big mario Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) On narrow tree alley that I have run for years, big boards, small boards, medium boards, you name it, I got really lucky today. I didn't break any bones, get concussed, or worse, die. I have ridden Drifter at least a hundred times if not more without incident. Today I got sloppy, let my shoulders get parallel with the board, and locked into a toeside, heading towards some really big trees at speed. I managed to get on my heal edge to check speed before I bounced my a$$ off of one 20" diameter spruce, my head off of a second, coming to a stop with my back resting against rotting stump of a third with my board uphill, my head down hill, in 2 thankfully well consolidated tree wells. Just like that. Don't take what we do for granted, I did today, yet thankfully rode away with only a bruised butt and a stiff neck. And I am alive mario Edited March 24, 2014 by big mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arneburner Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I am glad you are ok. Thanks for posting. I agree, there is little room for pilot error on Drifter. Arne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big canuck Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I hear ya bro!!! Can't be sleeping in those spots. I would have put my money on you over the trees though!! Glad your ok buds K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkaholic Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Bigs, glad you didn't get seriously hurt! I thought you learned from hearing of my tree hugging experience to not try it at speed and that they WILL win. I agree as well, don't rest on what you have done many times before, each new day brings new challenges on the slopes along with each runs ability to change with each passing. Heal up and hope to see you next weekend. Ink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
two_ravens Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 And I am alivemario Alive is good!!!! Glad to hear you did only minor damage to those poor trees. Heal up quick, and hope you are riding with confidence again soon! (But leave that sloppy stuff at home!) This sport does have real risks... Cheers, k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 'Tis the year of cautionary tales, evidently. Glad you didn't **** yourself up man; the mountain biking season is nearly upon us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevo Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 bigs, a rotted stump is what took enzo out glad you're AOK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Mario - Glad to hear that you are relatively OK. You were pretty shook up after that run. I avoid Drifter because it is narrow. I don't like going fast near the trees & heading toward the trees so I almost always take Turtle Creek down. I need a bigger margin of error. Heal well. - John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) It's amazing how after an eye-opening experience like that, how quickly we are reminded of the beauty in life and the things that are important to us. It's events like this that make us appreciate what we have in life. If we didn't seek the thrills that we seek, we would likely be bored and bitter. Those who ask us why we do what we do, simply, don't understand... There are also those that don't care to understand. "One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching" Whether it's descending tight singletrack at Winter Park, clipping the bars on a tree, then making the earth shake while attempting to displace a tree to a new location; launching a blind roller, at the apex of the trajectory noticing a 90deg bend in the trail, with the ensuing carnage resulting in a helmet literally exploding; focusing on the next gate, getting stuck on an edge, departing the run at mach 99 and trying to cut a tree in half with one's torso, or attempting to pedal up an erosion log at the apex of a switchback, eating sh$t, and walking away with the handgrip waffle pattern imprinted on the chest; we come back for more! We do what we do because it's who we are!! Enough of that filosoffical sh#t... Give the wife another big kiss, take a couple weeks off, then we'll head out on the singletrack and laugh at each other as we find ways to eat sh@t on a perfectly smooth, straight, flat section of trail, then back at the vehicles drink beer and laugh some more! Then we'll head out a few weeks later and do it all over again!! FF to 1:25. RIP Dave Brockie <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/baExq6xNhQ8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Edited March 24, 2014 by D.T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Brilliant Dustin, GWAR aside, that truly captures the essence of why we do it. Good riding with you yesterday, and yes, I will be out next Sunday. Mario P.s. My buttocks hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John E Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Mario - Maybe a 2?? pound rider on a 195 cm Virus down a narrow run may be a bit much to attempt again this season. Maybe save that for next season. Glad to hear that you're going to get back on the horse again this year. - John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 GWAR aside I figured that was your second favorite song, right after "Living on a Prayer" . . . :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 It's amazing how after an eye-opening experience like that, how quickly we are reminded of the beauty in life and the things that are important to us. It's events like this that make us appreciate what we have in life. If we didn't seek the thrills that we seek, we would likely be bored and bitter. Those who ask us why we do what we do, simply, don't understand... There are also those that don't care to understand. "One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching" Whether it's descending tight singletrack at Winter Park, clipping the bars on a tree, then making the earth shake while attempting to displace a tree to a new location; launching a blind roller, at the apex of the trajectory noticing a 90deg bend in the trail, with the ensuing carnage resulting in a helmet literally exploding; focusing on the next gate, getting stuck on an edge, departing the run at mach 99 and trying to cut a tree in half with one's torso, or attempting to pedal up an erosion log at the apex of a switchback, eating sh$t, and walking away with the handgrip waffle pattern imprinted on the chest; we come back for more! We do what we do because it's who we are!! ----------------------------------------------------------------- DT, Very Well said & glad Bigs is OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Always scary to hear about the close calls...I'm glad you're OK. I've always said that if something needs to