Leverich Canyon, usually a canvas for adrenaline-pumping descents, served up a different kind of thrill today: a slow-motion tumble that tested my balance and vocabulary. It all started innocently enough – a training ride, a casual stop… and then gravity decided to play some tricks.
Leaning the wrong way, I discovered with startling immediacy that the earth wasn’t quite where I expected it to be. Downhill, as it turned out. A frantic search for a safe landing zone revealed only a landscape of ice and rock – not exactly the softest options. So, I improvised, taking a tentative step towards what I hoped would be terra firma. Wrong again. More ouch-inducing obstacles awaited.
With no graceful dismount in sight, I surrendered to the inevitable. I tumbled down the unforgiving slope, a ragdoll at the mercy of gravity. The 140-foot descent seemed to take an eternity, each roll adding its own unwelcome momentum. Finally, my “self-arrest” technique kicked in (think spread eagle into a friendly stump) and I came to a somewhat unceremonious stop.
A symphony of choice words erupted from my lips, a fitting soundtrack to the throbbing in my chest and the stinging scratches decorating my clothes courtesy of the scree. Yes, it was a 5mph crash, the kind that defies logic and leaves you questioning the laws of physics. But hey, slow and steady wins the race, right? Or maybe not. In this case, gravity won, hands down.
The aftermath was predictable – a gingerly uphill hike to my bike, a possible broken rib (the jury’s still out), and a newfound respect for the deceptiveness of even the gentlest slopes. Leverich Canyon might have gotten the better of me this time, but I’ll be back. Next time, though, I’ll pack some extra padding, just in case.
Boneshakerbike 
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