Fun Stuff!!!

[ArmyOfNone]

I had a nearly identical little "near season" ending cartwheel off that same damn bridge last year. It was a bitter cold Monday afternoon in the mid teens and I had the day off, so I decided to get a few extra hours in after a big weekend. Even thing was going fine until I hit the bridge and went shooting off of it like it was coated in grease. I didn't even have a chance to clip out or grab the brakes. I went from an upright wheels down position to being impladed on a spear shaped rock 3 feet down in nano seconds. I actually layed there for 2 or 3 minutes, not sure to cry or crawl down the hill to car. It was so cold, that the water I found after crashing through the layer of ice, froze on my gloved hands on the way out of the woods. I managed to call my wife (who is an RN), and she gave me her stock reply answer to my bike crash woes," It cant' hurt as bad as giving birth". She then proceeded to break my horns about "base miles, road riding, HR zones and everything else I figured she never paid attention to, when I spoke.
So in good natured ball breaking I gladly pass it on to you.
Happy New Year

HA! thats great! your wife and my gf should meet...theyd get along very well.

 

[heythorp]

damn, all these replies of condolance make me want to actually read the entire message... i will say get better and back on the bike soon norm! you know the saying: what doesn't kill you, really hurts.

Be glad you didnt, apparently he is so badly injured he road 25 miles on the road today.

kind of makes this post in another thread mute.

Norm - how are you feeling? Care to join us? :rofl:

 

[Norm]

Be glad you didnt, apparently he is so badly injured he road 25 miles on the road today.

Yeah, not too awful. Bumps still not so fun, and I won't be back on the mtb for a while to be sure. But not so bad I can't do something.

 

[ArmyOfNone]

good to hear you can get out and ride. i went out for the first time in a week at hartshorne. i felt like POO. didnt help i was riding along w/ some guys who normally are faster than I.

I learned i will try to bring my bike wherever i go.

 

[Maurice]

I can't believe it, you crashed that bad but weren't even riding??? You obviously don't realize the implications of posting something like that on a public forum. It's worse than actually doing it in front of an audience. Big

At least you got one thing right: now is the time to attempt crazy stuff and hone those technical skills. This past month I've ridden things I never imagined were possible on a bike (Ninham and a nearby "secret" place). Nothing like hanging 15ft off the ground on a teeter totter to put things in perspective.

Get well soon

Maurice

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

Kirt,

Who knows, we'll see. Feeling better as the night goes on though it may of course be the 3 beers. I figure the next month isn't critical to be off-road anyway so whatever. I'll have plenty of road/trainer time to get in.

Interesting that was part of the course removed from the 24. I guess I know why now.

The bridge that was on the 24 Hour course was not that one, it was even more slippery. That bridge is located on the other side of Four Bumps Alternate closer to Cranberry Lake.

One time I ran into a ranger in Allamuchy. He was looking for ATV's that were riding around. After having a little small talk with him, he sheepishly asked me which direction was Cranberry Lake & then he asked directions on how to get out of there. He was lost in his own park!

This surprised me a bit and it made me a little nervous. What if I got seriously injured in there while riding alone? Those guys wouldn't be able to find me even if I gave them a location.

So, one thing I did was to take my trail map & draw a grid on it. I keep a copy of that map in my car and one with me in my camelbak. If I am injured and can't get out of there, I can direct the rescue folks to break into my car to retrieve my gridded map so I can give them my location. That map, plus GPS coordinates from a modern cell phone should be enough to help find you. Using the new Jorba map would probably work even better with the color coded trails.

Glad you are okay for the most part, Norm. Hope you feel better soon.

Joe

 

[Norm]

Good story Joe. It certainly makes me wonder if I should ever go in that park by myself. On the other hand, this particular accident was just as likely as me blowing out a tire on the drive home. It had little to do with me biking other than I was there to bike. Still, it's not a bad idea to ride with people. But then you can't live life afraid. I tried that once and constantly shit my pants.

Definitely feeling better today. I was able to blow my nose and sneeze without it hurting too much. Got in 90 minutes this morning before work, which was nice. Felt pretty fresh since the weekend was a bit of a wash.

 

[Stratocaster]

Friends

It's good to ride with people.. This way you've got a chance at getting buried when you eat it... I don't know who else carries a shovel in their camel bag, but if I dig the hole I'm taken the bike....

