It's August! Riding through the heat.

[emily_in_nc]

Yesterday I was walking our dog when one of our friends at the RV park, a senior triathlete, came riding by in his truck. He was all bandaged up -- side of head, elbow, and had a black eye. He knew about my DH's crash last Monday and said that he had "joined the club". Sheesh!

He said he was riding (solo, as always) on the trail we ride this past Thursday, and all of a sudden, he was down. He doesn't remember what happened and doesn't think any obstacle was in the trail. He was bleeding pretty heavily, so someone who passed him insisted on taking him to the ER, where they patched him up. He is older (74) but very fit.

He is shaken up since he doesn't remember what happened and doesn't remember hitting the pavement, so he must have lost consciousness briefly. He was wearing a helmet as he always does, and he thinks the helmet jamming into his left temple resulted in the cut and bruising there, but he knows it could have been worse if he hadn't been wearing one!

I am shaken up because of both this man and my DH, crashing out (both on their left sides) in the past week. This is going to make me nervous to ride. Between the three of us, all have had a relatively serious crash in just over a year, including my own.

[Crankin]

Sorry about your friend, Emily. Sometimes the littlest thing can bring you down, so if he hit a tiny twig or stone the wrong way and then crashed and hit his head, well, then you might not remember. On the other hand, I would get checked out, if I were him. Quite a few years ago, someone I know was found by a police woman, passed out on the ground in West Concord, village. She went out riding early in the AM, without eating, thinking that well, she went to 5:30 AM spin class without eating, so it must be OK. It was not! Heat, hills, and other things come into play.
You just can't let this stop you. I know, you have not, so take a day or two off and by then, you will miss riding.
Did a 24 mile ride this morning, and am very glad I went out at 8:30. We included the same new bit of the bike path, but we rode to the path another way, sans hills, and only went one way on the path. Then we rode back through Carlisle, up a hill and back through both of the town centers. I thought it might be quieter with cyclists today because the PMC is this weekend, and all the people who train for it seem to come to my area! What horrible weather for the riders in that event; torrential rain yesterday and heat today. Several small groups passed us in the first 5 miles and then we tagged on to the back of a slower group for just a little bit. The path was busy, just a few people who seemed oblivious, and all walkers.
Webster is about 40 miles southwest of here, on the border of CT. I've ridden there... and my cousin was the editor of the local paper there for a long time.
So, I bought my new bike! I was worried they would be rude to me, but the shop we went to definitely had different kinds of sales people than when I bought my mountain bike there in 2004. An older couple my age waited on us and they had the bike there waiting. I tested it on a block on the street (it's busy), the sidewalk, and a big parking lot. It's a matte olive green/gray, rides like a dream. Brakes and shock are great. The price was right, we got 250.00 off. I need to get a lot of accessories, special mounts for my lights (we buy a brand from the UK), campus pedals, and a rack. So, I won't be riding it until we come back from Canada.
DH commented that this is the first time we have ever walked out of a bike shop, with only the thing we intended to purchase! However, I am burning up the internet now, buying my shwag.

[north woods gal]

Emily, not remembering anything about the impact happened to me on my crash and from talking to others that have had crashes of various types, blacking out on the actual details of the impact is not unusual. On my crash, I remember riding up the boulder as I had done a 100 times, but then it's all a mental blank until I found my self laying on my back, looking up at the sky. Can't remember a single detail about the impact and, honestly, that's fine with me, because it must have been horrific. Pretty sure I must have passed out for a time, but, like I said, still don't know what actually happened.

Crankin, I think you'll like a bike with those wider 37mm or so tires. That kind of gravel bike can be very useful, not to mention comfortable;e to ride.

Spent the last 4 days at a resort in Brainerd, Mn., for a family reunion. There was a very nice 10 mile long paved bike trail next to the entrance. The resort entrance, though, is situated at the top of a mile long or so hill. That meant that going right or left from the resort took me into a long and steep up and down, but overall, downhill run. There were also several even steeper drops to small lakes on the side of the trail.

I averaged 10 miles a day, but those 10 miles were a real workout because I took my Gunnar single speed. Lots and lots of steep climbs with very little in the way of level sections. On a course like that with a single speed there is no loafing. It's either sprint or walk. I should have taken the other single speed, my Log Lady, because it's geared lower and has smaller wheels, which help with climbing, but I did fine with the Gunnar, though it was right at my limit. Hubby tried riding this trail on his fat bike, but didn't last too long on the climbs, so we rode around the resort for our daily together ride.

Back home, this afternoon, to ride my trails with the fat bike. Ughh! I do not like the way my head bounces around riding my single track. My neck does not like it, yet. Still uncomfortable. Beginning to worry about the wear and tear on my body with all that pounding. I am at the age where stuff like a detached retina is a real possibility. No problem riding gravel, but the gnarly, rooty single track that I have is NOT comfy for me to ride, right now. Just when I thought I was back in shape for trail riding, again. Beginning to wonder if I should abandon it for good. I've already paid a stiff price for doing it.

