For those that know me on site here I have another “I fell story.” Last Monday I went for one of my long rides, 53 miles out and 53 back , ride to the Alabama state line from my house. It is about 3 miles of road before the Silver Comet Trail and all trail from there.
I was happy to get a long ride in since I hadn’t been able to find the time to get started early enough for the ride for a little while. I leave at 11 and get home by 7. Average at least 20 , probably more like 23 + makes about 5 hours in the saddle. I was a little late leaving at 1130. I remember looking at my helmet and seeing an old crack and saying to myself “I am in a hurry 1 more ride “ , didn’t want to take 2-5 min to remove my Cat ears and readjust a new helmet, had to go! Don’t want my wife irritated and be late getting home.
I rode to Coot’s Lake ,stopped, had an apple called my wonderful wife just to say hi and checking in. This is about 25 miles from home. The next thing I remember and not well was looking at my phone trying to call home but not recognizing which home number to use . I know I called her. Next I remember pushing my bike a little as I walked and the front wheel rubbing. I remember trying to fix the rubbing by pulling on the fender and something snapped and it still was rubbing. Next I remember kind of getting on the stretcher then waiting while the ambulance was calling the preferred hospital and waiting for a few minutes just sitting there not moving, didn’t know why we just sitting there at that time . Then 35 miles to the hospital where my mind has kind of /pretty much started working in a linear fashion, 2 nights later I am allowed to go home on Thursday.
I don’t know if I blacked out and fell or fell and blacked out . I know where I was now, but when I called my wife I told her something like I fell, I don’t know where I am or how to get home. I remember as I said earlier I had a hard time figuring which home number to use , a couple old different numbers are listed under home, her name and an email address for her has another old different number. A quick humorous not I remember trying to fix that in contacts and later almost all numbers said home in the recent list…don’t let a confused person make any decisions, even small, I am laughing now thinking about this as I write.
From her perspective she had to find me to get help. She had 2 phone lines running but took 3 explanations to get me to and to understand how to actually make a 911 call . I was near a mile marker and told her and probably everyone else that number but the wanted to triangulate on phone to find me. She had figured out what county I was in from the earlier call ,called the sheriff and trail patrol to find me. I don’t remember the police/sheriff just the EMT but not actually meeting any of them just laying on the gurney and being in the back of the ambulance. It was pretty rough on her.
So I don’t remember the 10 plus miles from the phone call from Coots lake to where I fell. While in the hospital l was in “for observation “ rather than admitted. I will see how good Medicare coverage with additional BlueCross/Anthem . So billing will be part A instead of part B. They did a cat scan, mri and monitored me , possibley more as my memory is still not right. I am having heart style symptoms they were looking into ahead of time but this is different . I get lightheaded often when standing up, low blood pressure . I had another heart scan today which was scheduled prior to the fall, may or may not be related if they find something. Every other test has been negative so a lot of I don’t know the cause or which happened 1st
Back to the original point, my helmet was Mips rated from Costco purchased around 30 bucks or so but the point is it was already defective from an early fall most likely but didn’t know that till just before this ride. I said to myself 1 more ride and I trash it. I looked at my helmet after the the incident when I got home a see it now has at 3 cracks in the foam and larger scuffs on the my left side then the initial ones on the right. Initially I thought I may have blacked out and fallen due to my light headed issue but not so sure now. I have slight bruise on my head that is small and isn’t noticeable unless I push on it, no bump. I am frugal but not replacing the helmet was really a 95% a time saver, 5% being my father (frugal).
