Bicycles and bruises
Mar 27th, 2006 by Accidental Thinker
The voting from my most recent entry is still open (for sequence, since I do plan to get around to all of those topics), but as luck would have it, this blogger happens to be perfectly equipped at the present time to honor Peach’s request for a first hand account of both klutziness and bicycles in the same post. What are the odds of that? Pretty good, actually, when you consider that I am not exactly one of God’s more graceful creatures. I point my newer readers to this post for a perfect example.
On to the story. Let me begin by explaining that biking is a pastime we’ve taken up as a family. Our county is home to several bike trails, including one within riding distance of our house, and it’s a resource that we have decided to take advantage of. So in January, during an after-Christmas sale, Kent and I took the plunge and bought bikes, along with a carrier seat for Noah to ride as a passenger. Since then we’ve tricked ourselves out with accessories such as rearview mirrors (so whoever is in the lead can see the others); bike computers that show our speed, distance, and other information we’ll never use; cushiony seat covers; and a bike rack for the car so we can venture beyond the immediate area.
On Saturday we went for a ride, as we often do when schedules and weather cooperate. It was a beautiful day for being outdoors. Slightly cooler than normal temperatures for this time of year, in just that perfect zone where you can be comfortable in long sleeves or short. Sunny, cloudless skies, with just enough breeze to feel the effort of pedaling against it. What the rest of the country calls Spring, which typically lasts about a day in Florida before the oppressive heat and humidity of summer set in.
So there we were, riding along on our return home after a leisurely afternoon jaunt in which Maia had delighted in racing past us on several occasions, chanting “see ya, wouldn’t wanna be ya” as she blew by, her ponytail streaming behind from underneath her helmet. Without warning, in a non-racing moment, she veered to the right and ran off the sidewalk. There was a bit of a drop from the sidewalk to the grass and she could not recover in time. She toppled over, and I saw immediately what would happen next. I was riding behind, too closely, unable to stop or otherwise react. I crashed right into her still spinning rear wheel. I and my bike landed on top of her.
It was my right handlebar, I think, that caught her in the back. It left a temporary red mark, but she’s a trooper and it was forgotten within moments. I’m not sure which piece of cycling paraphernalia attacked my leg, however. Once we had recalled Kent to the scene of the accident for assistance, untangled ourselves from our bikes, and ascertained that Maia was not seriously injured, I discovered that I am now the proud owner of a colorfully bruised and scraped knot on my right shin that still hurts to the touch. (“Well then don’t touch it,” I can hear you all telepathically coaching me.) The knot resides immediately atop a scar in the same location, the result of a previous graceful episode wherein I fell down a set of stairs in light rain, not even a year ago. There’s no hope that I’ll ever have sexy legs.
Moral of the story? You can’t take me anywhere. But if you do, bring a first aid kit.
Ouch! I hope you recover. And I’m a total clutz as well, which is why I never did ballet or any type of dance or gymnastics. I have no skills.
lol. Bring a first aid kit indeed. I’m glad to hear that Maia escaped nearly unscathed. And despite the bruise on your shin that you did too. As for me. I’ve stayed away from bikes ever since I ran one out in front of a truck with a plow attachment. Not pretty. Although now that I think about it it could explain a lot.
The Lumpy
Glad you and Maia are ok. I can’t laugh too much about klutziness. I’m the one who gets thrown out of bed by my mattress and I’ve fell down the back steps not once but twice during the winter on frosty mornings. (Glad your back.)
I would like to read a post on God. (That’s my vote from the post below.)
I had to laugh at this story, because I’m a fellow klutz! I’m glad you weren’t hurt worse. 😀
OUch! Hope you are better soon! Hurts me to think about it.
That hurt just reading it! Glad no one was seriously hurt, but I have to admit I would have laughed to see y’all tangled up with bikes on the grass! 🙂
And what? No little bell for your bike? How about streamers from the handle bars?
Thanks for honoring my request, I knew there had to be a story in there somewhere! 😉
Hey I’m still reeling from the admiration that you go out cycling as a family!
When I got my first bike at age 10, I was not allowed in the street untile I learned how to ride it to my parents satisfaction. After a few weeks of just riding around and around my block on the sidewalk, my folks said; “OK tomorrow, you can ride it in the street.” I could not wait until morning. I jumped on my bike and headed for the closest drive way. I looked up as i was going out of that driveway… but the last thing I remembered was seeing a car coming my way. Next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital! Ooops! Guess I forgot that someone besides me might actually BE IN THE STREET TOO! ~ jb///
Whoa. Sad news! Glad you’re both okay.