Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Sore

I turned in my grades. On time. Yay.

So I went for a celebratory bike ride, thinking that I'd have a short ride today, then a long one, maybe 30 miles tomorrow, starting early in the morning.

It's now really early in the morning, and I can't sleep. Let's just say for a celebratory ride, it wasn't so great.

First, a guy passed me almost like I was standing still. I'm such a whuss. He had muscles where I have none, I'm convinced.

I turned around after the 9 mile marker (which means I've ridden about 8 miles, because the trailhead I use isn't at the 0 mile marker).

There are a couple really nice wood bridges along the ride, spanning little rivers and such, marshy areas. They're a little narrower than the main path, but pretty smooth riding, with nice high sides. I saw a Sandhill Crane off one the other day, stopped and watched it for a good ten minutes.

I rode towards one of the bridges, and saw two people, the guy in front, and someone I'll just call the -- in back. They were coming towards me, not riding fast, but then, neither was I, because, did I mention, whuss? As I close, the -- in back decides to look over the bridge rail to my right, and crosses into my path to do it. And rides there. I slow down.

The guy in front and I neared, like normal people, each holding to the right side of the path (being that we're in the US and all, this is the usual practice).

Somehow, I can't quite believe that the -- isn't aware that I'm oncoming (since I've seen them for like 45+ seconds, and at a fairly slow speed, remember, I'd been passed earlier) and that -- is in my "lane" such as it is. I put on my left (front) brake (the right/rear one has slowed me down mostly), and am almost at a stop, and yell, and the -- hits me head on. We whacked helmets, I think.

I fell off my bike, backwards, because all the inertia at that point was with --. Yes, weak and whussy here. I don't think -- fell off --'s bike at all, but I'm not sure.

The -- apologized. The -- had been looking at the bridge. No kidding?

I should have swerved to my left, where -- should have been, but where the guy in front had been just a moment earlier. But seriously, I couldn't believe that a bike rider was that completely unaware, and I thought -- would swerve into --'s "lane" at the last moment, as so many do.

I'm such an whuss. I think I was more scared than hurt. I can imagine all the bad stuff that can happen when someone just isn't paying basic attention. And that reminds me why I'm not buying myself a motorcycle any time soon.

I rode back the 6-7 or so miles to the trailhead, then drove home. Meanwhile, my left hand started hurting, and I developed a rather impressive bruise on my thigh. (However, on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the worst pain you can think of, I think of Fox's Book of Martyrs, and being burned alive, or drawn and quartered, or what the heck, just broken on the wheel, so let's put my pain at about a point oh five on that scale. And can I just say, I hope I never get drawn and quartered or broken on a wheel?)

My friend came by to assure me that I should just continue icing my hand, and a couple of us went out to dinner, which was great. Thank goodness for friends. And Ibuprofin. I took three, talk about a walk on the wild side.

In the hours since, some more bruises have asserted themselves, but the swelling on my hand hasn't gotten worse. I think some part of the other bike must have hit it because I was pulling the left brake extension lever (and I have those old double brake levers, one traditional in the turn down part, one an extra bar just in front of the lazy person's handle bars on the horizontal part; they used to be on lots of bikes, but I don't see them much these days) so it was exposed, and the left brake was twisted off kilter afterwards.

My bike helmet doesn't even have a scratch on it. My bike's reflector broke, and the left brake handle thing got twisted, but that seems the extent of the bike damage. -- wasn't hurt, nor was --'s bike, I think.

So, all in all, a not bad accident.

I've been thinking lately about when I'd fall off my bike. I guess I've done it now, and can quit worrying about it.

ps. My new Oakley M Frames were the BEST part of the ride; the road dust was MUCH more manageable!

5 comments:

  1. Only two kinds of bikers, we used to say, back when I was a serious bike rider: those who have gone down, and those who are going down.

    Congratulations! You've got it done. And no serious harm.

    (When I went down, I seriously went down -- whacked my head, had 3 stitches and amnesia. This was back before helmets were de rigeur.)

    But I feel your pain. I'm a fellow wuss. I want my pain meds! (Whine, whine!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's so frustrating when cyclists do idiotic things and you can't even feel good that they're biking (instead of, say, driving). I was almost run over the other day as I was standing at the corner of the sidewalk by a guy who was biking both the wrong way down a one way AND on the sidewalk. And HE glared at ME.

    The last time I was out biking I was almost run over by a car. We were all at a light and when it changed, Super G and I entered the intersection. A car that was at least 2 cars back, and which did not even get to the intersection until we were already in the middle of it, proceeded to turn right, almost knocking me off the bike. There's NO WAY he could have not seen us. But he was a doddering old man who may have been blind for all I know. Sometimes people should not be allowed into cars.

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  3. That sounds like a great circuit you've got there, until -- comes by. Hopefully the ibuprofen will keep the after-effects to almost nil.

    And glad to hear that the Oakleys are working out for you! Lance liked his, too.

    Cheers

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  4. Thanks for the kind words, all.

    My bruises are colorful, but don't much hurt, and my hand's completely fine now.

    And the glasses are GREAT! I was out the other day and noticed a little dust in my eye at mile 14/20, and thought, hey, dust in my eye! And then I thought, WOW, barely any dust in my eye on a semi-windy day when I've ridden by people out plowing!

    Thanks again for the suggestion, App Crit

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:08 PM

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    ReplyDelete