Allatoona Creek

A ride at Allatoona Creek isn't usually worth writing about. I spin a lap out there once or twice a week to get some miles in. Sometimes I take the kids there and we ride the Rusty Bucket. That's about it.

This past Thursday I figured I'd do a little more of that, and rolled into Mo-Flo, perhaps a little too confident, it would seem.

Those bones in the red circle ought to be connected.

All together that's 4 fractured ribs (2 displaced) and a fractured T5. I also dislocated my right shoulder, but it went right back in.

It's embarrassing how it happened too. I just got out-of-rhythm rolling through the first set of whoops, overjumped, got a little sideways, and got thrown into the face of one of them.

Embarrassing.

My Dad just got well from breaking a few of his ribs too. I guess it's going around.

Big thanks to whoever it was that pushed my bike back up the hill. Fortunately the ride back to the truck was mostly downhill or flat. The drive home wasn't any picnic, but putting the bike in the car was the hardest part.

Big thanks to the staff at Cobb Wellstar too. I highly recommend their care, should you find yourself in similar circumstances.

Though initially agonizing, the lingering pain isn't as bad as one might expect. It's manageable with Advil. The worst part is just that there's no good position to sleep in and I haven't gotten enough for the past few days. There doesn't seem to be a good pill for that.

Though I've never been this beaten up, I have broken ribs before. I knew right away what I'd done, I knew what to expect, and I know what's still coming. If this is my worst rodeo, it's at least not my first rodeo.

I imagine I'll be hiking in a month and a half. Maybe on the road bike in 2 months. Maybe on the mountain bike in 3 or 4.

We'll see though. There are a lot of steps between now and then and I'd be wise to take every one of them.