Leb 1 - Head 0

[Burke]

I made it out to Lebanon Hills today for the season opening off-road ride. Brought our tandem out, and my solo bike.

Snapped the timing chain on the tandem, borrowed a chain tool, as my toolbox didn't have one in it, and pieced the chain back together. Finished out the intermediate, and the expert loops. Good times.

Brought out my solo bike for it's first ever ride. Awesome ride, awesome conditions. I felt great. Surprisingly strong for being out of shape and 15 lbs. over normal.

Flying fast through the trail... chatting with friends... enjoying the XX loop... groggily waking up trying to figure out who these guys are I'm talking to, and why they're talking about the ambulance being on its way.

From what I've been able to piece together, I was coming up on the second bridge in the XX, and I didn't quite make it to it. I must have OTB'd pretty convincingly. The left side of my head took the brunt of the impact. I was wearing a helmet, but it didn't seem to take much damaged.

As I was coming to, I had no idea how I had gotten there, what day it was, or even what season. I knew who I was, and could give my phone number to the three guys that stopped and made sure I was alright (I wasn't), then walked/rode with me out to the parking lot. Thanks guys, I appreciate the help!

The EMT's were in the lot by the time I got back, and they gave me a once-over. I ended up declining a sirened trip to the ER, but had my wife take me (she was sitting in the car reading magazines while I was on my solo lap).


Some prodding and a CAT scan later, I've been told I'm alright, but if any terrible headaches or vomiting surface in the next couple days, I'm supposed to go back.

One lingering effect of a concussion is the lack of ability to think clearly. WHICH is exactly what I need in my last 3 weeks of grad school. Nothing like being dazed and confused while giving final presentations, and writing term papers.

Good times :)

So folks, the moral is, wear your helmet, don't ride alone, and carrying some sort of ID/contact info. I'm not sure how long it would have taken me to piece things together. I sure wasn't coming along quickly on my own. If it were a night ride, and I'd have KO'd my light, I would have been completely out of luck. Who knows if I would have ever found my way back.

The obligatory carnage shot
http://www.morcmtb.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2257&size=big&cat=recent&limit=recent

Scott

[Buck]

Damn scott...

Glad to hear your alright, give 'er a day or two...sore neck(and face for you!) and you'll be back and kickin' out on the trails again!!!

L8Rz
Buck

[mtnbykr]

ouch...

kl

[gopherhockey]

Wow... good to hear you are ok!

I have often worried about riding out there by myself. I do it all the time, day and night. I normally make sure someone knows I'm out there and carry my cell, but this reminds a person that it can be risky doing that.

I once saw somewhere a place where you can order a small tag with contact information when biking... I'll have to look for that again.

Good to hear stories that don't have sad endings. Hope it doesn't affect your schooling..

[RedSquirrel]

http://www.roadid.com

Whew, glad your ok. Sounds like your insides are good and whew, both eyes are still good. It can happen in an instant. I worry about situations like that too.

The above link is one site for ID's. My Dad bought me one cause he knows I solo alot.

[stoneage]

http://www.roadid.com

Whew, glad your ok. Sounds like your insides are good and whew, both eyes are still good. It can happen in an instant. I worry about situations like that too.

The above link is one site for ID's. My Dad bought me one cause he knows I solo alot.
The Velo Bellas got a deal as a group. MORC should make them available as a group for their members. Contact the company, John, and I'm sure they will work with you.
Here's mine (http://67.190.229.114/~williamoreilly/ID.JPG)

[MisterClaw]

Damn scott...

Glad to hear your alright, give 'er a day or two...sore neck(and face for you!) and you'll be back and kickin' out on the trails again!!!

L8Rz
Buck
Scott,
take it easy for as long as it takes to feel back to 100%.
One of the worse things is that having one concussion is that it makes you more suspectable to a second concussion.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/concussion/DS00320/DSECTION=4


I totalled my car back in January, bonked my head really good on the window (didn't lose consciousness) and really out of it for 1 week. CAT scan was ok, and I got to see my car on the 10 o'clock new while waiting in the ER.

Considering that Scott was able to type that post, he's pretty doing better than me the day after my concussion. I was off singletrack for 3 weeks. It sucked
but I really didn't want to give myself a second concussion while my brain is healing.

[tedsti]

Glad to hear you made it out OK and everything looks good so far.

What I do for ID is photocopy my medical insurance card and write my contact info on the back. Sad to say, but some places will take better care of you knowing they are going to get paid. I then laminate them. I have one in my pack for the trail, one in my seat bag on the roadie and a couble extra to stuff in pockets if I remember. The best place is taped to the inside of your helmet if you can make it work. Any good EMT will always grab you helmet so the ER folks can look at it and see where it took the hit.

