The Flying Mattress

[Gowest]

Yes, you read it right - the flying mattress!! I was almost killed on vacation by a flying mattress. My boyfriend and I just returned from Tucson (missed the Tour by one weekend) and while we were there we rode for two days. Day one was fine - did Gates Pass and a 40 mile loop past the Desert Museum. Day two was Mount Lemon - great climbing - loved it!!! I was descending about 40 mph and heard a pick-up behind me - waved it around - it passed and in the back bed were three queen or king sized mattresses. Just as the truck passed me on this narrow mountain road - a matress comes levitating out of the back at me!!!! I narrowly missed it - it bounced in the middle of the road and I ended up in the opposite lane trying not to go over the steep cliff edge. The guy pulled over down the road - he had not one rope or tie down on anything in the back!!! Needless to say - I hauled @ss down the rest of the descent b/c I was afraid he would reload them and pass me again!! What an idiot. Boyfriend missed the whole thing!! I almost peed my shorts!!

By the way - Tucson is a great city - we had a fantastic trip - I got a new bike while I was there - and Orbea Orca 2007 - Arizona Cyclists is awesome. Met Gord Frazier while I was there as well - not a bad long weekend. Also caught the Allison Krauss concert and went up to the Kitt Observatory evening program - it was the highlight of our trip. Looks like it would be a great ride up the mountain to the observatory - oh well something to look forward to another time.

Wish we had been able to do the Tour - maybe next year. Wow - y"all have some fantastic weather out there right about now. And the Raging Sage Coffee House is the BEST - yummy.

Debi

[Dianyla]

A flying mattress, Holy cow!!!

Reminds me of the time I was driving on the highway behind a landscaping truck and a wheelbarrow flew off the back and was bouncing erratically between different lanes on the highway before suddenly veering into the ditch just feet ahead of my bumper. Thankfully I was in my car and would have been semi-protected.

I'm sure you're lovin' the new Orbea, too!

[Grog]

wow! Debi! I'm glad you're okay. That could have been ugly.

A friend of mine was driving to her mother's funeral (not a good day to begin with) when the very same thing happened to her: a mattress flew from the top of the vehicle in front of her, directly into her windshield. Thankfully she had a gentle crash, nothing broken on her or the passenger, but a huge fright, and a slightly beat-up car...

Awful... Some people are so careless.

[Tuckervill]

That reminds me of the time my friend had a near miss with a boat on a trailer that had come loose from a truck. The truck was going the OTHER way on the interstate, and the boat came over the wall separating the lanes, over my friend's head! No one was hurt, though, thank goodness.

Glad you managed to avoid the mattress! Good story to tell.

Karen

[doc]

That reminds me of the time my friend had a near miss with a boat on a trailer that had come loose from a truck. The truck was going the OTHER way on the interstate, and the boat came over the wall separating the lanes, over my friend's head! No one was hurt, though, thank goodness.

Glad you managed to avoid the mattress! Good story to tell.

Karen

Holy Moly!!! She would have been killed. How is it that the boat was flying that high? Wow

[Tri Girl]

Ohhhh....soooo glad you're OK! Sounds like a terrifying incident on a flat road, super-duper horrifying on a downhill mtn. ride. Yikes! You handled it very well- great biking skills!

Tucson is beautiful. I've think I've finally talked DH into retiring there (oh, in about 25 years). I went to the U of A and loved being in Tucson (much nicer than Yuma where I grew up). Glad you got to enjoy the town and see some of it's great spots. You gotta go back soon!

[Tuckervill]

Holy Moly!!! She would have been killed. How is it that the boat was flying that high? Wow

The wall was very close to the travel lane, and I guess it just bounced up enough when it disconnected from the truck, and went airborne and landed on the wall. But it still had enough speed to move forward. Scary.

Karen

[chickwhorips]

wow scary! mount lemon is beautiful, but not when a mattress is coming in your direction!