Crash Report:
Last Monday night i was sitting in traffic on my way to Pretoria, thinking of how much petrol i will safe when i sell my 4 liter jeep the next day for a better mountain bike and a smaller car. It was going to be my first ride in a skate park, my first introduction to the practical side of trials riding (like Mr. Leech in Roam). I was actually more nervous that i would struggle to take off my eggbeater pedals and put on platforms than riding in a half pipe, because I figured that i would take it slowly and not try something stupid.
While still on my way Werner phoned me and told me he was selling his bike, 'just like that' i replied, after a while of trying to figure out what he was up to he told me he bought the bike of his dreams. I couldn't wait to see it and after getting lost in th area around menlyn i eventually found the skate park named thrashers and Wessel trying out Werner's new bike.
We started riding in circles in a cement like vellodrome but much smaller than a real one, the first ramp was small but quite fun to jump, thereafter we started riding in the quarter pipes that you find higher up in the park above a piece of sloped grass, it was really great fun to ride in a skate park, you get lots of air and i never felt like i was in a position were i was out of control of the bike and fall. Then Wessel put up a line that was great fun, with us following, his line was cool, you don't have to check or think much and just follow the rider, Wessel you really had a cool line.
At a stage Werner was just standing there for 20 minutes totally in love with his new bike while me and Wessel played in the quarter pipes. If we didn't shout to him to get a room, he would still be standing there making out with his bike.
Then I became very relaxed in the skate park (my mistake) and with Wessel behind me wanted to make my own line, one thing i didn't know about this line making thing is that even though it looks safe, you ride the line very slowly the first time to check it out, and then when you know your line you invite others to ride it with you because you know it is safe.
Ok, so ja, I saw my line going down this piece of grass towards the vellodrome thingy and because the vellodrome was at the same slope angle as the grass going down, it looked from a distance as if the grass goes strait onto the vellodrome thingy, mean while back in the jungle somebody build a 1 meter drop-off just before the vello thingy.
Obviously i only saw it when i was about a meter from the edge and didn't have time to think of things like lifting my front wheel and stuff so i went down like a kamikaze pilot on EPO, face first onto the ground still holding on to my handlebars.
Now, what followed actually happened in mills seconds, but felt much longer, more like 10 seconds.
The first thing i remember is a lot of sparks as my glasses and forehead were scratching against the cement of the vello, then i remember my nose slowly ice skating on the vello slowly taking more of my weight, then it was my left cheeks turn, you see each part of my face had to get a turn to do ice skating on the vellodrome. Then followed a big shout, as if it would stop me from ice skating on my face!
Wessel was behind me but luckily stopped and didn't follow my line. I stood up and saw red through my left eye, quite scary, head pounding blood running i suggested they take me to some hospital kind of place. They took me to a clinic of choice, were i got cleaned and injected in the face with adrenalin. Then Werner tried to bunny hop my wheelchair while i was blindfolded on my way to the x-ray babe (i peeked you see).
Damage assessment, cracked nose, between 45 and 55 stitches (will count if they take them out), mummified for a week.
To cut a long story short, I was very lucky, the skate park is really fun and i will be back soon with more experience, be careful when you setup your own line, and always wear a helmet.
Thanks to Werner and Wessel for taking me to ER, to Wessel and his Wife for looking after me during the night and the next day at the plastic surgeon and to his lighty for waiting for his MacDonalds while Wessel was driving me around. Also to everybody who phoned/smsed me to hear how I was doing, Thank You.
See ya on a D&D ride soon.
The Mummy
