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.