Maelstrom 

Just a small rant ...

I decide to go for a ride (my first REAL ride of the year). Its been raining for a couple of days and I was able to get out yesterday relatively unscathed (banged my shin) which is all good. I hop on my bike not wearing any armour just planning on doing the beginning of Mel's Dilema and Emerald Forest. Two fairly rooty trails that are wet but pretty basic as far as local trails go. I am ripping it up pretty good except for a lot of slipping due to wet roots. I am more aggressive than last year as my front end doesn't feel like it will snap. When I hit a soft spot and I do an endo slamming my left knee into the stem. I hop back on and see a drop that I couldn't hit last year. I nail it and decide to play again. This second time I endo landing flat on my back. I keep going and there is a small jump. I land it fine but my foot slips off spinning the crank around driving the nice new pins I got into my shin.

I then come home and decide to play the trials game. Trackstands, attempted nose wheelies, pivot front and rear and a lot of attempts at rear wheel hops (all of which failed arg)...one slip on a rear wheel hop and I have a bloody right shin andf then after a failed j-hop I slam (much harder) my right knee into the stem and end up crumpled on the ground.

I finally decide to go home and ice my knees and get ready for tommorows ride. Man do I miss this riding thing. I almost forgot what it was like. Oh and the moral. I was a dumbass! I can't do xc, I need to wear armour 100% of the time when I ride as I can't just go out and pedal. I am such a dumbass and that was my first lesson of the year.

Cheers.

Dannihilator

Lesson Learned. I just bought new shin pads today.

gonesh9

well, we all live and learn, eh?
i'm recovering from a broken leg right now, and am really itchin' to ride. i know i'll ride even harder than before, but i will wear more protective gear, for sure. it really does put a hamper on things when you seriously injure yourself. it's finally kicking in that i'm not industructable, and it sucks.

Jim311

I went for a cruise after work today, but couldn't ride as long as I wanted to since the sun was setting. I didn't fall.... not even once

DiL

That just means you weren't trying hard enough!

a2psyklnut

My lesson of the year, "Make sure you have plenty of replacement parts of critical pieces for your bike!"

I sheared the main pivot bolt on my Uzzi, and haven't ridden off-road in two, make that three weeks. Parts are on order and I'm forced into being a roadie. Did I mention I really don't like being a roadie!

L8R

Jim311

Yeah.... I didn't want to risk being injured or having a mechanical with only 1 hour of light left. Getting stuck in the woods overnight isn't my idea of fun

Maelstrom 

Thats the other one. I already know a couple of things going that I didn't bother upgrading. My drivetrain needs replacing soon as I suffer from skipping

You didn't have to mention it. I feel for ya

dirtbikedude

If you would have asked earlier I could have told you that.

Well, now you have some new battle wounds to show off. Whats wrong with that?

Maelstrom 

Well now I have more to add anyways. My shins look like ground up beef. I don't think my lower legs will ever look right again. I am please