The amazing off road Segfree- with me on 2 days ago.
Yesterday i got a little more adventurous ( like you do – or is it just me that always does that ? ) and went exploring a bit. We’ll surely that’s the point of it for me? Anyway, about 5 Miles later, and actually on the way back I failed to notice a heavy metal chain strung between 2 posts that was across the track we were on. I didn’t have a chance to even slow down at all, and hit it at 12mph. My help said it was a slow motion moment as I stopped very abruptly, it struggled not to fall over, sort of rocked twice before crashing down backwards. I saw the chain only as I hit it, and recall feeling no sense of emotion as it pulled me over. I don’t think i as yet fear impending potential disaster, coming from where I have in my head, but I should have. Anyway my head hit the ground as it tipped backwards fast, and my body ( over which I’ve no control ) rolled off, leaving me in the gravel.
There was no way my help would have the strength to lift me up and get me back on, after first righting the machine and putting on the park brake, though he’d have tried, for sure. Two Germans appeared on bikes and between them they lifted me up and got me back on, without too much trouble.
I fell on my already injured right shoulder- the one that was just starting to feel better – doh (!) now it feels a lot worse again.
Lessons learnt – well, not many. It could have happened to anyone, couldn’t it? I know that the stopping distance is quite long so I have to be more prepared to stop fast, so I’ll practice that.
The positives ? If the chain had been higher, I’d have been decapitated. If I’d seen the chain and tried to turn right or left I’d have crashed down Embankments into water and drowned… so all in all I am relatively well off, I’d say.
I probably ought wear a helmet, and I will take a first aid kit and small tarpaulin, so that my help can roll me onto that and then drag me out of danger more easily.
Or i could just be far more careful? Mmmm, can’t see that really happening.