get hurt I hope it's my pride and not my hide. If I get cocky on my motorcycle I come home and watch some sobering crash videos, just to remind myself that sh*t does happen. A little confused by your description as to what happened exactly, did you just lock yourself into a toeside turn too close to the edge and couldn't pull out of it in time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabatha Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Glad you are OK - was thinking about you and Colorado riding last week when I was at Park City, Utah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Mario - Maybe a 245 pound rider on a 195 cm Virus down a narrow run may be a bit much to attempt again this season. Maybe save that for next season. Glad to hear that you're going to get back on the horse again this year. - John You might be right on that, I just might stay out of drifter the rest of this season, and we'll see about the virus bigs, a rotted stump is what took enzo outglad you're AOK How is Enzo, does he still ride? As for AOK, we shall see, squat 3's night tonight, with some stiff legged deadlifts Ghrs and back extentions for accessory workBigs, glad you didn't get seriously hurt! I thought you learned from hearing of my tree hugging experience to not try it at speed and that they WILL win. I agree as well, don't rest on what you have done many times before, each new day brings new challenges on the slopes along with each runs ability to change with each passing. Heal up and hope to see you next weekend. Ink Me too Inky, but you know I don't learn well by hearing, I need to see and do for myself, Lesson now learned mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) I figured that was your second favorite song, right after "Living on a Prayer":D When I was like thirteen! I don't understand why you keep transferring your Bonjovi fixation onto me, enough already :DDumba$$ A little confused by your description as to what happened exactly, did you just lock yourself into a toeside turn too close to the edge and couldn't pull out of it in time? Thanks Nick, It is a fairly narrow run which we usually take edge to edge. On my virus, which I can turn pretty tight, I need to be very centered, or it will get unhappy and take me places I don't want to go. I let my trailing hand trail way too much, which put too much weight on the tail, and I couldn't get out of my toeside. This has happened before, but not on a run this narrow. By the time I realized what was going on, it was too late to turn, I managed to muscle the board around and jam on my heels and hope for the best, which is what I got. Arne, Kurt, Kelly, Jim, John, John, and Tabby, I am really glad to be able to read that all of you'se are glad that I am okay. And for the fact that my sarcasm has remained intact Thanks, mario Edited March 25, 2014 by big mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkaholic Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Bigs, what is the waist on that lil viri? I may have to give'er a go Sunday. Ink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) 18, she is a sexy, tiny waisted beast Mario Edited March 26, 2014 by big mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softbootsurfer Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Mario...Glad you are OK !! Those Split Second "Oh Sh.t" moments are terrifying indeed seems every year there is one or two of those that bring the trees into play...always on an edge, to late to the party and a total body rebellion is needed to correct in time...again glad your OK Enjoy the rest of the season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Glad to hear you are ok! How were the trees? ;) I had a similar moment 3 years ago. Luckily there was safety netting up from a ski race the day before. I shudder to think how bad it could have been if that netting wasn't there... That slowed me down and made me reassess my risk/reward balance. i.e. I got a lot older (maybe wiser?) in those fleeting seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronG Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Damn Bigs, I don't like to read about person/tree collisions. It seems the trees always, always win in that battle. Glad to read that you were able to ride away. My recommendation is the same as your thought, stay off Drifter! Miss you guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 (edited) Glad you're OK, Mario! Herewith some stats (that, of course, lump all snowboarding injuries together.) http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/31/with-the-thrills-come-extreme-risks/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 BB Edited April 1, 2014 by boarderboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Glad you're OK, Mario!Herewith some stats (that, of course, lump all snowboarding injuries together.) http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/31/with-the-thrills-come-extreme-risks/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 BB Don't have much time but talk about cherry picking the data. https://www.nsaa.org/media/68045/NSAA-Facts-About-Skiing-Snowboarding-Safety-10-1-12.pdf Skiing & Snowboarding are safe, especially compared to other activities. Yup, Driving is the most dangerous thing we do. Drive safe my friends! http://www.familiesafield.org/pdf/Injury_page.pdf It's Football and Ice hockey one has to worry about... actually there's a study out there that I can't put my finger on but injuries to the knee from softball was the leading injury attributed to sports across the US a few years ago. Bigs seems as fiesty as ever... knock that puchlist out Mario and spend some more time back on that horse. Mahalo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 (edited) I know that when I'm carving hard, I always feel like I'm going nice and slow and everything is serene...like the worst thing that could possibly happen is a lowside fall to the inside of the turn. I'll think to myself "alpine is the safest thing you can do on the mountain!" Then every couple of years, I'll have things go all cattywumpus in a turn, the board will decamber when I don't expect / I'm not ready for it, and I'll go ass over teakettle, winding up flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me, taking inventory of my limbs and gear and trying to figure out what went wrong. Then I'll be like "Oh yeah, that tool of the devil stores a ton of energy when it's flexed." So yeah, I'm definitely guilty of getting lulled into complacency. Thanks for the reminder that the snowboarding gods are waiting to smack down riders who get too comfortable, and I'm glad to hear that you didn't have any serious injuries -- I know that tangling with trees can go very poorly. Edited April 1, 2014 by Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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