# You ever get the feeling that the Vultures are circling?



## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

On my way the the local bike park this morning, an ambulance was following me. Finally they hit their lights and went Code 3 past me. They beat me to the bike park. I didn't stick around to see who they were there for. I does mess with your mind. Apparently I have a short memory, because I set my new personal record on a black diamond downhill
I forget how old I am when I start charging.

Then I get home and see this on the news. Different place, but same result.
















LAFD rescues, airlifts seriously injured mountain biker out of Santa Monica Mountains


A mountain biker was seriously injured after falling while riding his bike in the Santa Monica Mountains in the area between Pacific Palisades and Encino Saturday, requiring an airlift from the Los…




ktla.com





Those kids just make poor decisions....


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## ElTortoise (Jul 27, 2015)

There are two "RIP" markers on an MTB trail I ride that's barely a mile from my house. One even includes a picture of the rider. Exactly what happened to them while riding this particular trail I don't know but yeah, it messes with you and it really makes you think. Anything can happen...


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

The way I see it, when your number is up, its up, no matter where or when or why or how, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. So in the meantime I have fun and don't think about it.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Of course the vultures are circling.
They're always circling.
Doesn't mean they'll get us today.
But eventually...
Let's put it this way.
There's only one way out of this life.
Trouble is coming for each of us.
Just a matter of when.
Have a great day!  💕
=sParty


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

BadgerOne said:


> The way I see it, when your number is up, its up, no matter where or when or why or how, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. So in the meantime I have fun and don't think about it.


Uh huh. I had an old climbing ranger in Yosemite tell me that. It’s why he never wears a helmet. Says he saw people fall 50 feet and walk away, others fall 5 feet and die- so a helmet is irrelevant…

complete and utter bs.

hopefully there’s a warning period where you find yourself crashing more before you go into that tree. You can correct your behavior if you pay attention, oh and believe you have the ability to change your future.

stopped doing jujitsu after a chain of injuries. I stopped motorcycling when I realized I wasn’t as attentive as I needed to be. you can course correct if you notice in time.


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## Mountainfrog (Mar 7, 2006)

Yeah, the vultures almost got my bestie one day while riding in August. He wouldn't let the EMTs take him to the hospital. I drove him to the Emergency entrance and a nurse and I dragged him in. Dehydrated and spent the night in the hospital. They said he would be dead if I had taken him home as he requested.


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## Gym123 (Dec 4, 2021)

The only time I saw Vultures circling (actually, California Condors) was when I hiked out of the Grand Canyon in '91. I was about a mile and a half from the top, out of food, water and energy. My left hip flexor had stopped working, so I had to grab the leg of my shorts and lift in order to make up the steps- I was gassed an d could only go about 10-15 steps before pausing because the hike goes from about 600' above sea level to more than 5500'. As I paused, I saw a Condor fly past, then join its buddies as, I imagined, they waited for me to keel over. Once I had made it to the top, it was like someone pressed a reset switch- I felt fine, but tired.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Pfft! Tall BMX'r, they are performing drills for when you eat the planet.
Annnd, your bike is an enabler...

Remember, your bike loves you!


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## mtnbkrmike (Mar 26, 2015)

Sometimes I get a bad feeling out there. It's almost like I can smell and taste blood. Sometimes when it happens, I sense it is riding related, and I take things back a half a notch. Other times I sense it is animal related, in which case I give a few hollers and keep my eyes peeled. There are rides where I get to the end and feel like I dodged a bullet big time.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Mike's hungry again... Damn vampires!


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

eri said:


> Uh huh. I had an old climbing ranger in Yosemite tell me that. It’s why he never wears a helmet. Says he saw people fall 50 feet and walk away, others fall 5 feet and die- so a helmet is irrelevant…
> 
> complete and utter bs.
> 
> ...


"Luck favors the prepared". There is definitely value in trying to postpone your number being called, usually by not doing stupid things and winning stupid prizes, and listening to your gut. You can certainly hedge your bets. My point was more that once the universe pulls your straw, that's it.


