A couple guys invited me on a mountain biking trip at Tanasi on the bank of the Ocoee River. 18 miles into the trip I got thrown off the bike at a high speed, went over the bar and slammed on the ground and knocked my head onto ground. It put two dents in my 80.00 helmet. Helmet can save your life if you got kids that wants to ride bikes. I got sprained shoulder, bruised hipbone, and some nice cuts and scrapes. (Do chicks still dig scars these days?)

I manage to ride 40 miles total. After the crash, we went back to camp site to medicate me and all that crap and next day I felt somewhat okay, and halfway through days ride my shoulder pain escalated and after the 40th mile I made it back to camp and pack it up went home. lol. I cannot move my shoulder in circular motion, but I can move it enough to steer, but it hurts when I hit bumps. Ah well, I'm going to live thanks to my helmet. Picture of the helmet and some of the views will be posted soon, right now I want crawl into bed with ice pack on me.

If you ever doubt the need to wear a helmet - just visit the rehab facility at your local hospital see the agony head injury survivors and their families go through and BTW buckle those seat belts, too!

The first picture is my helmet, and 2nd picture is of me at top of an overlook. We climbed via bikes to that overlook. It was hardest climb I've done on bike.

Buy a new helmet to replace that one.

Glad you weren't hurt seriously.

I used to work with a guy who is an avid bike rider. He and his wife were riding the Kady trail in Missouri early in the spring a few years ago. There was a break in the trail caused by the winter freeze, that caused his wife to crash. She received a head injury that took months of rehab, even though she was wearing a quality helmet. Without the helment...