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Thursday, June 29, 2017

The Art of Crashing

Start by getting a nice long warmup ride so you’re relaxed and comfortable on the bike. Find a wide shaded street with an ever so gentle downgrade - an un-false flat, if you will. Shift into the big ring and find an easy cadence, turning a cog somewhere in the middle range. Don’t rush. Your front tire will be thrown out by a small bump in the road, presumably a tree root pushing up the asphalt. The rear tire will follow and buck the bike up into the air. This will happen fast—without opportunity to make any adjustments or corrections. You’ll try but won’t quite be able to piece together this sequence of events later. There will be a sensation of rolling, tumbling along the ground. Curled up in a heap in the gutter, you’ll think, “Oh no.” Are you okay? Are you okay? I don’t know. Can I help you up? Uh, just a sec. Am I okay? I don’t know. How did I get so dirty? Thanks for stopping. Where’s my bike? It’s way over there—I saw it flipping through the air! Are you okay? It looks like your derailleur is toast. Are you okay? I don’t know. I think so… Drink that last sip of water. Straighten the handlebars. Just get on the bike. Get to that park. Get some water. Wash off the blood and dirt. Soft, soft, soft pedal home. Just get home. Just seven miles. Just get home… 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

A couple more years and you'll be driving everywhere.

mindful mule said...

JAM: driving is way too dangerous!

Kristina said...

Oh no! I hope that you are okay. They say that there are two types of bikers/cyclists - those who have crashed and those who haven't YET. Hope that you - and your mule (or horse) - are okay and that you're riding again soon!

mindful mule said...

Thanks, Kristina. I'm about 10 days out now and everything seems to be healing nicely. Bike is better off than me, although I haven't given it a complete examination yet. I certainly feel those crashes I'm seeing in Le Tour a lot more now...