I fell yesterday, too.

We had a rain overnight. I was approaching a wood-decked bridge over a creek on the bike trail. It's 90 degree left turn from the path, with a post in the middle to keep motorized vehicles off. I always hit it kind of fast, straightening the curve and sliding between the post and the bridge rail, which is about head high. The bridge is an arch so it's easy to lose speed going up, so I was leaning into the fast turn after the post to avoid the other side of the bridge...leaned too far for traction and my bike slid out from under me. The deck boards were all swollen up and smooth from the rain, and my nobby tires just couldn't get the grip anymore.

Luckily I hit the deck on my left hip and thigh, brushed my elbow a little. It was a sudden stop, but the bike kept on sliding towards the rail. It stopped right before it could have slipped off into the creek.

I knew my 12 yo son was coming to meet me soon, so I hopped up and grabbed the cell phone to warn him of the bridge, because he takes it the same way I do. He was still at home, and that was my biggest sense of relief.

I'm a little sore on the thigh, but otherwise no damage. My bike shorts had splinters, though.

That was my first potentially painful fall. I didn't have time to put my hands down. My first ever fall, though, looked like the guy on the tricycle on Laugh-In. Changed my mind about hopping a curb at just the wrong time, and simply fell over into the grass.

It occurred to me yesterday that, yep, falls happen and there's nothing I can do to prevent them each and every time, no matter how careful I am. No point in worrying about them too much...just be prepared. I probably should do some time on the trampoline doing body rolls to get used to the sensation again.

Karen