So...here's another inherent problem with being a "seasoned" participant in "extreme" activities...you sometimes forget your not 18 years old anymore and pay dearly that lapse of memory.
Some of my fondest memories as a young teen was spent zipping around my local BMX track. BMX was my first introduction to "extreme" sports and was how I met my crew of like minded individuals who I'm proud to say remain my closest friends 25 years later. BMX stopped for me right around the time I got my drivers license. The only reason I stopped in retrospect was some little fucker stole my prized and expensive CW race bike and I was crushed.
Fast forward 23 years and I find myself back at the track showing my 8 year old and his friend the finer points of BMX racing. I'm not one to live vicariously through my offspring so of course I'm also racing on a cruiser and loving it. Well...last practice lap before racing starts I decide to push myself just to see how fast (or slow) I am comparative to the track pro gated to my left. Riders ready...watch the gate...go! I negotiate the first step up perfectly getting a great pump of the back side and I'm hauling ass! Next obstacle is a very large camel jump...just over 5' high and around 20' in length. You either suck up the tranny and pump through or if your good enough you clear the whole thing. I lost focus and paid the toll. I glanced to my left so see how far away the local pro was. To my surprise he was only a bike and a half length ahead which indicated I was indeed hauling ass. Well before I knew it (b/c I was paying attention to the pro not me)I was airborne and not at all prepared for it. It happened so fast but I landed front wheel over the frontside of the camel jump and my back wheel on the frontside ( the worst scenario) which meant I was catapulted from my bike going about 20 miles an hour. The first thing I noticed was how high I was off of the ground...about 8 feet...I knew it was going to be brutal! Shoulder first left side upon impact resulted in a loud snapping sound. I tucked and rolled which I believe staved off a worse injury. I was able to collect my self and bike off of the track so I thought I was OK. It was after I sat down I realized the damage and then the whole tunnel vision cold sweat I want to pass out thing started. Short story long I dislocated my collar bone and contused a few ribs for good measure...4-6 weeks before I'll start to heal BUT no surgery which is a win in my book! Dr. said I was lucky as he personally knows a person who hit a curb on his bike and is now paralyzed...Yikes! Obviously there is inherent risks involved in any sport especially on the "extreme" side of things. Lesson learned...I'm not 18 anymore and I do not posses the skills a trained professional has...I was hauling ass though wasn't I ;)
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