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

It's good to ride with people.. This way you've got a chance at getting buried when you eat it... I don't know who else carries a shovel in their camel bag, but if I dig the hole I'm taken the bike....

One time I was riding with Stratocaster and I kinda wished I was on a solo ride.

Of course, if Lenny the Doofus ate it, we'd bury that Sycip right along with him, right Strat?

 

[bonefishjake]

i just remembered this-
i know a guy from the gym i used to work at (YMCA in mt. lakes) that had to be medivac'd out of the tourne a few years back.

he was riding by himself and somewhere on the red trail near the top on the denville side (i think where it splits...going to the right leads to that big rock roller and the tree ride) he lost control of the bike and crashed. no idea what happened. he was by himself and laid in there for quite awhile. i don't remember if he had his cell phone or if someone eventually found him. either way, he split his helmet in half he hit so hard. needless to say he spent some time in the hospital and really is NOT the same guy anymore. he told me that story right when i first started riding...and it still spooks me.

 

[heythorp]

the first 2 rules of going into the woods are:

1. Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to be back

2. Never go alone.


Hey i take the dogs for a walk in the tourne daily, i also run and bike in there by myself all the time. I know its not always practical to bring someone along, but i always cringe when Elle tells me she is going Mt. Biking or even Road biking by her self.

NOt that i would do any better if a car hit me but you know what i mean

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

Did you guys see this story? A camper was lost in New Mexico's Gila National Forest for 5 weeks!!! Talk about going into the wilderness alone -- Allamuchy is roughly 4000 acres, Gila is 3.3 million acres.

She is quite lucky to be alive. Here is the link to the story:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243665,00.html

 

[bonefishjake]

yeah, i know. i ride KVSP a lot and have a pretty standard loop that i do there. after i ride it with the GPS i'm going to print it out and leave it so the wife can at least direct people to the route i'm on. i'm also planning on picking up one of those "throw away" cell phones to carry. what's another few ounces on top of the 230 lbs i'm already dragging around the woods.

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

yeah, i know. i ride KVSP a lot and have a pretty standard loop that i do there. after i ride it with the GPS i'm going to print it out and leave it so the wife can at least direct people to the route i'm on. i'm also planning on picking up one of those "throw away" cell phones to carry. what's another few ounces on top of the 230 lbs i'm already dragging around the woods.

Oh yeah, a cell phone is a must if you are going alone. I always carry mine on my camelbak for the same reason you specify -- what is a few more ounces. Besides, you never know if you might encounter someone else who needs help in the woods (like Norm :drooling

KVSP is also a more friendly park -- lots of rangers & people around there. Allamuchy is quite different, as the rangers are never in there and you rarely encounter hikers or even other bikers. When I am riding alone, I don't bomb the downhills or do anything too stupid. I concentrate on climbs and take the downhills like I am a frightened little schoolgirl.

 

[Norm]

Throw away cell phones? Tell me more!

I always carry my cell phone with me, on all rides outside of my basement. But we just got new phones which are far too nice to bring on a bike and work is taking away my crappy cell phone and giving me a blackberry. If I have to I'll carry the blackberry but what's this throw-away cell phone thing?

 

[J-Dro]

If I'm not mistaken, any cell phone will dial 911 even if its not currently activated. So any old junky phone should work in an emergency. Just gotta remember to charge it.

 

[Norm]

If I'm not mistaken, any cell phone will dial 911 even if its not currently activated. So any old junky phone should work in an emergency. Just gotta remember to charge it.

You might be right about that.

I had a situation on the road bike where I got a gash in the sidewall. 2 flats and 50 feet later, I called the wife to come rescue my sorry ass. Not sure 911 would be so happy if I called that day.

 

[bonefishjake]

by "disposable" i meant one of those that you buy that you get the calling cards for. i know my company would not be pleased if the treo 700p got "dropped" in the woods.

 

[SpartaBard]

Throw away cell phones? Tell me more!

I always carry my cell phone with me, on all rides outside of my basement. But we just got new phones which are far too nice to bring on a bike and work is taking away my crappy cell phone and giving me a blackberry. If I have to I'll carry the blackberry but what's this throw-away cell phone thing?

I carry my Palm Treo with me, I pay for the insurance so if it ever breaks, I get a new one after the deductible.

 

[SpartaBard]

I got the insurance through Verizon.