadow under a bridge after a storm - I was going about 26 mph, and slid about 40 feet. I still "flinch" when I happen upon a trail underpass that parallels a creek for fear that mud is going to be there, and I slow down. I work on getting over that by hauling *** down them when there hasnt been a storm and I'm pretty certain it's clear.

[redrhodie]

(((Avocet))) Non-cyclists don't understand bike love. Heal quick, then get back on the bike.

[Veronica]

If you love it - don't stop.

I fell down a ten foot cliff in 2007. I wasn't seriously hurt, but it messed with my mind and so much of mountain biking is mental. I'm beginning to find my mountain bike place again. "Death on the left" on single track still freaks me out. I walked some really non technical sections of the Rainbow Rim just 'cause the trail was the edge. I also rode through some stuff that challenged me physically and technically. It will come back

Heal up and get back out there!

Veronica

[Avocet]

Jenn, Redrhodie and Veronica,
thanks so much for your responses and encouragement. i know i will heal and it will all be ok i just get so frustrated with all the rude comments from people. i wish i had some witty response....

[yellow]

Oh so sorry to hear that! Don't let any demons keep you from doing it if you want to do it, whether they be in your head or on the outside. I know you know this...you control your reaction (including those in your head). Recover physically and the mental focus will come. You family and friends are probably saying it because they love you and/or care about you, but maybe they aren't making the connection that the Avocet that they love loves to ride her bikes and that if she doesn't, she's not the person they love.

So just maybe when you are ready to start riding again, I'll be ready too and we can just walk anything mildly technical and cheer each other on.

[Irulan]

Ignore the nay sayers. Like, you can't get heart disease from sitting on your butt eating cheetos? Break a leg falling down the stairs? Etc. My sister literally broke her neck ( cracked a vertebra) and tore up her shoulder when she tripped on the stairs in her home.

If you are still feeling klutzy when you get back on the bike, consider a skills clinic.

[lph]

Heal quickly and bravely, Avocet!

Snappy retorts - the best I can do "you wouldn't be telling me to stop driving if I'd had a car accident, would you?"

That doesn't work for mt biking, of course, but for commuting it does annoy me that people feel biking is somehow wild and reckless while calmly accepting driving as just an unavoidable risk - while car driving actually puts other people at risk to a much higher degree.

Or sometimes I say "hey, with all the hours I put in on my bike I have to hit the deck every now and then. If I were a runner I'd manage to sprain something at least once a year, that's just life."

But that's just to the rude+righteous ones. Mostly people do say it as a way of expressing care, and all you can do is smile.

[SheFly]

Heal quick!

My usual retort to such comments? "I could also get run over by the garbage truck walking out the front door, but I still do that" Usually shuts them up.

SheFly

[itself]

You live once, so have a hecka of a time! Since I am a self-reputed klutz, I intentionally stay away from more technical stuff or just plain walk my bike through it. No shame in that!