Jisch
April 25th, 2006, 08:58 AM
After that great vacation, I'm really not into work. I mean really NOT into work.
My wife asked if i wanted to hit the trail behind the house for a few laps before work, normally I say, "no, I've got to get to work".
..but I'm really not into work so I agreed.
The trail itself is completely benign, not even many rocks on it, just a few logs to go over. My wife walks so I'm going really slow - I just practice trackstands and slow moves. I've built up a few side trails that go over larger rocks most are simply rollers. I did a small side rock early in the ride and found the surfaces of the rocks to be extremely slippery. Of course that barely registered.
I get down to one of my favorite rocks - I've built a small rock ramp up the back side. The top of the rock is probably 5 feet in the air. Its a steep roller, which is enough to make me pay attention but I usually don't get too much of a rush out of it. Did I mention the rocks were slippery?
I start up the ramp and my back wheel slides off the side just as I hit the top of the rock, the ramp up is maybe 4" wide, so this happens ocassionally. Just as the back tire slides off, I apply the brakes to regain control. Oops. Both wheels start sliding and I'm heading sideways off the high side of the rock. I back off the brakes, but I'm still sliding (though I now have a little bit of forward movement). I ended up side hopping off at about 3 1/2 feet. I figured I was dead, or at a minimum seriously hurt. I heard this strange half whimper/half scream exit my mouth.
Miraculously, I landed it, unharmed. I was still clipped in, but my heart was racing...
Probably one of the few times in my biking life where I pulled something out of my a$$ that saved me. Most of the time when I get that feeling of dread, something dreadful happens.
John
My wife asked if i wanted to hit the trail behind the house for a few laps before work, normally I say, "no, I've got to get to work".
..but I'm really not into work so I agreed.
The trail itself is completely benign, not even many rocks on it, just a few logs to go over. My wife walks so I'm going really slow - I just practice trackstands and slow moves. I've built up a few side trails that go over larger rocks most are simply rollers. I did a small side rock early in the ride and found the surfaces of the rocks to be extremely slippery. Of course that barely registered.
I get down to one of my favorite rocks - I've built a small rock ramp up the back side. The top of the rock is probably 5 feet in the air. Its a steep roller, which is enough to make me pay attention but I usually don't get too much of a rush out of it. Did I mention the rocks were slippery?
I start up the ramp and my back wheel slides off the side just as I hit the top of the rock, the ramp up is maybe 4" wide, so this happens ocassionally. Just as the back tire slides off, I apply the brakes to regain control. Oops. Both wheels start sliding and I'm heading sideways off the high side of the rock. I back off the brakes, but I'm still sliding (though I now have a little bit of forward movement). I ended up side hopping off at about 3 1/2 feet. I figured I was dead, or at a minimum seriously hurt. I heard this strange half whimper/half scream exit my mouth.
Miraculously, I landed it, unharmed. I was still clipped in, but my heart was racing...
Probably one of the few times in my biking life where I pulled something out of my a$$ that saved me. Most of the time when I get that feeling of dread, something dreadful happens.
John