When, not if..... my first crash

[azfiddle]

I managed to get through about four years and 15,000 miles without an incident more serious than being unable to unclip at a stop. That run of good luck ended Sunday.

Friday through Sunday, my husband and I were camping with friends on Mount Lemmon. He drove home and I decided to ride down.

The descent takes me about an hour to get to the turn-off heading home. I like descending but I feel like it takes constant focus, between the curves, braking and watching the oncoming traffic. I think I used up my entire quota of concentration on the ride down. After turning on to the last 5 mile section home through the city, I saw a rider just a short distance ahead of me. "I could catch up to her" I thought and picked up my speed/effort. After all, I hadn't really put in that much physical effort just coming down the mountain. A few moments of inattention to the road....

In an instant- everything went chaotic as I experienced my first bike crash. I saw a big white plastic object under my tire, just as my front tire hit it, veered left and then right, hitting and then going up over the curb into (fortunately) dirt, where I apparently flew off my bike in what might have been a baseball style slide. The rider in front of me turned around, two vehicles driven by cyclists stopped and together we tried to assess the damage. My palms must have taken some of impact, as they were a little sore. My entire jersey front was covered with dust and there were bits of mesquite leaves up into my hair, and dust and dirt on my face. I didn't even notice the tiny scrape on my face until the next day! But my right knee took the brunt of it.

The other rider and the 2 cyclists who stopped when they saw me go flying helped check me and the bike. I was offered a lift home but it seemed like the bike and I were going to be able to pedal home. The shifter/brake had moved a little and we just loosened the brake release to be sure the wheel wouldn't rub, but nothing else seemed to have been damaged on the bike. The woman rider lived close to me and offered to ride home with me.

My knee got more sore and stiff as we rode. About a mile and a half later, it all kind of hit me and I had to stop and get off the bike and lie down for a minute at a bus stop. I felt okay again in a couple of minutes and made it home in spite of the hurting knee. I got out an ice pack, and and took some ibuprofen.

I had heard it's not a matter of IF you're going to crash, but WHEN. If that's the worst crash I ever have, I'm okay with that. The knee has three little scrapes/patches of road rash,and it's swollen, bruised and sore, my chest muscles are sore from when my arms must have gone out in front of me. A couple of bruises and very minor scratches- that's it. It could have been SO much worse if I'd landed completely on pavement or in cactus, or the bike had veered toward the road instead of the curb.

I felt okay to take a spin on relatively flat ground Monday, but am taking the bike in for a closer inspection this morning.
All in all, a wake-up call not to let anything distract from paying attention to the road ahead, even not being in a group where it's relatively easy to see any possible obstacles.

[OakLeaf]

Ow. So glad it wasn't worse!

I really disagree with that whole phrasing of "when not if." It may be true that nearly all riders will crash at some point - I've surely had my share - but the mindset that a crash is inevitable, I think, lets us put down our guard. Because although everyone's attention wanders from time to time and no one's skills are perfect, there are very few, if any, crashes that could not have been avoided.

Heal up quick and hope the bike's okay.

[TigerMom]

Glad you are OK.

Road bikes with the thin wheels will knock you over if you hit a tiny battery/stick/nail. Thanks for the reminders to keep an eye on the road.

I had to run over a pigeon as I was going downhill and couldn't brake without swerving. Poor pigeon

[thekarens]

I'm pretty sure my legs would have been jelly after that and unable to ride. All my crashes have been mtb related. A road crash seems scarier to me.

Glad you're okay. Hopefully the bike is too.

[azfiddle]

One reason I often ride by myself is that I like being able to see the road and any potential pot holes, obstacles etc. I don't mind riding in groups with experienced riders who know how to ride safely in a paceline, but it can be a little worrisome at times. Anyway, my bike is over at the shop now- at least it's easier to take care of since I'm on summer vacation.

[spokewench]

I'm glad it wasn't worse, when I started reading I was cringing thinking of the road rash of a downhill crash!

[Crankin]

Hope you heal soon, AZ. I feel your pain.

[azfiddle]

Oh- and just got the bike checked out- she's a-ok

[murielalex]

That was some scary reading. Glad you and your bike are going to be fine. I've been lucky so far, but.........

[TrekDianna]

Yes! glad you are ok. I know Mt Lemmon from hiking last year.

[emily_in_nc]

Ouch! Glad it was no worse than it was, az...but crashes are always disconcerting and scary. Hope you have no lingering after-effects.

[indysteel]

Yikes, azfiddle! I'm sorry about your crash, but I'm so glad you weren't seriously hurt or your bike damaged. Heal up quickly!

[Wasp]

Glad to hear your not seriously injured. Wiping out is never a pleasant experience. How's your knee doing?

[azfiddle]

I'm surprised how fast I'm recovering. I just keep thinking how much worse it could have been. I just read a Facebook post by an experienced cyclist here who spent 4 days in the hospital with a shattered clavicle, broken ribs and bruised heart and lungs. Yikes.

[jobob]

Glad you (& your bike!) are OK.