Finally crashed hehe

[staceysue]

I was so proud of myself - bragging about how I never fell when I started using the clipless pedals. So to make up for how fast I learned, I had to fall in a totally humiliating way.

I found this really pretty road to go down. It's all beautiful farmland and rolling hills, very isolated. It's so pastoral. It dead ends and I got to the end and turned around and was riding back and heard somebody yell "Hey - you can keep going down there - the road doesn't really end." That was really weird because I never run into anybody (except that one scary guy last fall) and on the rare occasion somebody's close enough to the road to see me, they pretty much pretend that they don't see me. Nobody ever says "hi" out here.

So I turned to see if I was imagining things, forgot I was clipped in, and fell right over. He pretended he didn't see me fall and I pretended I didn't know he'd seen me fall, but I couldn't very well get back on my bike and ride off so I was lured into a veeeeerrrry long conversation. I was standing there listening to the name of each and every one of his pepper and tomato plants and learned his entire life story. I kept trying to edge my way back to the road but then he'd say something that was actually super interesting so I'd be lured back into the conversation - over and over! Talk about a knowlegeable guy . . . .

By the time I learned that he was a lumberjack living sustainably, growing all of his own food except for his flour, oil, and sugar and that he's having asparagus for dinner tonight and the names of all his childhood animals, I forgot I was even injured or that my bike might be hurt. Finally I got back on my bike and started heading home, got just over the hill and around the curve where he couldn't see me, and my brakes started making noise. Then my chain came off and got stuck between the inside sprocket and the wheel and I couldn't budge it.

I called my hubby for a rescue and waited, with my hands covered in black grease from the chain. The longer I stood there, the more nervous two dogs from another farm kept getting. Although I'd stopped to pet them when I was riding past before, they apparently didn't like me standing there. They kept slowly coming closer to me and growling. They'd stop when I stopped walking but every time I picked up my bike and started walking away again, they'd get upset and start growling and walking closer. So I was stuck there standing still with them staring at me with the hair on their backs standing up until Hubby showed up.

I didn't remember my injuries until later when DH asked if I'd got a tattoo on my leg - it's just a nice pattern of puncture wounds from the sprockets. Other than that and a bruised forearm, I'm OK.

[Melalvai]

mmm, home grown asparagus. Did you get pictures of the dogs?

[Bike Chick]

What an ordeal, Stacey! Sounds like you had a very interesting day, huh?

I'm glad you weren't hurt worse. The sprocket wounds on your leg heal up and leave a pretty little scar to remind you of falling every time you shave your legs. I have one myself

[artifactos]

I have a great sprocket scar. I acquired it on my very first ride on my road bike, within a minute of getting on and getting clipped in - I unclipped on one side and (stupidly) leaned toward the other, falling. I also have a scar on my butt and my knee from the same fall.

I proudly showed my boyfriend my bleeding when he got out of the lake from testing his wetsuit.

[sundial]

See? It pays to fall sometimes. Would you have ever learned about the road otherwise--and the asparagus? Hope your sprocket tat heals soon and if it scars consider it a badge of honor.

[staceysue]

Funny how many people have sprocket scars. If it scars, I will wear it with pride!

Seriously - I'm glad I fell. I learned all sorts of things and found a source for cherries, plums, & grapes by the bushel, and beach nuts & hazel nuts, and firewood by the cord - and he offered me free trees & vines. All I have to do is pick them up. Of course I'll bring eggs and a pie.

It's so nice to meet somebody else attempting to live sustainably - sounds like he's a lot closer to being sustainable than we are and we can learn a lot from him.

Hubby got my chain unstuck. I didn't ride today, so I won't know tomorrow if my bike needs to go to the shop for repairs.

[staceysue]

I have a great sprocket scar. I acquired it on my very first ride on my road bike, within a minute of getting on and getting clipped in - I unclipped on one side and (stupidly) leaned toward the other, falling. I also have a scar on my butt and my knee from the same fall.

I proudly showed my boyfriend my bleeding when he got out of the lake from testing his wetsuit.

That's funny. The first time I tried ice skating, I was just standing in my skates, talking to somebody, and fell and tore my elbow. The first time I tried downhill skiing, I tore my ACL and MCL on the bunny hill and wound up on crutches for 6 weeks. I have to admit I was quite nervous about getting on a road bike!