Despite it being July in California, I am wearing a cashmere sweater dress under my jacket and that hat is wool (as were the socks inside my knee high boots). At this point I was pedaling pretty fast to get warmed up when I noticed a throbbing in my legs.
Why? I'll show you.
Yep. That is a big, lumpy bruise (pictured three days after I got it). I have three more just like it. All my own fault, no room to share the blame.
I was riding on Wednesday night, hell bent for leather to get to the bar before everyone else so I could get my hamburger order in before the hoards (I was hungry, what can I say?). I miscalculated a driveway and slammed the curb almost head on. Over the bars I went, or rather, straight through the bars I went bending light mounts, bells and brake levers alike. Fortunately, I know how to fall and landed on my back instead of my hands and face, with no other injuries than some bruised thighs that throb when the blood gets pumping through them.
The poor guys that saw me make a complete fool of myself came flying to my aide and were amazed when, from my back on the ground, I threw up my hands and yelled "I'm all right!" I was declared "bad ass" by those who witnessed my folly (James does not agree with the title and forbids me to fall off my bicycle anymore) and went in to get my food (priorities).
Moral of the story- When you are in a hurry, do not take the driveway : ) If you do manage to throw yourself off your bicycle, patterned tights do a great job of camouflaging your ignominy.
Aua, looks like it hurts. Well, at least you didn't starve to death.
ReplyDeleteSWMBO says I fall in slow motion.
ReplyDeleteI have a great deal of experience and it still hurts.
As a Real Cyclist you have arrived,you have learned to Laugh at Pain. The first thing you done when you got up was to find out if the Bike was alright then start doing minor Repairs like Bending back Levers Brakes and Bells and things.
ReplyDeleteThen after that only Realising that you have Thumped yourself, but you do not feel any Pain only slight Stings.
You go into the Restaurant and Enjoy your Meal. Then when you get Home a few Hours later you suddenly Realise that you have Bruised yourself badly.
That does not Daunt you,you put a Muscle Rub on it then the next Day you are off again on your Bike in spite of the Pain. A True Cyclist,A Veteran Campaigner.
"I'm all right!" -- ha ha!
ReplyDeleteGlad you're okay after that.
Bruised, or not...Nice gams there, lady!
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned the "right way to fall". It's so true! Better to bruise yourself and land on your back then to break an arm or a wrist and smash your face into the ground!! Hope the healing is speedy. :-)
ReplyDeleteOuch! I had a bruise like that recently and don't even have a good story. I was simply walking my bike through a crowd and hit my calf with the pedal. Glad you managed to fall correctly and avoided serious injuries :) And hope your bruise disappears more quickly than mine did - mine turned all shades of purple, green, and yellow before finally disappearing 3 WEEKS later!
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! How did the bike fair? lmao hauling ass to get your order in...shameless! telling your story proudly...priceless! Next time hunger hits, call your order in and head that way!
ReplyDeleteanna- It takes much to stand between me and a medium rare cheeseburger and a pint of Anchor Steam.
ReplyDeleteOF- Ask Meli how I fall : )
l'homme- if I am going to be a Grand Campaigner I seriously need a Tricorn hat.
Fritz- Yeah, well that's how I roll. On the ground : D
Jon-Thank you : )
Maggie- My greatest injury fear when riding is breaking my hands. I go to great lengths to prevent that.
Traci- Bruise girls unite!
Anon- The bicycle is fine. Everything was shoved back into place (who needs tools?). If I call in my order I will just have to do some other silly thing so I have something to blog about!
you would think ade practices these acrobatics on a cushy pillow bike lane on a weekly basis... LOL :D
ReplyDeleteOf all my bike-related bruises, the worst and most painful was to my ego! I had just moved to Portland and was riding to work. Decided to stop by the Stumptown Coffee that is three blocks from my office. It also happens to be where all the messengers hang out in the mornings. So here I come, riding up to the curb and I pop my front wheel up onto the curb so I can ride up on it. My rear wheel follows- almost. Just as it's about to clear, the bike stalls. Just stops dead. And I don't want to look like a fred in front of all these hardened warriors, so of course I quietly panic, freeze up, forget to unclip, and fall. On the sidewalk. Like four feet from seven or eight of Portland's most badass cyclists. Not one of them said a word, made a face, anything. Just stared at me in silence. So I just acted like nothing happened. Got my coffee and left. I'm sure they had a good laugh after I was gone though. Very embarassing. I'd take a skin bruise over that any day!
ReplyDeleteI had 2 such ('light') bruising experiences .. C'est la vie! .. of and avid cyclist? ;P ;)
ReplyDeleteLem
Cp't- You and I fall the same way! : )
ReplyDeleteLem- C'est la vie, indeed!
Once leaving my house in the wee dark hours of the morning before I was fully awake, I rammed into the curb and flipped over the handle bars. Unfortunately, I was over a culvert and found myself ending up in the ditch. Landing straight on my back, I had the wins knocked out of me. I took a moment to get my breath back and then continued on to the meeting I had to attend. It was too early and dark to have any witnesses, thank goodness!
ReplyDelete