For various reasons, I was a slacker with my exercise program in July but I’ve been more consistent this month. Last week I even rode for an hour. I went 15.76 miles. I was very tired but quite happy I did it. If felt good to exert myself again.
Yesterday, I planned to ride for 45 minutes. It was a very hot and humid day but while I was pushing, I wasn’t killing myself. Before I go any further, I should mention that I don’t ride on the main roads. With the way most people drive their vehicles, I don’t feel safe around them. Therefore, as much as possible, I ride in the neighborhoods near me. I sometimes go in and out of cul du sacs, which slows my overall speed, but I feel it is safer.
One more thing to know is some of the streets were repaved. When this was done, the road is a little higher than the edge of the gutter. In some places, it may be as much as an inch and a half.
I was a nearing the end of my ride and going up a small hill that is a little less than two miles from my house. I geared down so I didn’t have to exert myself as I climbed the hill. I took the bottle from it’s holder and shot some water into my mouth. Since I was going slower, the bike weaved to and fro and went into the gutter. I put the water bottle back into its place and continued up and as I reached the crest. Then I turned to go back onto the asphalt. Apparently, I didn’t have a good angle to exit the gutter, over the lip, and onto the road. Instead, the front tire contacted the edge of the asphalt and continued straight. In a flash, I was thrown to the left and down into the road. Have you heard how with events like this time slows down? That isn’t the case for me.
With my foot still hooked onto the pedal, I couldn’t get it unhooked in time, Honestly, I’m not sure it would have mattered much. I was violently plunged to the ground. I put out my left hand to break the fall. It caught a section of asphat and skidded forward. Then it seemed my whole left side slapped down a couple times and all forward momentum stopped.
I looked at my left hand and a gash about two inches square was dripping with blood. I looked down at the bike and both feet were free from the pedals. I didn’t think anything was broken and started to get up. I wondered if people in the houses there saw me crash but no one bothered to inquire about me if they did.
I started to get up and felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. I wondered if I tore the rotator cuff. After standing and getting the bike up, I tried raising my arm in a way I know someone with a torn rotator cuff could not. (My dad tore his once.). It hurt to raise my arm but I could do it.
I looked at other injuries I had. I had abrasions on most of my left side. There was also a deep gash just forward of my elbow. Blood from my hand was starting to drip and I decided I better start pedaling home.
I restrung the chain on the bike and climbed onto the seat. I clipped one shoe into the pedal and started on my way, clipping in the other shoe. I tried to determine the best way to hold the handlebar with my left hand so I didn’t get blood on it. It didn’t seem to matter. I pedaled with no hurry as I listened to what my body was saying. Once I neared the house, I prayed both shoes came out easily before I came to a stop. I didn’t want to fall to the ground again.
Once in the house, I got something to drink and took off my shirt. There were abrasions on my chest too and as the day wore on, it hurt to take deep breaths. After showering, I went to an urgent care facility. They cleaned my wounds and took some x-rays. I have a hairline fracture in my humerus where it attaches to the shoulder. From what the orthopedic doctor told me today, I have to take it easy with that shoulder because I can still make it worse.
So there you have it for another episode of my life. lol
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