Switchback pass gone wrong

Discussion in 'Crash Confessions' started by knucklebuster, Feb 27, 2020.


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  1. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    On literally the last switchback of yesterday's Zion-Gabrielino ride, I decided I needed to get out front. I got by Tom and Ross.... but was laying on the trail flat on my back in front of them:eek:

    Really though, maybe 50 feet from the left turn switchback I hit my right shoulder on a limb or something, never even saw it. It turned me and tossed me down the hill probably 20 feet near vertical, through bushes and dead branches that were recently trimmed, which probably saved me from worse. Landed on the trail on back of my head and center/upper back. Ross was first one up to me after he went around the switchback. Successful pass! If I had rolled another couple feet I would have gone an uninhibited 50+ more vertical feet down into the canyon

    Like so often is the case, we had done all this techy rocky droppy stuff and we were cruising (briskly) on relatively smooth trail. Complacent or tired and lazy by that point, I wasn't paying close attention and paid the price.

    Just got spine/neck xray results, no fractures, just the moderate disk degeneration that I knew about. Having pain breathing but didn't show any broken ribs, and a whole lotta pain and stiffness in the neck, back and shoulders with any movement (lying in bed even was miserable last night). Full concussion test came out good too, although I couldn't have repeated 6 random numbers the doc said, even before the crash.

    Anyway, dodged a bullet, and so thankful it was only as bad as it was. Doc said no biking for 2 weeks and if any symptoms, head related especially, or breathing, I go back to UC or ER. So I'll be sitting around for a bit, and shopping for a new helmet.

    Huge thanks to @rossage @Tom the Bomb and Steve @TrailQuest (who drove and took care of me on the haul home). They were right on top of it asking me all the concussion questions and checking limb movement. If you're gonna fall off a cliff these are the guys to be with :)

    Oh yeah, bike was not harmed in this incident, not a scratch, bent lever, crooked bars, wonky shifting, nothing. Amazingly lucky!
    20200226_140540.jpg 20200226_123634.jpg
     
  2. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Glad this was one you could (mostly) walk away from!!!
     
  3. pperrelle

    pperrelle iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Oracle, AZ
    Name:
    Paul
    Current Bike:
    Ripley V4 & Ripmo V2
    Um, in the future, could you please lead with this important bit of information....... :D
     
  4. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    Damn! heal up soon man!
     
  5. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Yikes....I know it's mostly overkill (obviously NOT after seeing your photos) but I always wear a full face that's DH rated out there. The good ones are soooo light and vent so well nowadays that it's not a big deal like it used to be. Like we always said with dirt bikes...."How much is your head worth"?
     
  6. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Knuckles! :eek:

    I'm glad you're getting out there... I'm even more glad that your helmet did its job. F@ck... Wow.
     
  7. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Dude! Glad you're mostly ok, and nothing broken except the helmet.
    Heal up quick, ok?!
     
  8. Maderas84

    Maderas84 Member

    Location:
    Fluent in French & sarcasm.
    Name:
    Andres
    Current Bike:
    Ibis, Pivot & Santa Cruz
    Pheeewww! I agree with mtbMike. FF helmet whenever I ride downhill in any part of The Gabes except Chilao, Pacifico, Brown, KB and El P.
     
  9. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    So glad to hear this was not worse. Hope you're back at it soon.
     
  10. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Dave! OUCH!!! Glad it isn’t worse. Heal up. The trails will be waiting for your return.
     
  11. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Umm, we will have no more of this type of behavior...:coffee:
     
  12. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    I see the Strava Squiggly where you made that switchback pass on both Mr. Bomb and Mr. Sausage! That’s a pretty good feather in your cap.
     
  13. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Wow this sounds like it could have been a whole bunch worse. Glad you are basically OK. I smashed my head in to the rocks on middle merrill a while back and the outcome was pretty much exactly the same as yours. That damn granite doesn't budge.
     
  14. TrailQuest

    TrailQuest Member

    Location:
    O.C
    Name:
    Steve/Steverino
    Current Bike:
    Hightower/Stumpy/HeiHei
    Dave, that was more like 35 feet that you plunged! And doggone it you gave us a somber, intense moment of heightened consternation!!!!

    As the chief said, "no more of this"...…..
     
