It's August! Riding through the heat.
I rode 21 miles this morning, as we have storms approaching. Hoping I get out and do my errands before they start!
I did a route I did about a month ago, where I ride over to the other side of town, into Carlisle and a teeny corner of Westford on the road, and then catch the bike trail back as far as I can take it in Acton, to get back over the highway, closer to my house. It was not too hot, but the humidity is building.
I felt good and my back has been much better since I started doing a new stretch/move, I saw online. However, there's one gradual hill as I am on the road to where I catch the trail, and my ribs started aching. The actual spot where I have the bruise is much better, NWG, do you use Arnica gel? It really speeds up healing bruises. But, I got through that, for the nice downhill and onto the trail, which was quiet. My LBS now has their back door/ramp set up, adjacent to the trail, which is nice.
Once I get off the road, I have a small climb and then I have to wait at a light to get across the highway. Some jerk, turning left, turned in front of me; he was the second car turning, but the first had plenty of time. However, I saw it and slowed. He had his windows open, so I used the occasion to swear loudly at him. After this, I have 2 hills, one about 8%, so I slowed down, for the rest of the way.
I may ride to work tomorrow, much earlier than I need to, so I won't sweat to death. I am done at 3:45, so then I can take a longer and shadier way home.
Another cyclist hits the pavement
Yesterday I was walking our dog when one of our friends at the RV park, a senior triathlete, came riding by in his truck. He was all bandaged up -- side of head, elbow, and had a black eye. He knew about my DH's crash last Monday and said that he had "joined the club". Sheesh!
He said he was riding (solo, as always) on the trail we ride this past Thursday, and all of a sudden, he was down. He doesn't remember what happened and doesn't think any obstacle was in the trail. He was bleeding pretty heavily, so someone who passed him insisted on taking him to the ER, where they patched him up. He is older (74) but very fit.
He is shaken up since he doesn't remember what happened and doesn't remember hitting the pavement, so he must have lost consciousness briefly. He was wearing a helmet as he always does, and he thinks the helmet jamming into his left temple resulted in the cut and bruising there, but he knows it could have been worse if he hadn't been wearing one!
I am shaken up because of both this man and my DH, crashing out (both on their left sides) in the past week. This is going to make me nervous to ride. Between the three of us, all have had a relatively serious crash in just over a year, including my own. :eek: