WHOOPS! "this DH stuff seems kind of dangerous"

DUH! It is EXTREMELY RARE for a mountain biker to openly discuss the danger that mountain biking poses to the riders (and others)!

Mike


From: Preston and Meg
Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:48:25 -0700
Subject: The Dark Side

We know that BBTC er I mean EMBA trails coordinator extraordinaire Mike
Westra broke his leg up at Whistler this year.
Although I know Mike and have often enjoyed his company at Duthie and on
the trail, I can't say we're close. Even though hearing the news was a
bit of a gut punch, at the same time there is a certain anodyne distance
from the reality. Not always so -

The Legend, Janitha, and I were up at Whistler this last weekend.
Armando! was supposed to join us but some work scheduling snafu got in
the way at the last minute.
We had a great weekend, riding Friday night, Saturday, and....Sunday.
I've ridden with Janitha lots this summer and knew he'd do just fine.
But I was really impressed with Len's progression. Taking a Shaums March
clinic and renting a "real" bike for the weekend had him really railing
the mountain. I didn't realize he hadn't been there since riding the
opening of the park in 1998 !
I even got them to try a few of the mellower double diamond runs.

Even though we were a bit burnt, Sunday morning dawned sunny and
enthusiastic. We started as per our wont on Garbanzo as soon as it
opened, aching muscles but smiling faces.

Coming down Freight Train over a rather innocuous jump, we came across
an individual writhing in pain and face down. One other person had got
there first and we began securing the trail and trying to contact the
patrol as well as assessing this guy. Despite the full face helmet he
had some impact damage to his mouth but by his moaning and thrashing we
knew it was worse. Its haunted me all week, and I only looked at i
briefly, but I saw both of his forearm bones sticking several inches out
of the top of his arm, meat hanging off them and his hand hanging very
unnaturally below. Ugh...I admit I felt a bit nauseous a few minutes
later trying to get it out of my mind. The battlefield cries from his
shattered body and psyche added to the pain of the scene. The patrol got
there reasonably fast, thanks to janitha's cell phone, and we moved on.
We figured he didn't get any drugs until after a good assessment and the
helicopter took at least another 25 minutes to land by which time we
were back to riding.

But, you know...our heart wasn't in it. Our bravado had left us and
wasn't to be found and we went for an early lunch and headed home.

Circling back to Mike, I have a new emotional appreciation for the pain
and suffering of him laying on A-line, broken.

Combined with the teenage kid with the dislocated shoulders I helped
down the course at Port Angeles last spring, I'm beginning to get a bit
spooked - this DH stuff seems kind of dangerous.

On Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:40:11 AM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:
DUH! It is EXTREMELY RARE for a mountain biker to openly discuss the danger that mountain biking poses to the riders (and others)!

Actually, no, it's not rare at all as you were made aware of in this thread ...

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fro...ke/bXMPFzyDPoc

So, is this premature senility or good old fashioned lying ?

On Monday, September 3, 2012 8:57:38 AM UTC-7, Blackblade wrote:
On Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:40:11 AM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:

DUH! It is EXTREMELY RARE for a mountain biker to openly discuss the danger that mountain biking poses to the riders (and others)!



Actually, no, it's not rare at all as you were made aware of in this thread ...



https://groups.google.com/forum/?fro...ke/bXMPFzyDPoc



So, is this premature senility or good old fashioned lying ?

Neither. It's true. I subscribe to mountain biker listservs. They almost NEVER discuss accidents. But expecting you to tell the truth is hopeless.

On Monday, September 3, 2012 5:14:22 PM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:
On Monday, September 3, 2012 8:57:38 AM UTC-7, Blackblade wrote:

On Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:40:11 AM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:



DUH! It is EXTREMELY RARE for a mountain biker to openly discuss the danger that mountain biking poses to the riders (and others)!







Actually, no, it's not rare at all as you were made aware of in this thread ...







https://groups.google.com/forum/?fro...ke/bXMPFzyDPoc







So, is this premature senility or good old fashioned lying ?



Neither. It's true. I subscribe to mountain biker listservs. They almost NEVER discuss accidents. But expecting you to tell the truth is hopeless.

sarcasmYeah ... and black is white and you are the sole guardian of the truth./sarcasm

I pointed out a permanent feature of several MTB websites where they showcase injuries and discuss them quite openly. Quite how that counts as 'almost NEVER' I have no idea unless you're also now redefining the English language.

As usual, you don't let the facts get in the way of your prejudices ...

On 9/3/2012 10:57 AM, Blackblade wrote:
On Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:40:11 AM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:
DUH! It is EXTREMELY RARE for a mountain biker to openly discuss the danger that mountain biking poses to the riders (and others)!

Actually, no, it's not rare at all as you were made aware of in this thread ...

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fro...ke/bXMPFzyDPoc

So, is this premature senility or good old fashioned lying ?

Michael J. "Handsaw" Vandeman, Piled Higher and Deeper, is a fanatic,
and therefore immune to facts that contradict his hatred of off-road
bicycling.

--
Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W
Post Free or Die!

On Monday, September 3, 2012 12:56:13 PM UTC-7, Tom $herman wrote:
On 9/3/2012 10:57 AM, Blackblade wrote:

On Thursday, August 30, 2012 5:40:11 AM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:

DUH! It is EXTREMELY RARE for a mountain biker to openly discuss the danger that mountain biking poses to the riders (and others)!



Actually, no, it's not rare at all as you were made aware of in this thread ...



https://groups.google.com/forum/?fro...ke/bXMPFzyDPoc



So, is this premature senility or good old fashioned lying ?



Michael J. "Handsaw" Vandeman, Piled Higher and Deeper, is a fanatic,

and therefore immune to facts that contradict his hatred of off-road

bicycling.



--

Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731°N, 83.985007°W

Post Free or Die!

I just tell the truth -- something you will never be accused of.

On Friday, September 7, 2012 9:54:08 PM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:
I just tell the truth -- something you will never be accused of.

Objective truth and M J Vandeman are not well acquainted. Your definition of 'the truth' is totally subjective and dependent only on what you would like to be the case ... not what actually exists.

On Monday, September 10, 2012 10:30:29 AM UTC-7, Blackblade wrote:
On Friday, September 7, 2012 9:54:08 PM UTC+1, Mike Vandeman wrote:

I just tell the truth -- something you will never be accused of.



Objective truth and M J Vandeman are not well acquainted. Your definition of 'the truth' is totally subjective and dependent only on what you would like to be the case ... not what actually exists.

Since you weren't there, by definition, you know NOTHING.