Eating gravel on the C&O

[Kalidurga]

Well, I had a fun ride today Headed up to Sharpsburg and got on the towpath across the river from Shepherdstown, headed downstream towards Harper's Ferry. No planned mileage, just figured I'd ride as far as I felt like then turn around, and enjoy the gorgeous weather along the way.

So I'm cruising along, when I glance down and see a wasp on my thigh. I brush it off without looking, then glance down again and see it's still there. I brush again, looking to see if I got it and... I don't know if I hit a rock or leaned my weight the wrong way or what, but the next thing I know I'm sprawled face down in the gravel with my bike under me. Hopped up, grabbed the bike to check it out, and noticed blood running down my arm. Twisted my elbow as close to my face as I could only to find a nice little hole gouged in my arm. There's also almost 6 inches of bright red road (towpath?) rash down my shin and the leather on the palms of my gloves is shredded. And I can feel a goose egg growing on the inside of my thigh from where it must've smacked against the nose of my saddle.

Fortunately, I was just upstream from the Huckleberry Hill campsite, so I start walking the bike towards it and see 4 people standing near the porta-john. They were standing around a snake that was in the middle of the towpath, probably wishing they'd all go away. I had to walk around and through the group of them to get to the porta-john for some toilet paper (since none of them would move), holding my arm up to prevent the blood from running down my arm, and not one of them seemed to notice. I come out of the porta-john wiping gore off my wrist, and still not one of them says anything to me.

So I grabbed my bike and headed down to the picnic table, where I had to lie down for a bit for the adrenaline to wear off and my ears to stop ringing (I had hit my chin on the ground). After a while I sat up, pulled out my first aid stuff (thank goodness I come prepared), and began trying to clean myself up. Then I had to get my chain untangled from the bottom bracket and fix the shifter that'd been knocked cockeyed. During the time that I was sitting there, 3 more pairs of people passed by and two of the people who had been looking at the snake passed again heading back. Again, not one of those 10 people said "How are you?", "Are you ok?", or even "Gee, you look goofy."

The 9 miles back to the car were easier than expected, and it was so beautiful out this morning that I was actually still able to enjoy the ride. If it hadn't been for the obliviousness of the people I encountered, the crash would kind of be no big deal.

Except that my elbow is still oozing blood...

[Selkie]

I'm sorry to hear about your mishap and the complete lack of kindness on the part of those morons! I don't understand how people can behave that way but unfortunately, one seems to encounter it often these days.

Hope you heal up quickly.

[divingbiker]

Oh, my, that sounds painful. What is up with people, ignoring someone who's bleeding?

[Zen]

Good thing you were you were prepared and able to make it back.
I'm often stumped by the lack of awareness in people.

Were these people walking or riding?

[7rider]

Well, if they knew you like we do...they would have known that you look goofy all the time, anyway!
Seriously...bummer about the wipeout. Keep it clean...

[Zen]

Next time opt for the sting.

[HillSlugger]

I guess that a snake is more interesting than a bleeding human.

I'm very glad you are ok!

[Kalidurga]

Were these people walking or riding?

Some of each, passing in separate pairs. It just annoyed me because whenever I see someone on the side of the trail/road/whatever, I pretty much always say "how're you doing?" or something like that.

Thanks, ladies. I think I just needed to rant. And by the way, I'm even more goofy looking than usual right now, with two stitches sticking out of my elbow

[Cataboo]

Ouch. I'm glad you had gloves on and I have no idea what's wrong with people.

A nurse friend of mine that works in an ER says that using spray & wash on your road rash is the gentlest thing to do, they use it to clean up their motorcycle accident victims... but luckily I haven't had road rash since she told me that to test it.

Maybe if you'd gotten yourself bitten by the snake, you might have gotten some attention.

[PamNY]

Glad you're okay, and it's a shame no one offered help.

Pam

[Eden]

Sorry to hear no one stopped I always ask if a person looks distressed, and a bleeding person is usually distressed....

Best thing to do for road rash is cover, cover, cover - if you can find big enough ones (you might need to look at a medical supply shop for the size road rash you have) hydrocolloid dressings like duoderm work really nice. They are kind of gross - you put them on and they stay on until they either fall off or the wound heals, but they do heal things up quicker and help cut the sting. Otherwise a cream with gauze works nicely - I actually like non-antibiotic bees wax based stuff unless I'm really worried about infection. Whatever you do keep it moist (avoid scabbing over) and it will heal better.

[sgtiger]

Kalidurga, sorry to hear about your wipe-out.

[Kalidurga]

Aw, thanks. You all are making up for the dorks on the trail yesterday.

The dr in the er cleaned up my road rash nicely after he put the stitches in my elbow, and it's actually not too bad. It's not pretty, but should heal fairly soon. The huge, lumpy bruise on the inside of my right thigh, on the other hand, is so colorful that it's practically a work of art.

Catriona: Spray & Wash?? Please tell me you don't mean this.

[7rider]

Surely, she meant Windex. Isn't Windex supposed to be good for EVERYthing??

Wait until gravity goes to work on your bruise and it leave fun streaks on your leg! When I wiped out mtb'ing, we used to look for shapes in the bruise ("Oh look, today it looks like Elvis!").

[Eden]

Surely, she meant Windex. Isn't Windex supposed to be good for EVERYthing??

OMG that would hurt.....