Monday, March 13, 2006

Cyclopath

or Grievous Wounds, Honorably Received

The weather continues to be gorgeous, though it is supposed to slip back down to the 50s and 40s later in the week. It's what the forecasters here call "a return to wintry conditions." That always makes me smile.

At any rate, I decided to take advantage of the weather while it lasted. Low 80's, partly cloudy, some breeze. I decided to bike the Arlington Triangle, a very nice little loop. This also allowed me to take care of some business. A few days ago, I received a Flat Stanley in the mail from Aaron & Lorissa. Apparently it originated with Lorissa's second cousin's nephew or something.

Mr. Stanley Goes to Washington

I decided to take Stanley up the Potomac so I could get a picture with the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument in the background. It think it came out pretty well.

It was also my first chance to try out some new toys for my bike. For Christmas, Steph gave me a Camelbak, and it worked out great. Just enough storage for Stanley and a camera, and plenty of water that stayed nice and cool. I also got to test the wireless bike computer Mike got me for my birthday. It too worked very well, giving me current speed, average speed, max speed, distance, and elapsed time. And what a great day for a ride!

So, of course that didn't last. Near the corner of Mount Vernon Avenue and South Glebe Road, just a short distance from home, the bike path doubles back on itself as it loops around to rise up to a bridge. I took the curve at speed, though it was nothing I haven't done before. But the front wheel slipped right out from under me. It went flat, either in the crash or shortly before; I didn't notice anything until it was too late. It may have just been underinflated, though I checked before I left the house.

No damage to the bike, though it did knock the computer off. I have to reattach it, somehow. I was not so lucky.

Road rash, cooooool

It's not so bad. In fact, it's my first real road rash since I started riding again a year or so ago. But it's probably going to bruise as well - it was the main point of impact as I went over. To add insult to injury, I have no bandages big enough to cover it. So I put on some Neosporin and improvised.

Is there anything this stuff can't do? Posted by Picasa

It's a little sore, and I'll probably skip lifting and swimming tomorrow. But it's fine. Tyson once said, "If you don't capsize every once in a while, you're not sailing hard enough." Perhaps the same is true in cycling.

3 comments:

kelly said...

Sounds like you had a great ride. And a little fall will always show you more uses for duct tape! What can't you use that stuff for?!

Question - Did you stick Stanley in a bag while riding? What if he wanted to see the sights, couldn't he have riden the handle bars at least?

Matt Boulanger said...

Kate and I got out for our first ride of the year this weekends as well, but the headwind was a little too fierce. All the little stabilizer muscles around my knees were really sore the next day.

Why don't you go full on next time you are injured and use wd-40 instead of neosporin?

Dan said...

Well, it's good Stanley was in the bag - I doubt he would have survived the crash.

I think WD-40 would sting

THE MIND IS NOT A VESSEL TO BE FILLED BUT A FIRE TO BE KINDLED