Crashed Today…
 

This morning I rode my free-ride bike out to Yoyogi Park in Tokyo for a 25km spin. Yesterday a typhoon rolled through the region, this morning the weather was perfect, though everything was wet. Having done a number of laps on the paved path, I headed off onto a dirt trail running through the trees. I was moving at a pretty good pace, somewhat down hill, when I bounced over some fairly big tree roots. They were slippery, and the ground was muddy, so I had a pretty spectacular fall at around 30kph. Luckily the ground was soft and my head quite hard, and I was able to ride away with a sore shoulder blade and a thick coating of mud. Hopefully I won’t be too sore to go out again tomorrow.

Luckily I seem to have made a full recovery from my case of COVID last month. My heart rate is back to normal, and I feel reasonably fit. I wish the climate was as nice here in Tokyo as it was in Hawaii, but it’s good to be home.

I hope for a speedy recovery and no major injuries!!!

Well, hitting your head is never a trivial matter. I hope all is well.

Not even a bump on my head, but my shoulder and chest have tightened up, and taking a deep breath hurts, aspirin seems to be managing the pain. Oddly, it feels a little good to get a little banged up, it feels like being young again. Back in the day my life was pretty rough-and-tumble, though I expect it'll take me a little longer to recover than it used to.

Proof of Life!
It's weird, that feeling of satisfaction after getting hurt. I had it too, and thought of the scene in North Dallas Forty when the two football players talked about this exact thing.

Heal quickly!

…it could have been me. We too had slick trails recently, which I like to blast through on part of my ride (4 blocks or so of tight singletrack), but I had to bail over the bars elsewhere the other day when my wheel caught in a crack between some pavement and another hard surface which pinched the wheel and instantly stopped the bike. I hopped over the bars like a hurdler, out of clips/straps. Stuck the landing, but may have dabbed a knuckle on the ground in doing so, lol. I realize though, that at 64, It might have been far worse.

Thought I'd show my face here again, post Covid (we all wish) but I've avoided it fortunately. Hope you've all got through this.

But I can't avoid the crashes! I've had lots in the last few years, mainly on the cycle path, and lots of near disasters on the road.
The roads! Busier than ever; a new breed of driver proliferates. Youngsters, always in a hurry, driving Mercs and Beamers as well as those plying the cycleways on electric scooters, bikes, and even motorbikes, plying their trade swiftly and efficiently, avoiding the Police.
Intimidation is their game, and its no joke when you're getting on in years.
Yesterday I nearly bought it. Turning right onto a major thoroughfare road, nothing coming. I'd not completed my turn when I bacame aware of a red car, from the left, almost upon me. I turned out of his way, to meet another red car facing me. I stopped the bike amidst the blaring of horns. Both cars managed to avoid me.
Where did they spring from? Am i now seeing what's not there, and not seeing what is?
For the first time in my life, I find myself afraid to venture onto the roads where I live.
Thank goodness for spinning bike classes!
But it's great to get on a real bike - when its quiet!

Keep safe.

Do you have front facing and rear facing cameras?

A while back, while driving, I almost had an incidence with a pedestrian. I was facing west at around 7pm so the sun was in my eyes. But while I was stopped at the traffic light, I studied the curb and the crosswalk for any pedestrians. There were none. When I started my right turn, suddenly I had to slam my brakes for a pedestrian who was already right in front on the driver side of my hood. How did he get there?

I had an action camera I took off my bike and mounted on my dash. The next day, I studied the 30 seconds of the incidence over and over again to find out where he was all that time when I was studying the curb. It turned out, he was a few feet further from the actual pedestrian crosswalk and leaning against a lamp post. That's why when I was studying the curb, nobody was there.

Anyways, having a camera may help you with where you can check the next time or if it was unavoidable.

r.e. my bold ---- BE- Bovine Excrement !!! thank you very much. I'm approach 4th Tuesday since my incident and I ain't feeling any younger or satisfied from the FIRST MILI-SECOND following the crash :D

DANG can't forget about the WILD HOGS that seem to have it in for me. Second hit in 2 years 3 months with both times time spent at the hospitals AND both times there were no vehicles on the roads 'cause it was 1:25am the first time and 3:06am the 2nd time.

It’s been a week, and I am mostly recovered. The pain was pretty intense earlier in the week, I sneezed once and it felt like I had been shot (and I know what that feels like). The pain is mostly gone unless I reach up to get something off a high shelf. I’ll be getting out and riding as the weather allows, the worst of our summer heat and humidity here in Tokyo have passed, so it’s becoming nice to be outside. We’ll be headed up to the mountains in Ibaraki in September, it should be wonderful up there.

The WILD HOGS are a problem in the countryside here in Japan. Hunting for deer and wild boars used to be quite popular, but as all the younger people have moved to the cities and those who are still in the countryside are getting too old to shoot (except each other), there are getting to be too many deer and wild boars. There are now signs all over the countryside warning people about the boars, which are the most dangerous animals in Japan other than the bears up on Hokkaido.

What's a "free-ride bike"?

We
A dual-suspension mountain bike which fits between an enduro and a downhill bike. It has long-travel suspension, big axles, and is good for jumps, stunts, stairs, etc.

Here she is:


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8f721fdff.jpeg

No one makes a full recovery after Covid. The damage done to the lungs and brain and other organs is permanent.

The U.S. Veterans Administration released a recent study that found that vets who had a Covid infection were twice as likely to die from all causes as those who have not been infected. This makes sense as the virus affects nearly every organ in the body.

You have a specific reference to a specific study or news release for these statements? Seems to make sense that all Vets and all non-Vets are likely to die of some cause at some time.

Your example is exactly why my latest MTB purchase was a lightweight hardtail, not full suspension. I don't need to be going faster over rougher terrain when I make a mistake.

That said, I'm glad you're healing. Good luck.

In my own driveway
 

Not today but a couple weeks ago,while making and testing seat and handlebar adjustments on my brand new bike,when heading down my sloped gravel driveway,I clipped a planter with my pedal causing me to overcorrect and careen into my flatbed truck,throwing me off the bike and fully onto my shoulder. Hurt so frickin bad. X-rays showed nothing broken thankfully. Still hurts like hell to cough,sneeze,roll over in bed,etc. Glad to be retired and not stressing about missed work. Sucks to hurt though and one thing I’ve noticed as i’ve gotten older is that healing takes longer.6-7 mile rides are about all i can manage from discomfort for now. Puts a damper on some planned bikepacking too.

Ouch. But how's the bike?!!! ;)

The bike was fine but the bar end mirror i’d just attached broke in pieces. Appreciate your concern for the bike 😂.

large, slippery, tree roots & mud, at 18mph! yeeha!

was looking at body armor recently for shoulders, hips & knees. I don't want injuries to sideline my cycling

Glad to hear you were not seriously injured. Might be a good idea to visit your doctor and just get a quick checkup / look over..

Thankfully I am now back to 100%, no more pain, and back on the bike. I used my downtime to do some more upgrades, my old Giant is sporting a new crankset and BB. I’ll be doing some testing on safer trails today.