Wednesday night eventualities

Nelson picked me up from home after work and we headed for the hills.  Parked in Croftfield Pl, off Penruddock, and proceeded around the Cashmere Stream Esplanade Reserve to wend our way up the Worsley Valley tracks eventually zigging our way onto Worsley's Rd and up to the end of the road.  A fair few cars parked up top there.

Up the dirt and straight into bottom of the singletrack to climb.  Originally thought we'd head straight into the new steepy off here, but reached it really quickly so decided we were feeling okay with the climbing and continued on up the steep ass little 4wd track, up past the usual singles and under the pylon.  Next came something we're not allowed to break the first rule of.  Down that, swooping and enjoying the hell out of, but instead of taking the high line to exit, we tried out the low line, which went across some open ground and was a bit of a disappointment.  Into the 4wd track and on up back to the corner and this time headed into the trees again past what used to be the sketchy wallride.

Dropped into what's apparently called Dave's Track, but i reckon should be called ACJoint, and i led off down having an excellent ride.  Was really on form, going quite quick in places, riding all the steeps and droppy swoopy bits well.  BUT, nearing the bottom, roughly even with the cliffs, on probably the third to last 'sketchy' bit, i clipped a pedal on a rocky lip, which threw my balance very slightly, making my front wheel wash out and i knew i was going down.  I left the bike and sort of began stumbling, thinking to myself, "this shouldn't be too bad, I'm not falling far, I'm not gonna hit a tree, sweet!"  My hand went out, slipped and I landed with all my force on my elbow, which transferred my falling energy into my shoulder, which went crunch.  And hurt.  Quite a bit.  Waves of nausea came and went and Nelson rode the next bit right down the chute out the bottom, while i struggled with my bike and very sore shoulder.

Got going on the climb and i didnt feel too bad, so long as i didnt try to do any tweaky power turns, sitting and climbing was okay.  Granny slog for a while, doing okay, but not handling any rough stuff.  Walked a section, rode more, then we crossed our nice little rock bridge which is holding up nicely, and I climbed the first bit out of the creek that i'd walked last week, but then walked a bunch up to the hairpin.  Got back on and fuck it hurt, so had to walk the last bit up to the 4wd track.  Riding up this was okay.  As we approached the top again, a couple of riders came flying up behind us.  As the first one passed i realised i knew him and we all stopped to chat at the gate.

We split here, Nelson headed on up Worsley to complete the ride we were going to do, while i took his keys and tentatively headed down to the car to drive round to pick him up.  He went up to top of Nun, down first half, having a crash of his own near the bottom, before heading round the road, down Kennedy's, Crocodile and out to me around 8.40, just as it was getting dark.

My ride down the bottom of Worsley's was painful.  Braking and negotiating rough stuff was the worst.  But once on the road, i found that if i locked my elbow straight, the shoulder didnt hurt, so getting down to the bottom was smooth and easy.  Before the final hairpin i stopped and headed down the bottom zigzag into the park, which was slow, then headed out Rushglen and Pentonville back to the car.  Getting the bike in the back of the car was excruciating.

Home, and i drove myself to the 24hr Surgery where just before 11pm got an Xray which thankfully showed no fractures, and was home about 12.20am...  Very busy in there last night.

Ironically, yesterday, a mate Dave at work was just talking to me about where i was on the curve of increasing confidence and cockiness leading up to the crash which plummets you back to the bottom of it again...