Moments before Detonation. If you're still that high above the landing, and your rotation is almost completed, this means: over-rotation at the landing. Which again (and unfortunately) means: Outch. See the entire drama in moving pictures on my new DVD to be released somewhen in July 2008!
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Once on site we both warmed up over the super-kicker. Myself certainly not by performing backflips, just regular dead sailors, but going over a ramp like that is a sensation on its own, already. I have never tried jumping an Enduro bike over a FMX kicker before. The size and the gap to the landing are impressive, to say the least, but it all felt quite fine to me.
So: Next step – flipping into the Foam-Pit. Thanks to Busty’s great upfront instructions, my first ever try of a backflip hasn’t been that bad at all, slightly under-rotated, so landing on my front-wheel.
I then decided to pull a little harder on the handlebar and I gave it a handful more gas at the takeoff of the second try, resulting in an over-rotation with a huge amplitude. So this time, it hasn’t been “just” a backflip, it’s been more than one rotation, leading to a landing on the rear of the bike. Coming down in this position, I could not take any of the impact through my arms or legs, all energy there was (and there was lots of…as I went really high) went straight into the foam.
I must have hit the rear fender hard with what I’d call my seat-muscles (a**) and at first, I thought I must have torn some of my my back-muscles. After the pain would not get any better (but worse), I decided to undergo medical examination, and a compression fracture of my first lumbar vertebra came obvious. My quite well trained body muscles seem to have prevented more damage.
Still: I “only” went into a foam-pit, and not on dirt! Incredible, I drove hundreds of miles to practice safely into Germany’s largest foampit, and then: I still get hurt! Seems like foam hardens up under impact and / or speed, just like water does, especially coming down in a bad angle and with high amplitude, like I did.
Well, now, patience is the word. I am allowed to drive a car, walk, swim and do my exercises but – by no means – must not turn my spine sideways in any direction or put any pressure on it. Until I’ll be allowed to get back onto my bike again, I’ll focus on the post production of my new DVD, on which this chapter will be featured as the only sort of negative surprise. I can tell you that much already by now.
Luckily, no remaining damage is to be expected from this crash and already now, I am almost free of any pain. Within some weeks, I’ll be able to get back onto my bike again and ride. Yes, ride, not jump. The backflip-project is on hold for the time being and I will keep going with my Stuntbike, the BMW F 800, instead. Stunters better do stay on the ground, huh? I’ll keep you posted. More better news soon, hopefully. Yours - Chris
PS: I am awfully sorry for all my fans and promotors, who would have planned to see me in the next couple of weeks. I hope you’ll understand that I’ll now need to get back to the shape I’ve had until last monday in order to provide you with more 100% shows of mine. I hope I’ll be back by the end of June with full power.