We don't just bike you. We bike-bike you.: This is going to hurt my neck

My focus glued as a tree rushes closer and closer; my bike sliding out from under me. I push my bike out and away (to avoid the tree) railing my right shin across the top tube as I clear my bike. At the last second my hands are free to help brace as I decide the only thing left to do is use my helmet for it's intended purpose. I break my fixated stare from the tree and think...wow, this impact could really do some damage to my neck.

Suddenly I stop. I managed to dig enough to stop short of the tree. I open my eyes. Is that a bike part?? My first thought was I wasn't the first to take a dive in this spot. But no, it was a pine cone. I shake off the fall and pop up... I'm ok (I tell myself). My shin starts throbbing and as I look down (I'm in luck, no open wound) I can see it start to balloon up. Ugh, is that going to explode in a bloody mess all over the trail??

I shift my focus to my bike. I managed to avoid the tree, but how did the trail treat it? My front wheel is completely turned around, I pick up my bike and straighten things out. As I spin the front wheel I see a slight wobble... great! But then I notice a nice explosion of sealant all over the sidewall. No tear, but the impact must have burped the tire, but it sealed back up. I check things out and it seems the wobble is in the tire only as it was unseated on impact... I can deal with that.

Decision time... forge forward (hoping this turns out to be a loop and sends me back to my pterodactyl) or turn around. I don't think my shin is going to explode so I push forward... ultimately coming to a road and having to back track. Not wanting to cut my ride short, I ended up taking another trail back to the pterodactyl which included some step downhill - with a sore shin and a shaken ego - that I had to take gingerly.

This was my ride at Wells State Park. It was a decent little place. Little being key. Not much mileage available, but classic New England trails with some rocky climbing and some sweet descents. I thought I'd stop there on my way back from Connecticut to check things out. Not a place I'd drive to just to ride, and not sure if it could be a pit stop on back and forths from my parent's house (parking is $2 - and I'm not sure it's really worth multiple trips).

A taste of the trails:

BUT - what was great about this ride was the crash. That might sound crazy, but let me tell you why I see the crash as a good thing. I haven't had an injury on the bike in a while now (knock on wood... wait, I guess it's too late...) and that is a result of two things. First, I'd like to think that my confidence and bike handling skills are improving so I am able to avoid silly mistakes and am better able to manage technical terrain. The second reason may be because I haven't been pushing my limits enough??

Before the crash I was flying down a trail. Enjoying the heck out of the ride, and not content with letting gravity pull me, I cranked up the gears and pushed the HiFi faster. THIS IS RIDING! It was such a blast. Catching some air off a rock I saw a left turn coming in the trail. Take it wide and hit the roots? Or take it tight and ride over a nice smooth rock? I honed in on the rock and took it at speed - did I forget to mention it poured the previous day?? The back wheel slide out and the rest is history. Had I not been pushing the limits I am certain I wouldn't have lost control. But without pushing the limits you don't know your full potential... you don't know what the actual limit is.

Am I bummed I crashed, nah. Does my shin hurt, yeah. But I live to ride another day.

Story by Pictures: