It’s been a while since I’ve had a proper off and had something to show for it. Well, that is up until last night….

I think something like 18 months or more have passed without major incident; had plenty of departing moments, but nothing particularly ouchy or bloody…. And as a result my riding has been getting rather cocky as of late.

Was in Vinschgau last week with the GF and am now down on lake Garda on my own.

Was stupidly hot yesterday so I bought myself a paper, sat down by the lake yet still managed to fall asleep in the midday sun (nice shade of red down my right side). Rather than waste a complete day I jumped on my bike at 6ish and rode up the Brione to catch the sunset. You know that feeling of “F yeah!” when everything feels right…. The front wheel was going where I wanted it to, the back drifting around the tight corners, hitting every little bump just right carrying me over the next obstacle….. Just as I was in the “zone”…. bam! I’ve clipped a branch that sends me flying several metres down the trail into a bush. I drag myself out, run up and check the bike and spin the wheels. Everything seems fine. Then I notice my right pinky is a bit ouchy. Pull off my glove to find I’ve skinned a chunk of skin off. No great shakes. As I start on my way again I realise that it hurts when I pull the rear brake. By the time I get to the bottom my left index finger has swollen up.

Bugger.

I think it might be broken. I’ve just got back from the hospital, but can’t be doing with a four hour wait in a stifling hot room with a tv turned up to 11 blasting out some trashy Italian version of Judge Judy. Besides, I’ll be home tomorrow.
For the mean time I’ve bandaged it to the middle finger to prevent me using it.

Biggest bugger is that I may not be able to work the next few weeks/month (really should get some money coming in considering I’ve not worked at all throughout April!). Perhaps it’s time to consider some insurance….

But crashing isn’t such a bad thing. Makes you realise that you’re not the riding god you think you are. Brings you back to reality, albeit with a bump.

Crashing is a bad thing. I haven’t ridden my Five in over a year now thanks to 2 broken wrists, 6 operations and il’l never regain full use of of my right wrist. Crashing sucks the big one.

Ok, small crashes are ok.

Hoping that my finger will heal soonish. The snow has finally melted on my local trails and the sun is shining.

I posted in this pic elsewhere but where and how I came to leave the bike here was a lucky escape.

Sometimes its a fine line between success and hospital that we chose to ride.

Hope its okay or mends quickly 😉

It’s not really the breaking fingers which hurts, but the week or so of constantly knocking them doing every day things – you must knock unbroken fingers all the time but just don’t notice.

Cup of tea? Not so easy any more .. punch wall when picking up cup, stub finger on fridge door when getting milk, jab with a fork when picking up a spoon, etc 😐

Fingers!! Try bouncing off a tree stump via your head & imagining you’ve broken your neck as you hear ‘crunch!’ & thinking, ‘what wheelchair tyres for…?
Still not right 4 weeks later. 🙁

Its like spring fever abd tou go nuts in the bike. Bad luck. hope it heals quickly.

I’m a bit pissed, so it might be the alcohol, but I’m pretty sure it’s not broken.

Just very bruised and sore. Hopefully I can work next week and ride the next weekend, although it’ll be more of a beer garden tour with the GF than a throwing-myself-down-a-mountain tour….

Messiah, glad you’re ok. Healing vibes to those that aren’t….

Fingers crossed its not broken 😀

Sat here with a broken wrist after finding then riding/falling down a new trail. Would have been doing the guided version of the TP next month but for a stupid error in judgement…hindsight, wonderful thing 😥

It’s not really the breaking fingers which hurts, but the week or so of constantly knocking them doing every day things – you must knock unbroken fingers all the time but just don’t notice.

I once went on a school trip to Germany and crushed a finger in a ski lift. Had it strapped up but kept banging it, so a teacher taped my hand to a clipboard and ‘encouraged’ me to ‘wear’ it for the remaining 3-4 days of the trip. So I did! This included wandering around towns, museums, hotel restaurants, everywhere. Boy did i get some weird looks! A mate even had to undo my flies every time I needed a number one or number two :). Was an awesome holiday, it must be said.