Tuesday, January 22, 2008

You know you really want
to lay it down
Right now
And how


This morning's commute started like any other. I took a moment to get a shot of a box of Ritz crackers on a tree.


But during the day it rained, moisture settling on deep frozen asphalt. It seemed warm as I struck out for home. The streets were glistening in my lamp light. I noticed that the paint on the cross walks was a little slippery, I backed off each time I cornered across one just to be safe.
My computer told me I was going just shy of 20mph...let me take a moment to justify my new found love of the cycle computer, something I usually view as an unnecessary distraction. The way I'm using it, it serves more like a cadence computer. Constantly motivating me to tip the scales so to speak. If I'm going 18mph, I know I can maximize my puny 38 X 16 gear and get 20-22mph out of it, if I concentrate real hard. Get it up to 30+ on a downhill and you'll know the meaning of terror.
Anyway, the gadget told me I was going almost 20mph, I was coming into a wide arcing corner. BAM! That's all I can say. Hip hits tarmac, bike makes sickening scraping noise as it slides, me still attached to it toward the sidewalk, bike leaps curb as my left foot slams into it.
I was out of the road, so I lay there with my eyes closed, my ipod was still blaring in my ears so I didn't hear the old man standing over me asking about my well-being. I looked over my right shoulder, telling him I was fine. A couple walking a dog came up and insisted they should call me an ambulance. I insisted I was fine (a bit of hyperbole, but I didn't need a meat wagon that was for sure). It was funny, I didn't notice when all these people walked away as I fidgeted with my earphones, lights, and fenders, trying to get all sorted out. After collecting myself I creaked off toward home, thinking about Ibuprofen and beer.


Why do we fall down? So we can pick ourselves up and go "Jesus Christ! Crap! Argh!".
That's why little skipper.

Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Yeah yeah yeah

- Ratt (with two "T's", so you know it's got to be good)

5 comments:

B said...

Meat bags and tarmac do not mix stop trying to mix the two.

Steven Pearcy lisps there is no lisping in heavy metal! Therefor it is glam metal and that is a bad thing.

Matt Simpson said...

Safe as a mole in a hole.
On a side note, Ronnie S and I will be racing some SS in New Belg CX next year, looking forward to racing with you; but by all measures we are both positive you will be off in the far distance (ahead of course)....like the fixie-ss post for winter riding, glad you made it out ok. hup hup

Colin R said...

what the hell, thom, mountain bikers aren't supposed to crash on wet pavement. i'll assume you left out the part in the story where you were drinking coffee while catching rad air and making fun of roadies both before and after crashing.

Andy, R&D said...

ok, so 38-16...I take it you were riding you pink bike. your fixed gear pink bike. when you fell did you feel like the egg beaters were still on high and the flywheel wasn't ready to slow down?
hope yur not hurt to bad. take an extra ibuprophen with two beers tonight...can't be as bad as cohutta last year.

Big Bikes said...

I realized after rereading my post that I merely alluded to the fact that I went down on some black ice.

I did try to look at the bright side. I was wearing thick winter tights which saved me some skin...
of course if it wasn't cold as hell out I wouldn't have crashed on black ice. Bright side my black and blue ass.