Mtn Biking Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

Randomly Generated reader and friend, Eric Floyd, wants me to come mountain biking with him in Whistler, BC next month. He wants me to put away my wussy carbon-fiber cross-country bike and rent a downhill "sled" with 9 inches of travel. He wants me to put on body armor, a full-face helmet, and freeride.

No, thank you.

Aside from the fact that I'm likely working every day till the end of October, if not mid-November (I truly hate this time of year, but it's when I make my money so I cope) but as a self-employed writer and what some absurdly call a "professional videogame player" (I think my balls just shrunk to the size of acorns while typing that), the lack of a financial safety-net means I can't take any unnecessary risks this time of year. It's one thing to get hurt riding cross-country or snowboarding as that would just be a freak accident, but to go big-bike riding on a downhilll course? That's just asking for trouble -- best to try it sometime in the spring (assuming the snow has melted) or early summer when I can almost afford to be laid up for a few weeks should I break something.

Besides, doesn't most of the fun come from pedaling up the hill?

But speaking of freak-accidents, here's a nice x-ray of one of the BBTC member's broken finger, suffered after a crash -- exactly the type of insiginficant injury that would impact my ability to work in a very significant way.

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