This past weekend was the Illinois State Criterium Championship. It's actually the first real race I've done this year since I have been planning a wedding that went off without a hitch in the middle of last month. So I am untrained, and not as fit as I was last year. I had a slow start to the 40 minute race, but was feeling good so started moving up. By the half way point I was probably top 10 or so, which is just about perfect. According to a buddy, the leaders slowed down a lot leading into turn one, and they caught me off guard. I slammed on the front brake and did an end-o that I landed in a nice face plant. From there two or three riders behind me ran over me and ended up on the ground. Fortunately I don't remember any of this because I knocked myself out cold from the first hit, and stayed that way for a good 30 to 45 seconds. I woke up in the ambulance on the way to the hospital (or that's my first memory, bystanders report that I was asking if I had won). Turns out I have multiple fractures to my face. The helmet took two big hits, but still transferred enough energy to give me a concussion. The local hospital didn't have the expertise to do the plastic surgery needed, so i got transferred to a Level 1 hospital on the south side of Chicago. My face wasn't hurting much, but my back and chest were killing me. They took more CTs and X-rays and determined my T8 vertebrae is fractured and compressed. So despite the head injury, no sitting up for the last two days. Today I get a ninja-turtle shell which I'll be wearing for the next six to eight weeks. So no work, no motorcycle, and no driving for me until I can sit up without the brace on - probably 6 to 8 weeks. I'll be in the hospital for at least another two days until the plastic surgery on my face is done. I do have road rash all over, too, but I am not worried about that. They black flagged the race and ran a 20 minute sprint after I was cleared off the course.
I've crashed motorcycles pretty badly in my riding career, but nothing compares to this 25mph bicycle wreck. Just goes to show how much good gear matters. Be safe out there everyone.
[smg id=411]
