I am no longer 20 years old. (longish)

[jorian]

For those who don’t want to/can’t read to the end; I’m injured but bike is A-OK.

I’ve been riding a dirt bike for the past 5 years or so. I have about 120 hours into the sport. My speedo tells me so.

Went riding with 4 other buds last Saturday. On a trail I have ridden a dozen times or more we were heading up an easy double track climb at about 50KMS (32 MPH for you yanks). The trail has a narrow ditch in the middle of it cut out by rain water. With a little throttle you can jump over from side to side without dropping a wheel in. Lotsa fun and not hard to do. As the trail steepens the ditch gets deeper and is not kind to a front wheel that drops in. I had jumped back and forth a few times but on this particular attempt the rear dropped in and my front wheel washed out.

As I was going down I thought, “no biggie,” been here before. I was already thinking of getting back up, jumping on the bike and roaring away. I don’t like to hold up other riders or get passed . I wear full armour all the time which gives me peace of mind when hurtling up trails. I have a full chest/back protector jacket that includes shoulder and elbow protection. There is however, a narrow 2 inch strip underneath my armpit that extends to my waist that is unprotected. Murphy’s law was in full effect as that exposed part of my side landed on the only stump sticking out of the ground for 50 feet in either direction.

I think the Viet Cong did the trail maintenance. The stump was covered with foliage and was cut about a foot tall with a 4 inch diameter and with a 45 degree angle leaving a nice sharp point. Who the hell clears trails like that? The stump pierced my jersey and chest protector webbing, broke three of ribs and punctured my left lung.

I’ve always heard that busted ribs are painful. NO chit. It’s been a week and I still can’t get a good night’s sleep. A small cough is agony and a sneeze has me in tears. 50% lung capacity means a flight of stairs winds me.

When I was 20 I just seemed to heal a lot quicker. Forgive me for stating the obvious, but I’m starting to feel my age. I’ll be 50 this summer. Youth is wasted on the young.

Pic of my rig during happier times.

[Oh Haha]

That sucks, obviously. I haven't had a bad injury in a while and not looking forward to it.

I'm 47, BTW.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Moses]

When I had displaced fractures of three ribs and a hemothorax I was absolutely miserable. Wincing in a cab ride, the cabbie asked me what was wrong. He told me he was a doctor in Latvia before he immigrated. I asked him how long my injury was gonna hurt. His answer? "Your age + 30 days." He was just about exactly right.

Sorry about your injury. I remember the agony of trying to get off the couch after settling in for a few hours. Ugh...

[ckelly78z]

Sorry about your mishap, hope it doesn't keep you down too long. I did something very similar with my dirtbike (Honda XR200) a few months back. I was riding through the yard and the dog ran out in front of me. I jerked the handlebars around to avoid running clean over the dog, and high sided off to one side of the bike. My face and upper chest hit the ground at the same time (no helmet or chest protector) and I broke a couple ribs. I was able to get the bike back up, started it, and rode back to the garage.

It was a full 8 weeks before I quit hurting from that one and a week or two of compromised sleep......broken ribs suck at 50 years old.

[nostatic]

2-wheels can be problematic that way. The slow healing...well, it doesn't get any better. Hope it goes reasonably quick.

[oldE]

Sorry to hear you're hurting.

You may have healed quicker in your younger days, but those old injuries have a way of coming back later in life.

I low-sided a bike in the spring of '81 and every now and then (when the weather is changing, for example) the knee I managed to twist reminds me of my poor judgement at the time.

Best of luck and speedy healing.
Les

[Bugsinrugs]

I have given up all fun except for sex.....and even that hurts sometimes.

[Shifter]

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

I have given up all fun except for sex.....and even that hurts sometimes.

Only if the husband catches you...

Sorry for the highjack.

[LeeH]

Thanks for the *wince*. Hope you heal quickly!

Broke my bottom rib playing soccer when I got punted playing goalie. Unfortunately, it was a "displaced" fracture - meaning the broken parts no longer lined up, but crossed over each other. Took over two years to fully heal.

The experience gave me a special respect for professional athletes who still go to work with broken ribs.

[JavaBrewer]

Having suffered 2 separate rib injuries I can relate. It only hurts when I breathe...being older makes it even harder. Good luck.

[Dantilla]

I broke three ribs once. Absolute misery.

I'll take the shattered femur over broken ribs. Easily.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

if you are breaking ribs at 50 crashing dirt bikes, you are doing everything right. What would hurt more, some broken ribs or sitting on the couch wasting your life away? I say job well done! Heal up soon.

[jorian]

Thanks for all the kind words.

Hopefully your age plus 30 days is not my healing time. I'm an optimist, just booked my family ski vacation for the middle of March

[gsxrken]

Sound like it could have been even worse, really. Good to hear you'll be alright.
I have had broken ribs twice in my life. Both were painful for what seemed like a very long time. I was traveling a lot the second time and was embarrassed as an otherwise physically fit man to have to routinely ask fellow passengers to lift my bags in and out of the overheads for me.

I hope you eventually go back and nuke the stump.

[LakeCleElum]

Sorry to hear this. Heal quickly. Where are you finding trails like this in the middle of winter?

[Bugsinrugs]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Sorry to hear this. Heal quickly. Where are you finding trails like this in the middle of winter?

Must be California...we don't have winters anymore.

[look 171]

heal quick my friend. Someone inexperience bone head crossed my front wheel in the rain on my road bike and I hit the deck. after 8 weeks, I am back to normal from a broken collarbone and three busted ribs. Don't let em' make you laugh. you will be sitting or sleeping motionless for the first two weeks. After that, you will start to feel better. Getting up from bed is the worst. My poor wife had to pull me up for the first two days. After that, I made sure to do it myself with a tremendous amount of pain. Hang in there, it get better each day.

[manbridge 74]

Was this a previously ridden section of trail? Get well soon and post a pic of crash site. I'm having a hard time figuring how it all went pear shaped.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

if you are breaking ribs at 50 crashing dirt bikes, you are doing everything right. What would hurt more, some broken ribs or sitting on the couch wasting your life away? I say job well done! Heal up soon.

This.

[jorian]

Good call. I will go back and nuke the stump.

I'm in Vancouver. In winter I ride on V Island. Qualicum Beach has a great trail network. Started by two guys and locally known as the KTM trail or Whiskey Creek, the network was just recognized as a designated off road recreation area by the BC Government. One of only two in BC. Awesome stuff in there. Very similar to the stuff in Cle Elum.

Squamish is a great spot too. About an hour north of me. We typically don't get a winter here so the trails are accessible year round.