(Disclaimer: This post not suitable for any reader with a weak constitution)
Some of you may know that about a year or so ago I got into bike riding. It all came about when my Father-in-law, brother-in-law, and I decided we were going to ride a half century in Solvang this past March. My dad and Darren also joined us for the ride and it was beautiful if not rather windy. But after some training and apart from 2 blown tires we all had a pretty good ride. Ive still done a little riding here and there since then, I really enjoy getting out and biking around the area. A couple of weeks ago I actually talked a few friends into taking up riding with me. So Monday, Wednesday, and Friday when we all take our preschoolers to school for a few hours we get together and ride. It is so fun to have friends to ride with and I have started to break them into longer rides. On the first of our "longer" rides however, there was a small mishap, the first that I have had thus far in riding so Ill consider that lucky. And relatively speaking it was pretty minor and somewhat funny, but none the less painful. Dont ask me for all the details because Im still unsure of exactly what happened and how, all I can tell you is that in the midst of slowing down just a bit to ask the girls which direction they wanted to go, I lightly hit my brake and somehow it locked up and I went headfirst over the handlebars. Shauna then panicked and slammed on her brakes and went elbow first over her own. Not knowing which of us to help first Becka finally got us both to the grass and while we lamented our pain she called her husband to come give us a ride home. Everyone is doing ok, if not a bit embarrassed by our debacle, and we are still undeterred in our riding endeavors. We are planning for another half century next year.
While we waited to be picked up and had a good laugh Becka snapped a picture of a few of our injuries. The rest include forearms, hands and knees bruised and stinging with road rash, I caught myself with my face so I have a lovely bruise and rash on my chin with an equally awesome bruised gash on my cheek bone. Shauna got her elbow and hip pretty good as well. I am aching all over, find new bruises often and everything stings so much I dread showering. But even after all that, the only thing that will keep me from our Monday ride is if I cant get my bike fixed in time. (the brake is still stuck)
The moral to this story is that you will never catch me riding without my biking gloves or with a sleeveless shirt on again. Lesson learned.
