OUCH!

(photo by David Shedd.) The author wears his get-well present, a spiffy new helmet for added safety while riding a wheelchair in the urgent care clinic after a biking accident. X-rays had already confirmed that the swollen left collarbone is definitely broken.

“Do you ever worry about getting hurt?”

I get asked that question often. The answer is “Of Course!” Oddly enough, for all the adventurous things I do, my personal default setting is “Caution.”  That’s why I always buckle my seatbelt in a car, wear a helmet when I’m biking or downhill skiing, a PFD whenever I’m paddling, and why there’s an emergency kit in my backpack when I leave the road.

It’s also why I constantly  recommend that you do the same.

Using common sense, I keep within my personal limits, learn new skills in manageable increments, always try to minimize the potential  for something to go wrong.

Experience and observation tell me that it usually takes two or more bad decisions to make an “accident” happen. I try hard to avoid that first bad decision.

That’s why I was always able to say that I’d never been seriously hurt while participating in an outdoor sport. The worst I’d ever suffered was a cut requiring stitches, and a sprained ankle. Never any broken bones. Notice I’m using the past tense . . .

Typing with one arm in a sling to immobilize a broken collarbone isn’t easy, but, fortunately, it’s possible . . .  Yup, I got hurt.

So, what happened?

In mountain biking terms, I performed what’s called an “endo” (short for “End Over End”) which is defined as “flying unexpectedly over the handlebars.” Google “mountain bike endo” for some really good example video.

I’d just picked up a very nice new (used) full-suspension mountain bike (a Gary Fisher Sugar 1 for those who care about such things). My buddy David Shedd and I were out for a ride on a hot, muggy afternoon. We’d pedaled about a mile and a half on paved roads, up and down several hills to give me a chance to get the feel of  the new bike. As we topped the last hill before heading into the woods,  I pulled a water bottle from the cage and took a drink, then reached down to put it back. Since it was a new bike, that meant taking my eyes off the road ahead. When I looked back up, David had turned left into a parking lot. I reflexively hit the front brake with my left hand–my right hand was still on the water bottle) and, since I was leaning forward, I went right over the handlebars and slammed onto the pavement with my left shoulder.

I felt the bone snap.

My head also hit the pavement pretty hard, but the helmet cushioned most of that blow. Time for a new helmet. And a car ride to the nearest urgent care center.

This was yesterday. Today I suppose I should be depressed. After all, no paddling, no biking, no backpacking, no rock climbing, no swimming . . . for at least a month . . .

But I can still work. And I’ve already been out for a short walk. I suspect by the end of the week I’ll be able to walk some easy trails with a hiking stick and a fanny pack. I’ll be back out doing fun things pretty quickly—and trying hard not to get hurt. Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!

WHY IT HAPPENED

Mountain Biking is a fast sport and things can go wrong in a hurry. This racer knows what he’s doing, but accidents can happen

Knowing how this accident happened isn’t the same as knowing why it happened. I’ve had my internal accident reconstruction team obsessively going over every detail to learn what I can from this incident. Here are the contributing factors as I see them.

#1 Unfamiliar bike with unfamiliar brakes. The same accident could have happened on my old bike. But  the new ride made it incrementally more likely.

#2 Drinking while riding . . . I’m not  a bike racer, so, normally, when I need a drink of water, I stop, get out the water bottle, take a drink, put it back and then start riding again. Or I use a hydration pack and just sip out of the tube. It’s just safer that way. If I’d stuck with my usual procedure, this particular accident probably wouldn’t have happened.

#3 Following a better rider on unfamiliar terrain. David wasn’t in any way pressuring me to keep up, nor was he going fast. But he knew where we were going, I didn’t. If I’d known we had a turn coming . . ..

There it is. Three factors that had to come together perfectly to create the mishap. Take any one of them away and the accident would likely not have happened.

Conclusion: Mountain biking can be hazardous, but it usually isn’t—if you pay attention to all the safety factors and ride with reasonable caution. That’s why I’ve been able to go as long as I did without any injuries at all. As it is, I should be able to get back on a road bike in early September, and ride my new mountain bike as well as ever in foliage season if not sooner.

Lessons learned, and with no serious, long-term consequences.

THANKS DUE

Fortunately this accident happened on a road, David had a cell phone and  Marilyn and Susan were close by.

We went to the Brighton First Care Clinic in nearby Portland, Maine. Everyone there from the receptionist to the Nurses, PA’s, X-ray tech and Doctor were competent, friendly and fast. I can’t imagine getting better care anywhere.

They recommended I follow up with an orthopedic surgeon and Dr. Gary Jones of Concord Orthopedics in Concord, New Hampshire is my guy. I know Dr. Jones (no relation) very well from the many times he patched up broken bones on my risk-taker sons. I trust him. He tells me that I was lucky not to have any concussion or shoulder injury and that I’ll be good as new in four to six weeks.

And, finally, one more thanks to my buddy David, who, while I was being x-rayed and treated went out and bought me a spiffy new bike helmet.

Thanks everyone.