It was 61 degrees F today. My friend Eric and I went out near the end of the day on one of our training rides from work. It is a flat ~16 mile ride that we usually take out and back. It is on a back road with not too much traffic. It has rained a few times this Spring, so most of the roads are clear, except for the shoulders. It rained yesterday, but the heavy fog we got this morning is a sure indication that it will be a clear sunny day.
This was our first time riding outside this year. It felt great to be cruising down the road with my good friend. We were catching up on things and chatting away when we came to a railroad crossing. The road rises up to the rail bed, then drops back down on the other side. The tracks are at an angle, so it is always prudent to be careful crossing over them. I was under the impression, with the warm sunny day, that it wasn't going to be a problem, but there was a thin film of mud on the train tracks that caused my front wheel to slide out along the steel rail. It happened so quickly that I didn't really have a chance to tighten up or prepare for the impact, so I just kind fell on my hip, rolled over my shoulder, then flipped over and slid about 15 feet or so. I think I was going about 15-18 MPH, full of enthusiasm for being out riding. I cracked my helmet and tore a small hole in my jacket, and, other than a couple of road rashes, was otherwise unscathed. After a few minutes, to make sure everything was okay, we got back on our bikes and finished the rest of the ride.
I didn't feel anything until the end of the ride when the salt from a little sweat made the raspberries on my hip and shoulder sting a little. I should have paid a little more attention to the tracks; I did on the return. It could have been worse, I suppose. I am not phased by it, and can't wait to get out riding again. I'll go shopping for a new helmet tomorrow.
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I have never cracked a helmet. I imagine it makes you think twice about what might have happened if you weren't wearing one. I don't know how we survived our growing up without helmets and seatbelts?... but we did. I think that we also ate a lot of things that would be considered "past the expiry date", etc. One experience we did miss, and which shaped the lives of our parents was the Great Depression. Perhaps we will get the chance to have that experience now. (How is that for a comment - transitioning from your cracked helmet to todays economic condition.)
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