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## wfl3 (Dec 30, 2003)

ElTortoise said:


> There are two "RIP" markers on an MTB trail I ride that's barely a mile from my house. One even includes a picture of the rider. Exactly what happened to them while riding this particular trail I don't know but yeah, it messes with you and it really makes you think. Anything can happen...


Two memorials on my "home" trail as well. I was there when one happened and rolled up on it right after the crash. Brain hemorrhage after crashing on one of the jumps. 

The trail isn't particularly gnarly, but seems to break a lot of people and bikes. Seen lots of riders new to the trail walking out and heading to the local ER and even a couple of local riders life flighted out of there (spleen and vertebrae). Some trails definitely require a little more respect than others I guess, but you can probably get a major injury on most any of them.


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## ZX11 (Dec 24, 2020)

while the vultures watch and I ride,..."And there in the quiet tranquility of space, reached out my hand, and touched the face of God."


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## Gym123 (Dec 4, 2021)

BadgerOne said:


> "Luck favors the prepared". There is definitely value in trying to postpone your number being called, usually by not doing stupid things and winning stupid prizes, and listening to your gut. You can certainly hedge your bets. My point was more that once the universe pulls your straw, that's it.


I still see a lot of riders using ear buds and lightweight headphones. I stopped doing that when people using the local paths started to be targeted more frequently. I even saw someone giving a statement to the police after they were attacked- had a mark on his cheek that looked like it was from a ring on a finger. I would rather hear someone coming from behind or the side than be blindsided.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

There is absolutely no benefit to thinking this way, but it is bad for you to worry, so don’t worry and be happy.

Seriously, most people worry to much, it’s not good to worry, it just makes you ill. I treat more people for anxiety than anything else; insomnia is also high on the list.

If I saw buzzards, I’d assume it was road kill.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

I like to warm up with some mellow distance to get myself centered and purge any doubt of my riding skills. For me just diving into some high speed steeps is usually a rough, and uncomfortable feeling.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Tall BMX'r said:


> I like to warm up with some mellow distance to get myself centered and purge any doubt of my riding skills. For me just diving into some high speed steeps is usually a rough, and uncomfortable feeling.


Don't fear your inner V8!


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## Xylx (Mar 18, 2005)

eri said:


> I stopped motorcycling when I realized I wasn’t as attentive as I needed to be. you can course correct if you notice in time.


I stopped motorcycling when I realized that no one else on the road was as attentive as they should be. Texters and screen fixated drivers all over the roads now. Sold all my road bikes too. If I get hurt on a trail on my mountain bike it's my fault.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Vultures remind me of spring. I like vultures.


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

Xylx said:


> ITexters and screen fixated drivers all over the roads now. Sold all my road bikes too.


Me too. Last thing I want is to be run over by some room temperature IQ moron on their phone.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

Xylx said:


> I stopped motorcycling when I realized that no one else on the road was as attentive as they should be. Texters and screen fixated drivers all over the roads now. Sold all my road bikes too. If I get hurt on a trail on my mountain bike it's my fault.


I took the subsidized statemotorcycle safety course in order to get a mc endorsement. I’d been commuting by bicycle in the city for years with only two close calls.the course really woke me up to safety, idea of active safety, constantly scanning for issues and synthesizing contingency plans. Go on sidewalk, go wrong way or split lanes, you do what you must to not die. Was empowering and exhausting. Key with motorcycle is the throttle, you’re faster and more maneuverable than anything else on the road. After a few years commuting with motorcycle Ifelt utterly exposed on a road bike, just being a victim, super uncomfortable feeling knowing your life was in the hands of these texting distracted steel bricks. Stopped most road riding.

few years later on busy freeway commute I found a car in my escape route, itd sneaked into my blind spot without me noticing. Happened again a few month later and I called it quits. Never had a close call on the motorbike, not one, but my attention wasn’t there so better pull the plug before I get splatted. Miss commuting on the motorbike, never forget some sunny winter mornings…

now I’m simply singlespeed mtb rider. Gets me everything and I get to control the danger dial.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

I was riding some steeps today. I looked up and saw these big black birds circling above. Then one squawked, and I realized they were crows  
I did get off my bike and walk a sketchy steep turn that I've crash on a few times Something told me to walk it???


