My Stunt Riding Day

So I know you've all heard about my little accident. But I thought you'd like to hear the dramatic retelling of the story. Alright... ahem... so - Ryland and Ema were bored - more than usual. Jason decided to give them something to do and together they decided to build a bike ramp. They used the front-end loader, made a pile of dirt, and laid a piece of plywood on top to keep it sturdy. During all this, I was making a new recipe for dinner - AND getting it done ahead of time. I decide that some Jiffy cornbread would be GREAT with the Cheese Soup ( Kirkland family recipe) I just made FROM SCRATCH!!! I hop in the Mitsubi i (the other letters are missing off the back) to go to the store, but drive back down our little dirt driveway to find everybody. Everyone was down admiring the new bike ramp and watching Ryland jump it with perfect form - making it look like it was a mere bump in the road and not a 2 foot high pile of dirt with a piece of plywood on it- which by the way was angled up at a steeper angle than it looked like. As I drive back I see Ema nervously deciding to try the jump. As she prepares herself and gets last minute pointers from Ryland on form, speed, etc., I bossy-like tell Jason ( in an annoying tone, mind you) "Jason, she has on Crocs. She needs to have on tennis shoes. Please make sure after this pass that she gets on lace up shoes - she is going to get hurt!" So Ema goes over the jump, VERY SLOW, and almost eats it when the bike nose dives off the end. She is OK though - a little shook up, but ok. I think she was saying she couldn't do it, kinda being hard on herself, etc. About this time I am thinking about her, and then how I am afraid of the jump... and think it's a miracle she survived intact. THEN COMES THE MOMENT OF STUPIDITY. I realize I would never want to make that jump, that I've never jumped a bike, and that the thought scares me. That is a recipe for disaster, because I don't like being afraid of things like that, especially not ones that my kids are willing and able to try. Also, I wanted Ema to see that I could try too, even if I didn't do it right. SO.... I put my truck in park, get out and tell them I wanna try it. Ryland and Ema didn't want me to. But my ego and know-it-all Mom'ness combined and I smiled and nonchalantly said "Oh you guys, I'll be careful, but I'll be fine. I wasn't always just a Mom you know... I like trying different things! Ryland, just give me some pointers." About this time Jason says, " Hey, don't get hurt now... I need you!" We all laughed, and I said " Oh Jason, I'll be just fine!" So I slowly drive down the dirt driveway at an angle towards the ramp. I realize I don't really know how to land, and that Ryland has alot of practice with this kinda thing... and that this required practice, and probably wasn't meant for someone who hasn't ridden a bike in quite a while. There was no turning back though, and I ran through his instructions in my head. Stand up on the pedals going over, lift up the front and DON'T try and sit down on the landing. About that time I realized that it was happening too fast and I was gonna bust my butt when I came off the ramp. My worst fears were not realized, however. I made it over the ramp, barely, but was sitting down. The bike started to veer side to side and I made a split second decision to stand up and put my feet down before I crashed. So I did! I held onto the handle bars, my shoes were slipping off the pedals anyway, and so I stood. The bike moved forward about another foot, but since I had ahold of it, it didn't fall on me. I felt a little scuffed up from my legs scraping the pedals or maybe the chain, but I was ok!!! A little embarrassed, a lot glad I didn't kill myself and ready to jump in my truck to hide from the embarrassment, I figured I could give myself a thorough once over for scrapes and cuts once safely seated in it. Everyone was freaking out asking if I was ok, which made me even MORE embarrassed! I looked at my left leg and saw I had a few scrapes but nothing major. More questions if I was ok. I started to walk to the truck when one of the kids looked at me and started freaking. I said something to the effect of: "Oh guys, I just  got a little scraped up! I'm fine, really! Then someone pointed to my right leg. When I looked at it it was unreal... like a dream. It was sliced open with stuff hanging out!!! I was sure it was like when you first see something and it's ALWAYS worse than it really is... so I was just like" Oh my. Look, guys, it's not as bad as it seems. I'm fine. " Someone told me to not step down, I did, and it started bleeding. Then I realized it was that bad. So Jason carried me to the truck, and the rest is history.
4 to 5 inch gash, all the fat hanging out of my leg, fat stuck to the screw on Ryland's back that gashed into my leg. 10 stitches, spread apart so the wound can drain, and to let it better "heal from the inside out". I'm on crutches for two weeks, and then I have to find a doctor so I can have the stitches taken out.
Let me just say I had on flip-flops while I was riding. Yeah, after the whole tennis shoe thing. I know. And I got comments at the hospital along the lines of "don't you know you're too old to be doing stuff like this?" Way Embarrassing!!! Anyway, you've seen the pictures, here they are again.

Love ya!
Kelley
PS I've made Ryland agree to show me how to jump the ramp the right way as soon as I'm all healed. I Have to do it now! Otherwise it'll haunt me forever!

Right after it happened

Just got my stitches

One week later.

One week later.