Damn... feeling ultra fortunate this afternoon.

[benb]

I went out on my MTB at lunch, and was alone.

I managed to have my biggest crash of at least 10 years. At least it would definitely have been so if it had been on video.

I went OTB jumping a log while traversing the side of a hill. Basically came down the hill, trail is turning left to then go back up the hill. Maybe a 9-10" log. Not really particularly big for me to be riding over. But the downed tree wasn't stable and I think it bounced up when I rode over it with my back tire.

OTB and over to the left side. Grabbed a handful of pine tree with my left hand on the way down, and I got lucky I was falling to the uphill side of course.

This could have been really bad.. I somehow didn't hit my head, have a handful of scrapes on the left side of my back and hip that didn't even break the skin, and I cut my right ankle on the bike. There was plenty of stuff I could have hit very close by that would have made it bad.

Got up and within 5 minutes I was cruising again. I stopped and checked myself and couldn't even find anything. I only found the cut ankle when I got in the shower and felt the burn.

Maybe time to get some lottery tickets. The trails were ultra slippery with super dry dusty leaves today so I was not exactly flying but this was just such a surprise.

[C40_guy]

Holy carp! What trails were you riding?

If that had happened to me, my Garmin would have started texting people. Is your bike computer set up that way?

[benb]

I was in Landlocked forest. When I WFH I can roll out of my driveway and ride there in < 10 minutes.

I'm fairly certain looking at Trailforks I was on the southern leg of Ali-Waji, heading towards the highway.

I don't think this tree has been down that long, but it was super rotted.

When I got home I found my jersey pockets were full of wood chips.

Last time I fell in here a couple years ago my Garmin did go off but I think because I broke the fall it just didn't go off this time. That was a theoretically less scary crash but the bike fell on rocks and probably had a higher G-force. That time was less scary as well because I wasn't riding alone.

[DeBike]

You are fortunate, indeed. I crashed May 28, over the bar to the left side. I landed on the ground with the right side of head, neck and shoulder. Though I had significant injuries: 3 fractures in my neck, 2 broken ribs, and a separated shoulder with a full rotator cuff tear, I feel fortunate. One of the orthopedic docs told me the fracture at C-2 is where a noose is designed to snap the neck, and called the “hangman’s break”.
I also had a black eye, swollen nose, and other minor damage.
I am recovered from all except the shoulder, surgery on it 5 weeks ago. Rehab is moving along slowly.

[bigbill]

In late 2018, I was riding in the desert and crossing a narrow wash. My wash game wasn't that strong yet, like knowing to keep my weight back, and the front wheel dug into the loose gravel, sending me OTB, landing on my back. I was little dazed but I kept hearing some kind of alarm. It was my Garmin counting down until it called my emergency contact. I was able to shut it off and spent about five minutes just gathering myself before heading off. It was going to call my ex wife, who hated me with every fiber of her being. I established a local emergency contact, who is a JW, but she promised not to say anything if I needed a blood transfusion. Now my wife is my contact.