Helmet saved my bacon

Knocked out cold I woke up with mouth & nose full of blood. Spit the blood out and took a breath. Opened my eyes to see *stars* all around, a tree, and my bike leaking gasoline on it's side. Tried to roll over and turn off gas tank but couldn't move right leg or breathe too good. Starting saying help.....help, but it wasn't loud enough cause my throat had been smashed and was also full of blood running down from my smashed nose and mouth.

Got lucky and the very next riders that went by were event workers from checkpoint 6#. They stopped, rolled me over and helped me up on my feet, and while I crawled back up the hillside to the trail they dragged my bike back up onto the trail. I tried to keep riding the race course as I only had 5miles left to go of about 100, and I was still in the running, but I was still seeing those **** stars and I couldn't lift my right leg up high enough to get it back onto the footpeg. Rode back on the fireroad with my right leg dangling, drove 3 hours back to the ER. 5 hours of catscans, xrays, bloodwork, etc later and I'm good to go. Tore a small muscle by my calf, neck/face/nose/mouth swollen still bleeding, and got my bell rung good. My Bell Moto8 helmet.....best $150.00 I've spent. Guess I should have slowed down more when I knew I was fatigued but......that's racing. jim

Thatrs sucks!! Helmets are great arent they! Where were you riding at?

Glad to hear you're OK Jim, sounded nasty.

The Jackhammer Enduro up at the Stonyford OHV park. My helmet's chin bar is cracked just above the air intake so I'll be throwing it out and buying a new one. jim

Gnarly. Glad you're OK, bro.

ouch....glad to hear you walked away.

Jesus, Jim...  it hurts just to look at you like that!  I'm glad it wasn't worse!  You have balls, my man.

I feel fragile even sitting on a bike without a full-face helmet.

DUDE!!!!!!

Glad you are OK bro!!!

Please be careful out there!!!!!

Sincerely,

Jim

Nows when I make my move. Just kidding big boy. Jesus christ Jimmy, take it easy man. We got years left to fish and you are one of my main compadres. Dont want to see you going down unless you are after another 10 dude. Craig

Glad you've no broken bones or serious injury.  Hope you a speedy recovery and looking to yak fish with you again soon.

Helmet good...ground hard...face soft...helmet gooooooooddd.

Glad to hear you are ok (ish).

somewhere i've still got the helmet that i slid nearly 60 feet on the top of my head on. Don't have the one with the flat spot from the low tree branch in the middle of the whoops. Don't have the bike helmet that blew up when my head bounced off a boulder. But i have the scars from each in remembrance.

Damm lucky you didn't  break your friggin neck, Glad your OK. Did one like that when I was 18 , I'd hate to have to go through all that  again at 45.

Damn dude! Glad you are ok. Right gear makes all the difference! Being a bad ass helps too.

-Brian G

Glad to here you somewhat OK bro (no head injury). The neck part looks Painfull. I can't imagine how hard you hit your head to break the helmet and have the chin strap do that much damage to your neck. I have a couple of those nasty wipe outs in my younger years, would not want to think about one now. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Tree vs Helmet I'll call it a draw THNK GOD FOR FULL FACE HELMETS. I will call you in the middle of the week to check the fishing conditions.

William 102  

You're a badass brother!!! Dirtbiking is no joke, glad you made it you tough bastard!!!  Way to keep pushing and get yourself checked out tho.  GOOD MAN!!!!