Probably my worst ever (Off road!)
Down in Mumbles for a family holiday, headed out on the Gorlech (Abergorlech, Brechfa) with Phil and his mate yesterday, been threatening to ride with him for a while.
Pair of them were very quick, straight into the first climb, no messing and taking no prisoners! Held my own on the first climb, but unlike the riding i’m accustomed to with my boys, no rest at the top of the first climb to regroup and compose before the fun bit, straight in…… I led, and hooked up a few drops and kickers.
Next climb, BANG, straight in…… struggled to keep the pace, and they were at the bottom of the next descent before i got to the the top of it!
Pretty rinsed by this point, and i was slowing the ride, they clearly had to stop for me several times, not been the slow guy for years!
Top of the last climb, you have to traverse a little, few rollers, ended up with a wheel either side of a slippy stump, and i was down…. Proper dead leg! Spinning the cranks was now an issue!
After a little more traversing, you begin the last major descent (big hats off to Sorrell), they were already well into it, but i figured my trail skills might buy me some gap reduction! It was going well, i was closing fast, but perhaps the combination of fatigue, the dead leg, and confusing my intentions with my abilities, i launched a fast kicker to find myself heading in the wrong direction. Rather than anticipating a sweet landing on the snaking trail, i was now contemplating a landing in the berm of the switched back trail some 12 feet below me. BANG, i landed on the side of my head…….
The piss pot stayed in one piece, my eyes were crossed for several minutes, i couldn’t see straight, and i was as dizzy as if i’d been spinning on the spot for 10 minutes! More worryingly though, some kind of fluid was coming out of my nose, and being as it was only 15 months since a serious head injury, i was somewhat anxious. It felt like a nose bleed, but it was kinda clear, sort of had a yellow green hue to it, was difficult to tell under the circumstances. Once my vision sorted itself out, i surveyed the rest of the scene, the Heckler apperad ok, bars all crossed up, but nothing major….. I was bleeding a lot down my right arm, but otherwise…… If it wasn’t for this stuff coming out of my nose!
It passed, and fortunately we were near the end of the trail, after a cursory looking over, and confirmation that i appeared ok, the boys started with the jibes! “At least we know the Mancs bounce” i vaguely remember Phil’s mate commenting!
Back at the car, i bent to take my shoes off, and the fluid started up again, definitely Greenish…. Again it passed, and i drove back to Mumbles gingerley, after sayiing my goodbyes!
Spent the evening eating great food and drinking a little wine, then went to bed. Woke in the early hours needing to pee and tried to get up. The room reeled and i fell over, i crawled back into bed beginning to feel pretty anxious.
Woke again around 6:30, as you do with a baby, and the room was still swirling. A trip to A&E was agreed…..
After a short wait in Swansea A&E, a few tests i was diagnosed with sever concussion, the possibility of another brain bleed suitably appeased! The fluid coming from my nose was likely sinus fluid, from a ruptured sinus.
Ahh well….. Top trail, better when you keep it two wheels down!
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Road Trip!
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Gorlech 1, Me 0!
