Didn't "bonk" today . . . crashed instead!

[RolliePollie]

Wow, Michelem, I'm glad you're ok! Well, pretty much ok at least! I hope your road rash and bruises aren't feeling too much worse today. It's such a beautiful weekend around here...too bad your crash had to happen on the first day of the weekend

I almost crashed the last time I was riding the trail...a lady on a mountain bike decided to turn left across the path just as I was about to pass her. "On your left" was just about ready to come out of my mouth when she suddenly turned. I was about 1/2" from clipping her back wheel. Scared the you-know-what out of me. And the two guys behind me had some choice words for her as well.

Maybe I'll see you down there on the bike trail sometime. I was coming down there to ride at least once a week, but now that it's warming up, I'll probably stay up here on the hill more. I'm not a morning person so it's hard for me to get there early. But I like riding down there where I can get 40-50 miles in. I'm not able to do that up here yet...my limit 'round these parts seems to be about 20-25 miles. If you ever feel like riding in the foothills, let me know. I'd love to have a riding partner sometime.

Feel better and heal quickly!

[michelem]

Thanks so much Mr. Silver and sara. I'm pretty sore today, but it's not unbearable. I keep thanking God that it wasn't worse! I'm trying to psych myself up to go back out and do an easy solo ride just to get myself back out there. My mind keeps messing with me ("See, I told you so . . . you're not coordinated enough to to do this . . . you are too old to do this . . . you are really going to hurt yourself next time . . . you are a hazard to yourself and others . . . blah, blah, blah). I really appreciate all the encouragement.

Sara, here's the link to the group I've just started going with (I'm with the "C" beginner-type group). You are welcome to join in anytime - it's an open group. www.cyclefolsom.com

[Mr. Bloom]

This wasn't the scene of the accident, was it?

Picture #4 on:
http://news.yahoo.com/page/week_in_p...E?fid=20070524

I'm sorry, I read your first post right before I saw this picture and I thought it was ironic.

This picture is how it would look if I ever tried a group ride. My lack of coordination and response time scares me.

Glad you're feeling better...but keep trying...

[RolliePollie]

Sara, here's the link to the group I've just started going with (I'm with the "C" beginner-type group). You are welcome to join in anytime - it's an open group. www.cyclefolsom.com

Thanks! I just checked out the link...I'd never even heard of this group before! One of these Saturday mornings, I'll try and get myself up early enough to get down there. It sounds like fun!

[Geonz]

I am with you on the depth perception; it's a *good* thing when a car buzzes me and I think "oh! judging from the speed of the breeze, that must have been a close shave!" and don't startle, but that's about the only advantage.
Whether it's cycling, or perhaps the yoga classes I've taken, I have gotten notably better at knowing where my bike and I are in space and time... get back out there and get into groups where you can leave enough room to be comfortable... you can tell 'em you're coming back from a crash. It's what I did when I was the rider in *front* whose misjudgement brought down others ... and I'll only do pacelines when I am at 100%, with people that I know well (tho' sometimes I can tell they've got a skill level I"m comfortable with), and it took me a long time to work back into even ever doing it. And still, I like to be in front or in back, so I don't mind doing a lot of pulling, or riding with slower riders, and people think I"m nice... nope, just don't like crashing.

[michelem]

Thanks Geonz. It's helpful to hear that I'm not alone in this - thanks for sharing!

Got back on the bike yesterday and rode the area where I crashed. Went alone and SLOW. Lots of pedestrians, kids with training wheels, etc., dogwalkers, etc. out so had to be extra extra cautious. It's tough because coming around a corner it is impossible to know where these people/dogs will be - some will be on the right, and others on the left. Sigh . . . Coming down from Beals Point I was PANICKED! I feathered the back brake the whole way, but still felt as if I was going way to fast. Each corner I came to I just said Oh sh*%, Oh sh*% the whole way through. Give me climbing over descending any day. At least coming back there was hardly anyone on the trail because by that time it was getting close to 90 degrees out. When I got closer to home I practiced cornering in an empty parking lot. Amazing how well I do when I can actually SEE the exit point!

I've read the posts on cornering - choosing a line (outside, inside, outside, or reverse), but I'm having a tough time figuring out how that applies when one is on multi-use trail with foot/cyclist/skateboard/rollerblade traffic flowing in both directions. Maybe I just need to stay off the trail until summer's over . . .