Video: Raw Chaos & Carnage from Megavalanche 2022
 | Chaos from the Megavalanche 2022! |
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Mairiporã XC World Cup 2024
41733 views
41733 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
There were 8 in our gang. Bikes in one van, rest in my early 90s Honda Civic. I told everyone is was recently serviced, and have EU road cover. I lied. I’d never lifted the bonnet, it had 160k on the clock.
Halfway through France the bumper fell off and the bonnet popped. We gaffer taped it. It smoked all the way there. Once at Alpe duez, the next day, having none of us ridden the alps before, we decided to straight to the top. Covered in cloud we couldn’t appreciate the height, or the insane amount of snow. It was Tuesday of that week. We all got separated and my mate nearly had an asthma attack. We only found our mates by screaming through the cloud.
Battered, and in mild shock, (remember, the bikes in 07, no droppers, skinny bars, shit chain devices two rings..) we had lunch in Du’ez’
Being a mechanic I fixed a few bikes, we decided to head to the next lift and ride the big long berm track back to the car under the main lift. I missed a line chasing my cousin, big OTB, I semi woke in a body bag, my left hand was a mess. Back at the med centre they used rusty bolt croppers to cut my family gold ring off (120yrs old) because my knuckles were massive and fingers were swelling. I never had it x rayed so not sure how bad it was broke. I was in and out of concussion.
Half a days riding I was done. Spent the week in the chalet talking crap to myself apparently.
Just me and my cousin went out in 2008. No plans, no accommodation booking, and my Tomac magnum 48lbs DH bike on the rack.. apart from the awful weather, highlight was overtaking a ton of riders by taking a ticket through the biggest ass boulder field A-La Tomac Magnum. Then my XTR mech and chain exploded. Still finished it though. Ended up renting a tiny chalet.
Not the end of 08 by a long shot, on the way home through France, near Reims, my cousins car, a Suburu twin turbo legacy estate, the bottom end fell out. 95mph, the wheels locked up. No euro road cover, two bars on my phone, rural France. A motorway dude, opened the bonnet and shouted “KAP-PUT” using a knife slice effect across his throat. We got towed to a local garage and paid a ton of cash to get towed to Calias at 40mph. Once there, on the ferry one bar on my phone, I upgraded my AA membership. Called them at Dover .. 26hr round trip, no sleep, a dead car, and two dudes not talking much
09, and a big gang, all mad fun, usual chaos.
10’ I tagged in my mates Porsche 4x4, I was working for hotlines, so had a half decent bike for the first time. Got on the second row of the challengers race, got 32nd overall, 11th in my age group. I broke down at the finish. I felt so dam lucky to spend a lifetime in a sport I loved so much, and to be able to experience pushing myself way, way beyond anything I’d ever done before. It completely ruined me & I felt privileged.
Next up, 2013…..
Again a big gang. I had a semi pimped Saracen Ariel. Fun little bike. First days riding, we were on the qualifying track on the Tuesday. Ot was a bit wet, we came to the north shore drop off that you can easy see under the charlifts. Ridden it loads before. This time, someone of me stalled, lost speed, he landed but got bounced pretty, stayed on. I didn’t, I couldn’t pull up enough, I got thrown off quite into a giant rock. Cracked helmet but my right had took it most, I retro-lunite dislocated my wrist (almost a complete internal separation of hand) - with help, I got down the fire road, nearly fainted, ate a ton of haribo, tied my arm up and rode the fire roads to the Alpe Duez med centre.
They gave some bad shit drugs really bad reaction, ambulance ride to Grenoble with some mates chasing us, lights flashing. In the hospital I puked and totally spun out, I’d obviously had an head injury but they were looking at my massive bulging wrist. Then I was taken (even faster) to Grenoble CHU, much bigger. Michael Smumacher was there at the time I think.
Anyways, after being assessed my two lovely French nurses, I was left in a corridor, i wasn’t allowed to sit up, in a stretcher. No real English was spoken. Next to was a woman lying casually with a next brace breathing from a hole in her throat, hair covered in dried blood. Ended up sharing a room with this French model or musician who had a finger ripped out. Poor fella kept crying like a baby. I’d no real idea what I’d done to my wrist, or why my ears were ringing so dam bad.
