My convict miracle ride

I'll keep this brief. Kind of.
The Convict 50 was going to be my best ever race result - lots of training in the aim of a sub 2 hour time.
It all started well, Giantnut any i went out with the elites to find the initial pace - well, comfortable - thanks to the many k's of riding West head and Akuna Bay numerous times. We hit the hill with plenty in the tank but both of us decided that a couple of minutes walking wouldnt be too bad. Back on the bike, and keep riding... Felt like i was doing it tough but when i was starting to overtake many of the riders whom went past me earlier i felt pretty good about the fact i was riding again. Could see the KOM sign so kept up the rythym. Settled into a quickish pace and let the 29er do its thing!

I found myself dualling with a guy on a 26" spesh. I would catch him on the flats and he would obliterate everyone on the climbs. After this tooing and froing, i managed to keep up a head of speed on one of the downhills to attack the next hill and eventually overtook him and a bunch of others. Next thing i know, im again dualling with a black yeti (philberesford i believe) but managed to again put some distance in after another small downhill.
It was close to 30kms now and i was feeling great! Plenty in the legs, lung were good - all is well. On a nice long straight i gulped down a gel with some electrolyte, preparing myself for a careful decent with intent on smashing it on the final run home - after all, this was where my training was aimed at! Quck check of the time - yep - on track for sub 2hrs!

Now i knew this decent was steep and sketchy, just didnt know when to expect it. I knew by the caution signs on the previous waterbars, they took things prettu seriously - especially when i was told to slow down near the feeding station. Dont worry i told myself, they'll have a couple of marshalls and probably a huge sign saying "SLOW DOWN!" So there i was, ramping up the speed to around 30kph, looking for the sign to say slow down. And there it wasnt...

Ive rounded the corner at a great rate of knots to see the trail point to hell! Im trying to wash off speed, but im already at the first water bar - and still picking up speed - probably around 40kph now. Hit the second bar out of shape, im not slowing because brakes dont work when you are in the air! All the while im getting faster. Ive hit the third water bar really ugly. The back wheel has collected the top of the bar and sent me into a forward somersault - and according to my gps, i was doing 60kmh at this point! Ive covered 25 metres in the air, upside down! People have asked me - what went through my mind now??? Family? Visions? No - 15 years of martial arts training had me poised for a forward roll when i landed - its a bit like a commando roll - minus the assault rifle. I do remember thinking - this is probably going to hurt! And i was right. Instead of rolling and spilling down the trail for miles, i just landed initially on my head, then onto my shoulder, then splat onto my back. No continued rolling down the hill, just splat into some huge immovable object. I was conscious. I was alive. I was in lots of pain and couldnt breath. I wiggled my toes and fingers - yep all good. Were mr legs broken? No, was i winded and could i go on? Then the answer really kicked in - my race was over. I couldnt move due to the pain and injuries (will cover that later). Pretty soon 2 riders a couple of 100 metres behind stop to render assistance - Mat a firey, the other was philberesford. Mat knew right away i was screwed and needed a hospital real fast. And out of the blue! A doctor in an rfs 4wd arrives on scene. She is casual until Mat briefs her - then she hastens her step and agrees - i need out right now! The doc sits behind me making sure i have an airway, i do, but i also have a resp rate of 120! (imagine taking 120 breaths a minute through a straw) At this point im turning blue with lack of oxygen! Round about now the doc stands up - and for some reason decided to use my shattered shoulder as a hoist to get herself up... I recall growning a bit, Mat recalls shedding a tear at that point too! Extra Ouch.

Just then Giantnut enters the scene - im sure he's thinking, shit, not again. He's seen me have a few offs, but never this bad. Quick, we need tp radio for an ambulance and an evac chopper. But none of the mobile phones have reception. Use the CB radio - nope no reception! WTF! Getting my helmet off was easy... It has amazingly done its job, smashed to pieces, and was really just pulp. Glad i had a good one is an understatement. The previously injured people in the 4wd (cheers Paul) help me into the car, whereby i felt every single rock, rut an hole all the way to the base.
Meanwhile phil and GN had to send for help personally (many many thanks to you guys), but when i arrived at the base we were told the chopper isnt leaving until it has somewhere to land - you see the emergency evacuation site was now event tent city! Someone had to find a paddock, clear the animals and send lat/longs to the pilot. There goes another hour!

Fast forward an hour - im at Westmead hospital, where they confirm my injuries are bad:
Broken and displaced all ribs, front and back on my left hand side. (lots of flailing segments)
Broken collarbone - required a plate and 9 screws
Broken scapula (shoulderblade)
Fractured spine at T1, T2, T3 - all now stable thank god!
Dislocated shoulder
40% collapsed lung (required 2 attempts to reinflate)
Punctured chest cavity (drained nearly a litre of blood and gunk through a tube more than an inch wide! Do you know how big that is!!)
Sprained wrist and thumb
Cuts and abbrasions to pretty much everywhere
Black eye

So - 5 days in intensive care, 4 days in high dependency, 2 days on the ward and now home. Yes im still in lots of pain, yes i will heal eventually and yes i will ride again!

Other than the miracle of my survival and the fact i have typed this... The most amazing thing has been the support of my riding buddies. My wife has been through hell, but since that day, she hasnt had to cook or clean at all. My riding buddies organised a roster whereby all main meals have been catered for for 3 weeks! The neighbourhood has rallyed to do my gardening etc. School families have taken care of my 2 girls for afterschool care etc. It has simply been amazing! I have had messages of support and encouragement from countless nobmobers'. And special thanks goes out to:
philberesford, Giantnut - without your prompt actions and will to ride damn fast - could have changed the game.
There may be a few missing, im sorry, but again a wholehearty thanks the postman, twotommos, iron horse pete, rory, giles, james u, dave hoef for the support you have given my family. I know there are others behind the scenes - some i may never meet.

Ihope to see you all out there soon.
BF