Bite of a dog

Sunday the 20th of February 2011 and my first visit to the doctors emergency rooms for the year. For once it was not a result of falling off my mountain bike. We were riding  next to Serengeti Golf Estate on jeep track, when I saw an unusual  sight - slay dogs pulling carts on wheels. I stopped and chatted to the first cart (she had 8 dogs pulling her cart) and she gave me the run down of the sport (and told me she was getting used to her new disc brakes etc.). Unfortunately when I passed the second cart the lead dog decided to sink his teeth into my calve (twice). It all happened in slow motion and I couldn't actually comprehend that the dog wanted to tear my leg off my body.

I eventually caught Greg and Andrew (they are not as social as me and don't stop to talk to strangers) and they were pretty shocked. Ok, to tell a long story short - we had another 20km to go to home before I headed to the emergency room (on my wife's insistence) and they cleaned and dressed the wounds - they apparently don't stitch dog bites (pic below).



3 nice puncture wounds



I also had my headcam on and made a short video of the ride (including the bite) - excuse the swearing it was pretty painful...

Mitsubishi Valentines MTB Dirt Ride





At 04:30 on Saturday the 12th of Feb 2011 the alarm buzzed and I sprang into action ready for my next challenge - the 67km Mitsubishi Valentines MTB Dirt Ride. Greg and me were joined by Gerry to experience this race in a game reserve outside Pretoria.   We met at my place at 05:00 and Gerry followed Greg and me to the Blue Moonlight Lodge 30 clicks outside of Pretoria. Greg and me were doing the 67km (our longest MTB race yet) and Gerry the 30km.



Greg and Gerry before the race

The race itself was pretty neat, not too hilly, plenty of jeep track with a sprinkle of mud and water thrown in. I had a few falls - once after hitting a hole in a water crossing (complete dunk and messing up yet another BlackBerry) and other times after tredging through muddy patches and not being able to uncleat in time.  There was a nasty little hill right at the end (about 150m in altitude) that punished the legs (I was fortunate to see the profile n the Hub before the race and was prepared for it).  Greg kicked my arse again and was relaxing in a camping chair under a tree when I trundled in (#competitive).

After returning back to the start/finish we found that (Dr) Gerry had already left (we thought because he was doing the shorter distance and had to leave to go back to the hospital etc as he is an Intensive Care Specialist). I only found out later in the day that he had actually had a very bad fall and had broken his scapula and fractured 2 ribs - so his visit to hospital was as a patient this time. He had managed to push his bike to the nearest help and then after seeing the medics, to push his shoulder back in place, he got in his car and drove home - my phone was now water logged so he could not contact me. Gerry we have a new respect for you and wish you all the best in your recovery. 

Cleaner version of yours truly before the layer of mud was applied in the race



Bikes have seen cleaner days....

Greg takes a dunk

Its not often that I have the glee of blogging about another person falling off their mountain bike as I am usually the main culprit. My riding partner Greg had a real cracker this morning - we were riding up the side of the road as it was flooded and all of a sudden this branch attacked Greg and made him fall a good metre into the water below (submersing him and his bike).

Thanks Greg for trying to make me feel better after all my falls this last year....

Greg standing next to his bike after emerging from the water

Andrew's new ride

I think every mountain biker can relate to the pure adulation of when you finally get the bike of your dreams. After weeks of deliberation Andrew took the plunge and brought a new mountain bike. Andrew finally settled on a KTM Score Master -  really awesome bike. Now both Andrew and Greg ride carbon bikes - guess I will have to shed some kgs' to keep up with them.

We took Andrew's virgin out for her first taste of the Benoni outback, we did a quick 43km's past Dunblane and Andrew's new bike was put through its paces with a fair amount of single track mixed with water and mud.

Single track heaven

Andrew putting his foot down

Ask no questions tell now lies

Andrews first fall

Andrew is at last a real mountain biker!! He joined Greg and myself for a nice Xmas eve morning ride, we did 50km's mostly off road. It was a really awesome ride and Andrew was a natural, he manged to keep up with us and made us really scared on how strong he will be when he gets his new bike.

He has now officially joined the  MTB riders club by having his first fall. He was going over a mound of building stones and hit a rock on the other side that sent him over the handle bars. It was a classic fall and as with most falls comes when it is least expected. He shot up, dusted himself off and gingerly remounted his bike. Here he is a few metres later full of smiles - welcome to the club Andrew.

Tar faced

Little did I know that my first ride after the 94.7 would be so eventful, after riding with 25 thousand riders and flying down hills with speeds over 70km/h my first ride alone in an empty road would be chaos.

2 km away from home it started to rain and I thought it would be best to do up my new First Accent rain jacket - should I stop or not? This was going to be a bad decision, as I carried on and took my hands off the handle bars and started zipping up my jacket. I wasn't going fast enough and lost control of the bike and ended up face first in the tar. What a mess - nose bleeding profusely, chin cut, lip cut and nose grazed etc. Off home - quick clean and then drive to the Glenwood hospital emergency. 

I was fortunate that Dr Raymond Hogg was still on duty after his night shift, I had met Raymond before after he has treated one of our children (on recommendation of our friend Heidi). He patiently sewed up my face 15 stitches above the lip and they cleaned up the rest of the cuts etc Nose was also broken but there was not much they could do here, I was then sent for Xrays to make sure my chin and neck was not fractured. 

2010 has not been a good year for me with regards to accidents on my bike....

  

Richard goes Snorkelling

Sunday swim

Lion went for a great MTB ride this morning with Ratty, Greg and Joan 50km+. Lots of rain the night before so there was plenty of mud. Greg had 2 falls and I took the mickey out of him....but then I took a tumble off the bridge staight into the stream (totally submerged) - who has the last laugh?