Ever have one of those days?

[sundial]

Have you ever started the day with gorgeous weather, plans for a long ride, and you feel as if nothing can sour your plans?

My day began with a fresh cup of brew, new cycling gear, bike loaded on the hitch rack, and with all systems go. I kissed hubby goodbye and reminded him that I was riding a long ride this morning and headed out the door to my adventure.

I was driving to meet my cycling partner and as I was coming down a hill, two cars ahead of me slowed to turn left. I gently braked and had plenty of space between the car in front of me and my car but as I looked in my rearview mirror I watched in horror as the car behind me came barreling down the hill with the driver distracted by something in the seat next to her. I knew she wasn't going to be able to stop in time so I quickly pulled over onto the shoulder, in a construction zone, in hopes that she would break in time and not hit the car in front of me.

She slammed on the breaks and followed me onto the shoulder.

Her car hit my bike rack dead on and bent the heck out of it. It damaged the tailgate and with the force of impact the bike was thrown out of the secure holders, off the rack, and hit the back of my car. The rim of the front tire gave my car what looked like a skin burn. All in all I walked away with a sore finger. My Roubaix has a pretty serious scuff on the side and I don't trust it enough to ride it now and I don't know about the rims either. I'll take my bike to the shop to get an estimate of damages for my insurance.

After all this happened I still wanted to meet with my cycling parter so after the policeman was finished with the report I drove home to swap out bikes. I grabbed the Fargo with the tubeless mtb tires and aired the tires up a little. I drove back to where I was going to start the ride and once I got to riding, all was going great. We met and proceeded to ride to the next destination when all of a sudden I heard BANG!! and I looked down and my front tire had exploded and peeled off the rim. The bike and I got sprayed by Stan's. I figured if I could get the tire to seat right with the right burst of air, I could keep going. I started using the frame pump and just couldn't pump fast enough to seat the tire on the rim. Plus I bent the presta valve. So I stopped, dug out a spare tube, and proceeded to put it on but didn't have a tool to remove the tubeless valve on the rim. So I called hubby again and he sent someone to come get me. (I did have a friendly farmer offer me a ride. )

So I finally made it home and took the air compressor to the tire and it aired up just fine. Note to self: carry air cartridges and multi-tool WITH pliers. I added more Stan's and took it for a test ride.

The upside to all this is I had on my new Sugoi capris and high vis Smartwool jersey so I looked oh so fashionable while stranded on the side of the road.

[TsPoet]

Wow! I've had lots of "those days", but never a day like yours!
I'm glad you are joking about it all and your spirit is OK.

[Trek-chick]

Wow, what a day you had...hope your bike isn't too bad off. Let us know how it goes once you get an estimate on the damage. Glad you weren't hurt by that distracted driver.

[TrekTheKaty]

It's like--when I wake up in the morning and it looks like a good hair day.....

That means it's gonna rain

Believe it or not, I consider myself an optimist. But the laws of nature do not allow too many things to go right in a row. I guess it throws things out of whack.

I had a friend who said, her car knew how much money she had in her wallet. Whenever she had a little extra cash--car break down!

Glad you have a sense of humor. Although, I would have taken it as a sign and given up before loading the second bike.

[OakLeaf]

Yikes! Glad it wasn't worse.

Hope her insurance settles quickly on your bike. Don't be surprised if you're very sore tomorrow - and don't hesitate to see a chiropractor or PT if your pain persists, just don't sign anything with her insurance quite yet. Both my DH and I had about four days of pretty bad low back pain after we were rear-ended (and low back pain is not a normal thing for either of us).

[Biciclista]

wow, you got into a car accident and still wanted to ride!!!! you're one tough cookie!

[TsPoet]

Believe it or not, I consider myself an optimist. But the laws of nature do not allow too many things to go right in a row. I guess it throws things out of whack.

Can't remember who said these quotes, but these are some of my favorites:

1) a pessimist knows everything is going to go wrong, an optimist finds out.

2) an optimist thinks the glass is half full, a pessimist thinks it's half empty, a realist knows its probably poisoned either way.

[sundial]

Let us know how it goes once you get an estimate on the damage. Glad you weren't hurt by that distracted driver.

Thank you and I hope the estimates are good. I need to take my car to the Honda dealer and have the mechanic check it over pretty good.

[Flybye]

The upside to all this is I had on my new Sugoi capris and high vis Smartwool jersey so I looked oh so fashionable while stranded on the side of the road.

As long as you looked hot and in control all of the time.....

Glad ya are okay - what a bummer of the day - one good thing is that you now have the worst day of the year over with and it is only May.

[maillotpois]

As long as you looked hot and in control all of the time.....

+1.

Glad it didn't turn out any worse. Very scary.

[Tuckervill]

Wow, sundial! What a day!

I kept reading your description of the car and thinking "What about the BIKE???" lol. I'm glad you are not hurt. Maybe the driver was texting...it's illegal in Arkansas now.

Karen

[PamNY]

My goodness, what I day. Glad you were fashionably attired -- and that things weren't any worse.

[WindingRoad]

I think with so many things going wrong you may have been spared a disaster you never knew existed. Maybe all the delays were a way of keeping you out of that? I always feel superstitious when it comes to things like this b/c I start adding up in my head all the possibilities and think it couldn't just be coincidence. Guardian angel probably.

[sundial]

Ok, I just choked on my coffee reading your responses. LOL!! You gals know how to lift one's spirits. You are the best! ((((((TE'ers))))))

I am taking my car in for a check-up and then I'll drop by the bike shop to get an estimate of damages. I'm thinking that the driver was doing 45 mph when she slammed on the brakes and the impact from that can't be good on carbon fiber. I know the right side of the bike hit the car and maybe it absorbed the impact equally and minimized damage. I dunno but I'll soon find out.

[sundial]

I think with so many things going wrong you may have been spared a disaster you never knew existed. Maybe all the delays were a way of keeping you out of that?

I have entertained that thought as well.



My car hit the barrel upon impact.



bent bike rack



detail of damage on hatch



scuff on hatch from bike rim

The driver's car has a perfectly squared notch in the hood from hitting my bike rack.