[Crankin]

Here is my new addition. It's still an incomplete build, no pedals, rack, bag, or mounts for my lights and GPS. But, we finally have them all chosen or ordered.
Not a great shot, as it's in it's natural habitat, in the basement!

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, congratulations on the new bike. I think you'll enjoy that addition to your stable! Different bikes for different things, I've always thought. Also, thanks for your comments on our friend. He did get checked out medically, and I've chatted with him several times -- he seems just fine mentally. He's just walking now and allowing his wounds to heal. He is an avid swimmer and says he misses that most -- he can't go in the water now with open wounds. I didn't know this originally, but he had to get five staples in his head! He doesn't seem to be in any hurry to get back on the bike. I told him to buy a new helmet before he does! Amazingly, he said his helmet didn't crack, but if he hit his head hard enough for his helmet to bust open his skin underneath, it is not safe to wear. I hope he takes my advice. He is a bit eccentric!

nwg, I would stay off your single-track trails for awhile longer. You are just barely cleared to ride, and that is intense riding, much more than riding on pavement or gravel. Please take care of yourself and don't take that kind of risk with your still-healing body! It's not like you don't have other options for riding, after all. Would hate to see you re-injured in any way.

Also, I told our friend about your crash and losing consciousness, since I remembered that you had. He is concerned by it, but I think it's pretty normal. Even when I broke my jaw, I remember realizing I was going over the handlebars, and the next thing I remember is sitting up in the road bleeding and realizing that I'd injured myself rather badly. So I figure that I probably lost consciousness for a couple of seconds, just enough to protect me from the moment of impact. Nice of our brains to do that, right? In contrast, when I went down on my side breaking my pelvis, many years ago, I do remember the moment of impact -- perhaps because my head was not involved. However, it didn't "hurt" until minutes later, due to that initial rush of adrenaline your body puts out in that kind of situation.

I had planned on doing another short solo ride today, but I had an orthodontist appointment yesterday where he added two new elastics, so I am up to four total, full-time (except when eating). The new ones gave me a bad headache last night, and I couldn't get comfortable to sleep so got very little sleep last night. As a result, I wouldn't trust myself to ride right now. I am still achy. Gonna take some Tylenol and do a couple errands instead. Yesterday I worked out in the gym, and the day before, DH and I walked downtown and did parking garage stair-climbing! That's a good workout too! I should be much better tomorrow, hopefully, and will plan to ride then. I'm still hopping on the cruiser bike to cruise around the RV park (to the laundry room, office, dumpster, pool, gym, etc.), but longer rides have been few and far between since DH crashed. Fortunately, he's doing better every day and may even ride with me tomorrow!

[north woods gal]

Love the bike, Crankin. That's my idea of a great do it ali utility bike, especially once you get it set up with racks and bags. I've used similar bikes in the past for such a bike. Once had a Trek 7700 that was very similar. That bike, at one time, was my only bike, but it never let me, down. Bet you'll be riding your Specialized a lot.

Emily, sorry to hear about the hassles with the orthodontics issue, but you are so right about not riding until you feel good. One challenge at a time, I always say. As for the blacking out on a crash, yeah, from what I've read it's pretty common. Probably the mind's way of coping to a traumatic injury or something. For darn sure, I wouldn't want to keep reliving my crash over and over in my mind.

I'm going to let what feels good be my guide as to what kind of riding and how much I do, for awhile. I'm more the type to set a goal and push my self, silly, to get there, but I did reach my goal as to my mountain biking expertise, prior to my accident, so I can now relax and just enjoy the rides, whatever form they may take. I'm especially enjoying the single speed workouts on the roads, now. Gets me the same level of workout in a shorter amount of time than riding my geared bikes.

[emily_in_nc]

So, DH rode today! He's been riding around on his cruiser bike, just little short rides, in the past few days, but this was his first ride on his roadie since his crash last Monday, nine days ago. I was so happy that he felt comfortable enough to head out. He still has a large band-aid on his left elbow and side of his knee, but none were in a place that bothers to ride.

We did our usual route but cut it a little short because of the layoff, and because he was using Eggbeaters pedals (from his MTB) and Keen sandals (that uses on his Bike Friday), since his Speedplay Zero cleat failure was what caused the crash. He threw out those ancient Sidi shoes after the crash, thank goodness. It was long overdue!

Got in 28 miles on a hot and sunny morning. We've had a brief dry period here in central Florida, after a very rainy July. I actually miss our afternoon/evening rains, as they cooled things off so much, and meant I didn't have to water my potted plants every single day. Ready for those to return, but this hot and sunny period is better than a hurricane!