  15. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    The last switchback is a doozy. Fast entry into a sandy, off-camber, lefty, with a wooden step propped up by a protruding length of rebar.
    Just shouting "Yeah!" When I look up and see movement on the hillside.
    As me and @Tom the Bomb skid to a halt, @knucklebuster is cartwheeling down to a head first lawndart landing on the trail in front of us.
    Accompanied by the broken brush, and his bike, he landed with a sound incomparable, and I feared the worst as I approached.
    Are you ok? Yeah, I know, stupid question...
    Don't move, wait, can you move your feet and hands?
    I believe his first words were "What the F@ck?"
    After that it was concussion protocol and getting Dave untangled from the brush. The Guerilla Gravity shook off that landing like a bunny hop on the way to school.
    The cut stump that Dave hit is nothing more than a shadow at speed and it's a matter of inches to get past. Never realized how tight it was until we walked back up there and saw the Space X launch point.
    When I said cartwheeling, he was coming down with the bike, falling to the left, all the way over and over until impact.
    Damnedest thing I've seen in a while.
    Not sure what a fullface would have done for this crash, impact was to the back of the head...
    Heal up fast and well
    IMG_20200226_120426.jpg
     
  16. TrailQuest

    TrailQuest Member

    Location:
    O.C
    Name:
    Steve/Steverino
    Current Bike:
    Hightower/Stumpy/HeiHei
    ^^^(photo), nice homage to a swell and skilled MTBer.

    Ironically, the yellow sticker on his helmet was the prescription for the drive home.
     
  17. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    Yeah I didn't get to do that one. Need a rematch in a couple weeks!

    Thanks ya'll for the well wishes
     
  18. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    Here's one for you...IMG_20200226_120459_01.jpg
     
  19. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
  20. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
  21. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Holy shyt, Dave, scary tumble. Please don’t ever do that again! :stop: Surprising to hear of it from someone I consider very skilled and measured on the trail. That says something I guess – anyone can get bit. Heal strong and quickly, pal. :)

    Break a limb if you must, but try to keep your spines safe, guys. Maybe your heads, too.
     
  22. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    Happy you will ride another day! A wake up call for all of us.
     
  23. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    For sale. White helmet. Multiple vents, lightly used. :thumbsup:

    Duuuuuuude - those are the kind of WTF moments that can knock you out for months! Glad to hear it may only be a couple of weeks. Heal up fast. And Troy Lee had 40% off their helmets last time I was there. I think they still do. Full face wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference on this fall, but it does make one think about it.
     
  24. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    Yea right! I learn the hard way and forget too soon.
     
  25. Luis

    Luis iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Sylmar
    Name:
    Luis
    Current Bike:
    La Diabla
  26. bvader

    bvader iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    HB
    Name:
    Mr. Brown
    Glad your ok and the Squad had your back...and head...and limbs...

    Blessings counted!
     
  27. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    Scary that I never even saw what sent me off. Maybe outran my eyesight, or my processing time is getting too slow. I remember thinking oh I landed in a bush I'll be ok, next I'm doing a free fall and somersaults and wondering when is this going to stop, a very helpless feeling


    Anyway, that certainly could have been a career ender or worse, and I'm so thankful it unfolded the way it did. Maybe I should stick to slower speed stuff, maybe without so much exposure, not following Tom and Ross.... Nah
     
  28. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Well, let's see, that would exclude the majority of the fun riding we have here in So Cal and many other places, as well.

    So, I'm gonna have to agree with you here when you say "Nah".
     
  29. TrailQuest

    TrailQuest Member

    Location:
    O.C
    Name:
    Steve/Steverino
    Current Bike:
    Hightower/Stumpy/HeiHei
    Well, Mr. Dave, you could allow Tom(bomb) or Rossage to lead with me behind them.....with you following me.........yep...yer.......right..... I'd Get mowed down and ......blah-blah-blah, I love
    Caboose, choo-choo; Grateful!!!!!
     
  30. Tom the Bomb

    Tom the Bomb iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Fallbrook, Ca.
    Name:
    Thomas Cosgrove
    Current Bike:
    21 SSSSSSSSSlash!
    I was gonna post a Bomb Squad Extraction Mission but this definitely gets it done.
    Knuckles? Cruising briskly is an understatement! Duuuude we were Hauling the Mail! When I swept that turn I saw that outcropping and I swear I said in my mind "yell be careful!". I then thought nah they will be good, we just cleaned the best that Chantry has to offer. OOOOOpps you can guess how I was feeling as I hear you grunting and yelling as I see you flailing down the cliffside. When I looked at your helmet I knew you got your bell rung. Chit I pried a rock out of the top vent of your helmet and then Ross pulled another as he pointed out the cut and bump on the top of your head! Looking up the side of the hill I could see the rock section embedded in the side of the cliff. So glad you landed on the trail bottom side first. That would have been a really nasty landing head first.

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    So glad the climbing is over.

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    Gotta love the 210 Freeway through Pasadena .

    IMG_1340.jpg
     


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?