Crashing into Week #7

Well, I think I may have hit my first bump in the road... literally.

This morning, while riding my bike along Perimeter Rd near Greenville's Donaldson Center, my front tire hit a small indentation in the street which sent me flying through the air. No it wasn't the sudden separation between my bike and I or the complete loss of control that caused my road rash and bruised hip, it was the landing.

Thankfully I was only cruising downhill around 30mph. If I was going any faster, I might be writing this post from an emergency room hospital bed. The wreck happened in a split second and before I knew what had happened, I was sliding on my right hip staring at the ground beneath me. It was my right hip (love handle) that took the brunt of the hit. My right shoulder, arm, and thigh all have some pretty impressive road rash but, all seem to be in working order. Yes I am pretty sore and a little shook up but, I am ok and relativley uninjured. Most importantly my awesome Bontrager Specter helmet that I bought last summer did its #1 job, protecting my noggin. I've never wrecked my bike before, even as a kid, so I've never seen a helmet actually do its job but, this is impressive. My head doesn't hurt whatsoever and I never "blacked out", even for a second. Just goes to show how far helmet technology has come and why they really do save lives. 

Finally, I would like to express my extreme appreciation to the Good Samaritan, pilot Craig Carter from Air Charter Express, who came to my aid only moments after I wiped-out. He was kind enough to help me off the ground, load my bike into his SUV, and drive me almost 8 miles to my truck. To him, I am truly grateful.

I was riding too fast in aero position for my own good, plain and simple. I should of taken it easy on the downhill and saved my energy for the remainder of my 1:45 ride... Clear cut rookie mistake. Although I feel fairly confident with my cycling skills as of late, I am definitely no Lance Armstrong or George Hincapie... Obviously.