It was shortly after this that my race ended for the day.
I will start off by saying this weekend went much better than the one in Farmington.
I was able to get to the the site before dark, Michelle saved us all room near her. I was a nice level spot too, I love it when I just park and don’t have to deal with the leveling blocks or unhooking everything.
Yes, for those who are paying attention, this try would be on the new to me KTM 450 6days exc-f. Instead of the Husky TXC 250.
For the evening it was just Michelle, her sister/brother in law and my. Geneva joined in the morning for the sighting lap. I being slower then the others made sure I got down to the start line just before the lap were supposed to start. I tried to find myself a nice gap where I wouldn’t be eating that much dust. I headed out, I was a nervous wreck. I had to keep telling myself to stop death gripping the handle bars.
It seemed like a moderate loop until I got to a couple of the hazards out there. I’m not very good at jumping down arroyo banks. Or getting through deep sand. I felt so over whelmed that I don’t really remember the order of the obstacles. I vividly remember the rock face. I’m told there was three lines, but all I saw was the line straight up the face. After Slick Rock in Moab, this didn’t seem like it was that hard.
There was one NASTY rocky (by rocky I mean baby head rocks) up hill climb that should have been that bad, but I had the rocks bounce me off the trail. I didn’t tip over the first time, I just didn’t quite make it up. It was the second time that fell over onto a rock with my right hip. So at that point I took the loop around it, that a number of others had taken after they missed the flags.
There was a great deal of riding in a winding, tight arroyo, I did have one good off in the deep sand that made my left shoulder really hurt. I felt a pop when I hit the ground. After a short rest, I figured it wasn’t bad enough to make me stop.
I had Michelle catch up to me on a flat high speed section that I just putted along. It was a couple mins later that I caught back up, to find her stalled on some rocks. I just powered on up to one side and around her. (OMG, I really love that KTM 450 grunt compared to the Husky) Just so I could tip over just around the corner from her. I still managed to get the bike back up and get moving along down the trail before she passed me in another high speed flat area. I stopped off at a fence to try to straighten up my bike’s front end, it was cocked off to the right, enough that it was really buggin me.
Once back to the pits, after getting organized for the next day, my shoulder was just getting worse and worse. I took some aleve and flexeril hoping it would loosen up a bit. I also alternated hot pack and cold packs to see if it would get better. Some time in the middle of the night, it let go and there was instant relief. No excuse for not given the race a try.
Sable was enjoying the outing. Aside from being stuck in the trailer while I was on the bike, she had a great deal of fun.
She got brave this weekend, she actually tried to play with some other dogs. That was the first time I’d seen her do that.
The weather teased all of us a few times with small bouts of rain. I kept hoping it would just cut loose and pour! No, such luck.
Luis finally showed up after 10 that night, I’d already gone to bed. Hoping that I’d feel better in the am. I some how slept through the big fight that happened on the other side of the trailer.
I was really looking forward to the race, I just wanted to finish it…. I just couldn’t help myself on the start line. Last time I’d let people go only to have them completely make a mess of things right in front of me so I didn’t make it up the hill. I wasn’t going to have that happen again. If their better at it than me, they can find a way around. So I got a great start into third, held on to that until just before mile marker 2. Then a few of those from the sportsmen group, that were really A/pro riders on a sighting lap went by. Also one of the other women.
When those two went by me, they kicked up so much dust that I couldn’t see the trail. At right about the time I was thinking I should slow down a bit, since I can’t see. The front end washed out, so down I went really hard onto my right side. First thought, “damn that hurt”, second thought, “damn, not the right shoulder too.” Followed by “I really hope I don’t throw up” I just laid there for a bit. Trying to figure out if I did any real damage to myself. I had most riders stop so see if I was okay. It was as I was trying to get up to get more out of the way of bikes that I realized that my right hip was the worst of my injuries. I wasn’t able to walk on it very well. It felt unstable and didn’t want to move my leg when I tried to walk.
Needless, to say I got a ride out on the four wheeler, since the shoulder and the hip made it next to impossible for me to ride out. Getting on the four wheeler and the ride back to the trailer hurt like a (*)(&$&#)*#&&$*@&$#_.
It was at this point I was very happy to have pain meds left over from my neck and hand surgery a few years ago. It took two before I was able to put weight on the leg. Luis was a gem! He packed up the trailer and loaded the bike for me. Sitting wasn’t bad so I was able to drive myself home. Luis followed me the whole way. He really is a stand up guy and a great friend!
At home unloading the trailer was a slow painful process, but really the more I was able to move around the better the leg felt. I did manage to do some stretching once I got out of the shower. However, the next day it was just about as bad. After another hot shower and some stretching it was better again. That is my morning routine now, it does help it feel much better and lets me actually walk around. Three days later I’m still limping and it still doesn’t feel normal.
Sable tried to make me feel better, she was at my “side” all day Monday while I was home.