Next thing I was in my kitchen, watching King Kong making a wooden door frame on the floor. I was in my dressing gown watching him with a cup of tea. Suddenly he realised he made it to big. He lifted in front of me, i was in sheer terror, he was about to go absolutely mental… someone’s rubbing my arm gently.. “messur Tomlinson, it is time for your operation” …
It was 330am. I was liking the Morphine..
Still no English, I was wheeled through couridoors and a lift, ceiling lights blinding me in the rush. It was like the bloody x-files. I had no idea what was happening.. we’re they gona knocked me out, or just my arm??
I was laid out in theatre, arm on steel table, a screen was pulled over it, big injection or can’t remember where exactly. Then I head a saw which was quite loaded. French nurse stroked me to sleep. I woke with a huge plaster cast. 4 days in hospital. Had the wires and bolts taken out back home much later. Had to learn how to ride at the same speed with a bent messeed wrist. Thanks to Mobius braces. !
I had memory issues for a good while had have suffered from tinnitus every second of every day since. I learned to cope with that pretty quickly. Simple acceptance is the key. You can’t fight any kind of destiny. Oh and a pancaked vertebrae in my neck, which flared up only last week, after years of random valium use I’m considering an Op. to replace it with a bit plastic.
I’d be surprised if anyones read this far tbh, just though I’d mention my Mega history, as no one will know, only my mates and family as I’m only an average rider and won’t get interviewed or anything !!
Just one of many I guess, along with near death from septicaemia (didn’t wear elbow pads that day) and usual coller bone that pokes out like Ron Js winky.
My fascination has been the learning to cope and carry on. Currently racing the other Rad dads in Uk south region BMX with my sons, but I think I’ll quit next year, not much margin for error in bmx racing.
I just love riding and racing bikes. And so do my boys.
One day, I’ll go back to the mega with them both. That mountain can kiss my ass
Didn't get seriously injured until my race.
Here's my blog about it, not quite as eventful as the account above but I like to think it captures the event quite well: unduro.co.uk/mtb/that-time-i-raced-the-megavalanche-and-got-a-free-helicopter-ride
I've been to the Mega 7 times between 2001 and 2010,and also have a bunch of storys like that,even 2 trips to the Grenoble hospital,thankfully for minor problems.
I remember very well the first years of the Brit invasion,the Mega changed considerably after that.
Hope your injuries heal well and don't bother you to much,and someday we'll meet again at Pic Blanc!
It’s true, I have missed out bits, and I’d have to catch up with my crew for some memory jogs. I’ve got more to tell and do love writing.
Funnily enough, reading/writing this on our yearly trip back from Morzine. Only a couple of smashes into trees and berms, so nothing like you went through.
The Honda had a rust hole in the door which you made bigger as we got further south because you liked the air it blew onto your legs.
The Honda rear lights didnt work (any of them), we found this out while in the Alps.
You had one CD in the car - Top Gear soundtrack, no radio.
Your farts were sickening.
You did not want to pay for a doctors note to prove you were fit enough to ride (from UK doctor) so took the note and didnt pay on the way out, as a result after the crash you did not return to your GP in the UK in fear of having to pay up for the note.
You spent the days after your crash playing xbox & sleeping. You drove us back to the UK, had your hospital notes translated to find out it said you must not watch TV or drive for two weeks.
very much lacking on their original content.......is this the beginning of an end?
@Pit-viper
I was in Alpe d'Huez in the mega week and I saw at least 1 fatbike which was competing.
Would say chance of puncture is near 100%.
Entering in the Mega... a quote comes to mind
"Just because you can... doesn't mean you should"
Or has the Mega become a bucket list event for the "all the gear & no idea"crowd?
Sorry this can't work like one sided SNL on here, both sides can have the mic. Live and let live !!
Next time add more !!! They help distract from your unconventional spelling.