Raced the Branched Oak Psycowpath today. Legs, check. Feeling good? Check. Bike working as well as an old NRS can? Check. Shoulder pads? Oops, knew I forgot something.
Things were going well. I boogied up the one mile gravel road climb, in site of the leaders and about mid-pack. Into the singletrack no problem. Wow, was that the first (of four) lap I just finished? Cool. I'm right where I want to be. Lap two, still going ok.
Lap three I relaxed. I was keeping my pace, cruising. About halfway though, there is this blind right hander, with a snow fence catch to keep folks from doing a header into the trees and/or lake. Someone (Kevin Murray but who keeps track?) had hit that earlier and tore it partway down, so I was used to just crusing through the corner with the orange fence on the ground. This time, someone had dutifully put the fence back, Wow, I can blow through here and....
Down I went. Hard. On my right shoulder. Sounded like I crushed a bunch of peanut shells under me. Got up, off the trail, and realized my shoulder was dislocated. Moved it around a little and it slipped back in. So, I found my dislodge speedometer and, after half a jilion people went by, including Dan "Animal" Ertz, I got going again. I can finish this.
And I did, cautiously. Not too bad until I tried to climb up the rocky sections. That hurt.
When I finished I stopped to chat a bit with Jerry S, Dan Ertz, and Rich Anderson. I said hey, I crashed. My shoulder pops when I do this, and this. Then it went out again.
Almost couldn't get it back in that time. I looked up and Dan's eyes looked a bit wide, and he asked me politely to not do that again.
Went home, got it x-rayed. No bones broken but I have this really cool sling to wear until I can see the orthopod.
Congrats to Dan, Taira, Rich, and Kevin the new kid. I haven't heard how Tim did but I am sure it went well for him.