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Those damn crows... It's their doing, they told ya to walk it!


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

BansheeRune said:


> Those damn crows... It's their doing, they told ya to walk it!


It's actually that I've gone over the bars more than once on this turn. It drops straight down 20' into a pit turn full of loose powder dirt. I've made it doing a motocross foot down slide, then almost high sided There is just too much speed going into that turn!


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Been there... Damn embarrassingly, I must add!


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

BansheeRune said:


> Been there... Damn embarrassingly, I must add!


I even had my Gopro filming one time. Here's a look from above going into the turn. Then over the bars.....








I got a bad feeling about this turn!









Endo!!!!!


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Let's face it, we have all had that moment out on the trail. 

Tire finds a loose spot that gives way and enough torsion on the wheel takes it out from under us when that loose stuff shifts and POW! Kiss the planet time. Get up, dust off later cause peeps are watching and laughing...
Well, when I do it, I cannot help but to laugh cause... Crash test dummy down!! 

On a trail with that soil type, my front tire at 8-9 psi and fork set a wee bit faster on compression helps buuuut!


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## Calsun (May 12, 2021)

I am certainly more aware of both my mortality and longer healing time as I age. When I rock climbed in SoCal I was most concerned where I knew if I fell that I would be damaged but not dead. On higher pitches if I fell I would be dead and nothing to worry about, like being stuck in a wheel chair for the rest of my life.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Calsun said:


> I am certainly more aware of both my mortality and longer healing time as I age. When I rock climbed in SoCal I was most concerned where I knew if I fell that I would be damaged but not dead. On higher pitches if I fell I would be dead and nothing to worry about, like being stuck in a wheel chair for the rest of my life.


Perhaps, you should see what Martyn Ashton has done since a devastating trials accident left him paralyzed. Not saying that would be a great option but does beat the hell outta being pissed at the world.
Road Bike Party

A rider of this level having so much to loose with one misstep.


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## Critter Cameraman (Jun 13, 2007)

This thread made me think of something last week. Trailbuilders built a new trail with a 25' drop and bought a bottle of champagne to give to the first one to complete the drop successfully. So two kids are at top ready to go... the first kid to try it crashes and burns bad and they have to LifeFlight him out of there. So the 2nd kid (18yrold) waits till chopper is gone and then sends it successfully and gets the champagne. I ask him "so watching your friend get totalled and LifeFlighted didn't make you think this might be a bad idea? And you went anyway?" He said, "yeah, but he oversent it, I know you just have to do it super slow... I had to try" 

What an 18 yr old will do for a bottle of champagne I guess...


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## ZX11 (Dec 24, 2020)

So not so much vultures circling,... but more like medical helicopters circling the rider.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

You mean like this one? It's at least 25' straight down, though the picture makes it look less steep. There's something about the launch angle of the jump, the gap, and the landing that I don't like???


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

As we cross 50 or so things happen, not always obvious but they do. Reaction time, balance, all that stuff. So if we're smart we dial back accordingly. But after a few "dial backs" it does feel like the vultures are getting closer. I don't get those heebie jeebies on the trail so much, most of what I do now will just get me another separated shoulder or something, for me it's more a matter of looking in the rear view mirror and seeing images of things I no longer do. Probably a normal part of aging, we all know we're not going to get out of this alive it just looms bigger now.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

They were there again today, but it turned out they were following a couple of guys who looked a little older than me


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Tall BMX'r said:


> They were there again today, but it turned out they were following a couple of guys who looked a little older than me
> 
> View attachment 1965005




^ that's a raven


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

J.B. Weld said:


> ^ that's a raven


 All we get are crows and seagulls for the most part. I just pretend they are vultures. More like flying rats. There is an occasional red tail hawk or turkey vulture sighting but they are rare.


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## ElTortoise (Jul 27, 2015)

They weren't circling. They were just sitting there waiting...


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