I have a friend who has a much more expensive style helmet , fell once I believe with no obvious cracks , should it be replaced? I don’t know…
WEAR HELMET AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT IS GOOD! Your wrong opinion is your own
Hope I can ride again…soon would be great and even at all will be good
Last thing I have been stalling getting some Sat phone of some kind just for this reason, I had signal on cell but not always true, what would have happened if I fell in one of the dead zones or on travel? Need to be prepared and lazy or not knowing what to do ( which satellite/emergency service to get ). I have the funds for any of them just overwhelmed which to get
Mark , slightly off still…
I was happy to get a long ride in since I hadn’t been able to find the time to get started early enough for the ride for a little while. I leave at 11 and get home by 7. Average at least 20 , probably more like 23 + makes about 5 hours in the saddle. I was a little late leaving at 1130. I remember looking at my helmet and seeing an old crack and saying to myself “I am in a hurry 1 more ride “ , didn’t want to take 2-5 min to remove my Cat ears and readjust a new helmet, had to go! Don’t want my wife irritated and be late getting home.
I rode to Coot’s Lake ,stopped, had an apple called my wonderful wife just to say hi and checking in. This is about 25 miles from home. The next thing I remember and not well was looking at my phone trying to call home but not recognizing which home number to use . I know I called her. Next I remember pushing my bike a little as I walked and the front wheel rubbing. I remember trying to fix the rubbing by pulling on the fender and something snapped and it still was rubbing. Next I remember kind of getting on the stretcher then waiting while the ambulance was calling the preferred hospital and waiting for a few minutes just sitting there not moving, didn’t know why we just sitting there at that time . Then 35 miles to the hospital where my mind has kind of /pretty much started working in a linear fashion, 2 nights later I am allowed to go home on Thursday.
I don’t know if I blacked out and fell or fell and blacked out . I know where I was now, but when I called my wife I told her something like I fell, I don’t know where I am or how to get home. I remember as I said earlier I had a hard time figuring which home number to use , a couple old different numbers are listed under home, her name and an email address for her has another old different number. A quick humorous not I remember trying to fix that in contacts and later almost all numbers said home in the recent list…don’t let a confused person make any decisions, even small, I am laughing now thinking about this as I write.
From her perspective she had to find me to get help. She had 2 phone lines running but took 3 explanations to get me to and to understand how to actually make a 911 call . I was near a mile marker and told her and probably everyone else that number but the wanted to triangulate on phone to find me. She had figured out what county I was in from the earlier call ,called the sheriff and trail patrol to find me. I don’t remember the police/sheriff just the EMT but not actually meeting any of them just laying on the gurney and being in the back of the ambulance. It was pretty rough on her.
So I don’t remember the 10 plus miles from the phone call from Coots lake to where I fell. While in the hospital l was in “for observation “ rather than admitted. I will see how good Medicare coverage with additional BlueCross/Anthem . So billing will be part A instead of part B. They did a cat scan, mri and monitored me , possibley more as my memory is still not right. I am having heart style symptoms they were looking into ahead of time but this is different . I get lightheaded often when standing up, low blood pressure . I had another heart scan today which was scheduled prior to the fall, may or may not be related if they find something. Every other test has been negative so a lot of I don’t know the cause or which happened 1st
Back to the original point, my helmet was Mips rated from Costco purchased around 30 bucks or so but the point is it was already defective from an early fall most likely but didn’t know that till just before this ride. I said to myself 1 more ride and I trash it. I looked at my helmet after the the incident when I got home a see it now has at 3 cracks in the foam and larger scuffs on the my left side then the initial ones on the right. Initially I thought I may have blacked out and fallen due to my light headed issue but not so sure now. I have slight bruise on my head that is small and isn’t noticeable unless I push on it, no bump. I am frugal but not replacing the helmet was really a 95% a time saver, 5% being my father (frugal).
I have a friend who has a much more expensive style helmet , fell once I believe with no obvious cracks , should it be replaced? I don’t know…
WEAR HELMET AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT IS GOOD! Your wrong opinion is your own
Hope I can ride again…soon would be great and even at all will be good
Last thing I have been stalling getting some Sat phone of some kind just for this reason, I had signal on cell but not always true, what would have happened if I fell in one of the dead zones or on travel? Need to be prepared and lazy or not knowing what to do ( which satellite/emergency service to get ). I have the funds for any of them just overwhelmed which to get
Mark , slightly off still…
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