Eating gravel on the C&O

[Kalidurga]

Well, I had a fun ride today Headed up to Sharpsburg and got on the towpath across the river from Shepherdstown, headed downstream towards Harper's Ferry. No planned mileage, just figured I'd ride as far as I felt like then turn around, and enjoy the gorgeous weather along the way.

So I'm cruising along, when I glance down and see a wasp on my thigh. I brush it off without looking, then glance down again and see it's still there. I brush again, looking to see if I got it and... I don't know if I hit a rock or leaned my weight the wrong way or what, but the next thing I know I'm sprawled face down in the gravel with my bike under me. Hopped up, grabbed the bike to check it out, and noticed blood running down my arm. Twisted my elbow as close to my face as I could only to find a nice little hole gouged in my arm. There's also almost 6 inches of bright red road (towpath?) rash down my shin and the leather on the palms of my gloves is shredded. And I can feel a goose egg growing on the inside of my thigh from where it must've smacked against the nose of my saddle.

Fortunately, I was just upstream from the Huckleberry Hill campsite, so I start walking the bike towards it and see 4 people standing near the porta-john. They were standing around a snake that was in the middle of the towpath, probably wishing they'd all go away. I had to walk around and through the group of them to get to the porta-john for some toilet paper (since none of them would move), holding my arm up to prevent the blood from running down my arm, and not one of them seemed to notice. I come out of the porta-john wiping gore off my wrist, and still not one of them says anything to me.

So I grabbed my bike and headed down to the picnic table, where I had to lie down for a bit for the adrenaline to wear off and my ears to stop ringing (I had hit my chin on the ground). After a while I sat up, pulled out my first aid stuff (thank goodness I come prepared), and began trying to clean myself up. Then I had to get my chain untangled from the bottom bracket and fix the shifter that'd been knocked cockeyed. During the time that I was sitting there, 3 more pairs of people passed by and two of the people who had been looking at the snake passed again heading back. Again, not one of those 10 people said "How are you?", "Are you ok?", or even "Gee, you look goofy."

The 9 miles back to the car were easier than expected, and it was so beautiful out this morning that I was actually still able to enjoy the ride. If it hadn't been for the obliviousness of the people I encountered, the crash would kind of be no big deal.

Except that my elbow is still oozing blood...

[Selkie]

I'm sorry to hear about your mishap and the complete lack of kindness on the part of those morons! I don't understand how people can behave that way but unfortunately, one seems to encounter it often these days.

Hope you heal up quickly.

[divingbiker]

Oh, my, that sounds painful. What is up with people, ignoring someone who's bleeding?

[Zen]

Good thing you were you were prepared and able to make it back.
I'm often stumped by the lack of awareness in people.

Were these people walking or riding?

[7rider]

Well, if they knew you like we do...they would have known that you look goofy all the time, anyway!
Seriously...bummer about the wipeout. Keep it clean...

[Zen]

Next time opt for the sting.

[Kalidurga]

Were these people walking or riding?

Some of each, passing in separate pairs. It just annoyed me because whenever I see someone on the side of the trail/road/whatever, I pretty much always say "how're you doing?" or something like that.

Thanks, ladies. I think I just needed to rant. And by the way, I'm even more goofy looking than usual right now, with two stitches sticking out of my elbow

[Cataboo]

Ouch. I'm glad you had gloves on and I have no idea what's wrong with people.

A nurse friend of mine that works in an ER says that using spray & wash on your road rash is the gentlest thing to do, they use it to clean up their motorcycle accident victims... but luckily I haven't had road rash since she told me that to test it.

Maybe if you'd gotten yourself bitten by the snake, you might have gotten some attention.

[withm]

I'm so sorry! What a nightmare. Good that you were prepared, and got home OK. That could happen to any of us at any time. What a shame that none of the bystanders could be bothered to offer any assistance.

Martha

[Kalidurga]

It was really more annoying than anything else. There probably wasn't anything anyone could've done that I wasn't able to do for myself, and I certainly could've stopped someone and asked for help if it was really necessary. It just would've felt nice for someone to acknowledge it, y'know? Any one of those people probably would've expected that much if it had been them in my shoes.

Anyhoo... The dr in the er apparently used plain water in a syringe to clean it out (well, fancy hospital bottled water, which certainly might've been saline). When I was trying to clean it up on the trail, I used wetnaps that I'd nicked from various restaurants over the years. Now I need to go out for bbq so I can refill my kit

[Zen]

Now I need to go out for bbq so I can refill my kit

Yeah, they don't have those at Waffle House. You have to go to one of those upscale places
The reason I asked about cyclists or pedestrians was, well I just thought cyclists might be more empathetic to a fellow cyclist.
So much for that theory

[Kalidurga]

Yeah, I would've expected the same.

If anyone's feeling morbidly curious, here's mah hematoma. I should have taken the photo yesterday when it was still multi-colored.

[Zen]

If anyone's feeling morbidly curious, here's mah hematoma.

You know I had to look. Is that a knee?

[7rider]

Yeah, they don't have those at Waffle House. You have to go to one of those upscale places

Like Kentucky Fried Chicken???
That's where my wipies in my bike bags come from....