Spook Street

Last week I was out of town so it was a pretty easy way to not ride after having the accident. There were a couple of days of soreness and I had some pretty nasty bruises, but I'm okay now. Though, I did do a little riding when I was in Seattle.

Anyway, I got back on the bike on Wednesday and it was very scary. I kept on seeing all these parked cars and feeling just a little terrified that they could come out at me at any moment.

So, then I was thinking about a "Spook Street," for cyclists. This street would have grooved pavement, a couple of open grate bridges, lots of cabs and drunk pedestrians wandering around and of course random car doors flying open.

I get feel shivers just thinking about it.

I had been on a big updating kick...but then I had a really craptastic biking week...you know, when you're just angry at everyone and everything. People don't say, "On your left." Or someone just goes at JUST the wrong speed and you keep having to pass them and pass them and pass them. That kind of stuff.

I spared the blog that stuff and now I'm having another crappy bike week, well, really day. I'm done riding for the week and that's probably a good thing. I'll be in California for work for the week. Maybe I'll give the stationary bike a spin, but I don't know about my luck.

In the past 24 hours:

I was biking on the Lakefront trail and was going north at Museum Campus. A little two year old darts into the path right in front of me. I manage to stop and swerve, but I end up taking a fall in the meantime so I don't clip the kid.

Then there are the various groups on the trail and my friend and I continually keep having dummies almost walk right into us. Now I remember why I don't take the Lakefront more.

Then this morning I go off to bike to work. I notice that my car looks a little funny so I look again and notice that somoene has cut off my bike rack. All of the little clips are there. I'm guessing that someone stole it for scrap metal. Fuckers.

And then on my bike ride home the worst of all happened, I had my first, real, fall off of my bike car collision. I'm okay and I think my bike will be fine, but wow, that was not fun.

I was going North on Welles and was going through the light where it turns into Lincoln. I was going pretty fast, but I was under control when a car pulls out of it's parking spot right into where I'm bike. My front tire hits the front part off there car and I think I totally flipped over. Somehow my brief aikido training paid off and I think I did a pretty good ukemi. My helmet made contact with the ground, but it wasn't a big crack. My elbow is a bit scraped and both my thighs are a little sore and I'mg getting some bruises, but I think that's all my damages.

The people in the car immediately stopped and helped me out. I stayed on the ground a bit and took assessment, but I didn't feel too bad. Someone else called 911 and a firetruck and ambulance came, and checked me out. I declined to go to the hospital since I felt okay and couldn't find much wrong other than the scrap on the elbow.

The police also came and we did a police report.

As for my bike. I didn't examine it too closely, I think the front wheel might be a little bent as it doesn't spin very well. The chain derailed, but everything seemed to be in one piece. The drivers were really nice and offered to pay for any repairs that needed to be made, and Zach's going to take it to the bike shop for me while I"m on my trip. The wife of the guy driving the car also gave me and my bike a ride home, which was really nice of her.

I'm fairly certain that I'll be more sore tomorrow, but at least I know why I wear a helmet...I'm definitely not going to give that up.

Be safe!