[jeffgude]

That snapped timing chain was a sign I guess.

[jeffgude]

Not the most illustrious start for a new bike either for that matter...

[Hydro]

Scott,

I have BTDT too, it's no fun; luckily frinds were with me and took good care of me... No damage done (that I know of!)....

John raises a good point earlier. I have one of my USAF dog-tags for a zipper pull on my camelbak... There for a purpose! But anyone could print out a very small ID card with pertinant info (Name, contact info, blood type, etc) and then get a laminate from any office supply store. Clip it to a biner hold or as a zipper pull on your pack of choice, and you're all set!

That too works good, lasts long time. Better safe than sorry!

See you out there soon!

Cheers, Hydro

[Hydro]

Nuts...

Just realized Ted had "same same" inputs and some even better advice...

Sorry Ted, not trying to "one up" you!

Happy trails, Hydro

[Tim Wegner]

Scott
Glad to see and hear that you are doing OK. Now about the $1,000 you borrowed from me a few weeks ago-----!
Tim

[gopherhockey]

The Velo Bellas got a deal as a group. MORC should make them available as a group for their members. Contact the company, John, and I'm sure they will work with you.


Great idea! We can have a "save Scott's head" campaign and make everyone safer at the same time.

[TML]

Dang Scott. Glad you seem to be doing alright. Hopefully the reovery continues without issue.

Look at it this way. You've got the major wreck out of the way for the season now. ;)

[Burke]

I'm piecing things together...

My right pinky knuckle hurts, and I've got a paint chip on my top tube where my right brake lever swung around and hit. My left side took the brunt of fall.

I must have hit a tree with my hand, spun the bar hard, and gotten ejected to the left.

[At the Gates 2121]

[quote=Burke]I'm piecing things together...

My right pinky knuckle hurts, and I've got a paint chip on my top tube where my right brake lever swung around and hit. My left side took the brunt of fall.

what is a year with out leb crash stories I tell people all the time this trail is eating people one bite at a time... but that is why I ride it.

[nigel]

If it helps Scott, we can go back and recreate the scene and I'll take a a digger this time! Glad to hear it was not worse though big guy.

D

[flombe]

Whoa! Glad you are OK.

Don't forget to send in the helmet on the crash replacement guarantee!

[bobbkr]

My wife works at Courage Center. They have a great home and community rehab program that specializes in brain injuries. Right next door to Theo! Joking aside, I hope no MORC members ever need thier services. Brains don't heal nearly as easy as cuts and bruises.
I hope everything gets back to normal soon Scott.

[Danimal]

Glad to hear your A-OK. Lets all be careful out there.

[bigwheel]

Glad to hear you are okay, Scott.

We just got back from Leb. We checked out the scene of the accident, but cannot figure out where you crashed. The section going up the secod bridge is mostly uphill, then a short downhill with one log right at the entrance to the bridge. If you missed that one, you'd bounce off the bridge, then land in the ditch.

[KleinCrazy]

I have clipped a trees going into the first bridge in XX but never into the 2nd....

Odd

Glad to hear you might have only lost a couple of brain cells instead of a bunch... just think... that means the number available to be killed off by beer is higher than it could have been!!!!

[Burke]

Glad to hear you are okay, Scott.

We just got back from Leb. We checked out the scene of the accident, but cannot figure out where you crashed. The section going up the secod bridge is mostly uphill, then a short downhill with one log right at the entrance to the bridge. If you missed that one, you'd bounce off the bridge, then land in the ditch.

Yeah, it's odd. I wasn't really taking risks, and that section doesn't strike me as being too threatening. I didn't make it to the bridge.

Scott

[ryno lite]

Glad to hear you're ok! I might have to use some of the ideas posted earlier to help identify me and my insurance just in case one of those solo night rides go bad. I always have my cell phone and tell my girlfriend where I'm riding and when I should be back, but things can happen. I like that link to the ID bracelets.

[Danimal]

For your next ride... :D

[transplant]

Good to hear you're recovering. Head injuries are no small matter.

The dog tag idea is a good one. Just go to any Army surplus store and they should be able to set you up. I started wearing mine when I'd solo in AZ. Nowadays it's just like my helmet. I put it on even if I'm with a group or road riding.

[TrailDale]

Whoa Scott.
I hope this isn't one of those "leading by example" things.

I just had a flashback to my first concussion - 30 years ago this summer. :shocked:
Just to let you know, you will forget all about this crash, until one day early in the spring of 2036, and then WHAM, you will see a picture of a guy with a messed up face and it will all come back to you. Freeky!

Take it easy for a little while longer and be sure your balance is back to its normal high level before you go hard.