Ouch!

Houston has been enjoying some blessedly mild daily temperatures with realtively low humidty.

Having done 200 miles during the 10 days I was in Albuquerque taking care of my sister, I came home resolved to continue the discipline however possible.

After my workout with the trainer yesterday, I did a standard 20 mile route out to Richmond and back.

Today I headed up towards Cinco Ranch and Katy, figuring it would be a longer ride, plus I could stop by the Bike Barn and have them do a preliminary check on my bike to see why there is not a gear ratio I can ride in with the crank on the middle ring without it grating and chattering.

All went well until I hit George Bush Park and the bike/hike trail between the parking lot to Fry Road. Towards the end there is a nice little series of chicanes in the path. I was ridng at speed and practicing curves and corners when suddenly for some reason I caught the tip of a pedal.

I ended up flat on my stomach, with skinned knuckles, road rash and scrapes on my right elbow, right knee and a couple of square inches of swollen tender spots on my left shin and right hip. My glasses snapped at the earpiece and I will probably have a bit of a heidleberg duelling scar on my right cheek . I also ended up with a goose egg on my forehead just below my helmet rim, and a helmet cracked through the lining and shell in two places.

Considering how fast I was going, I am lucky that it wasn't worse and that the bike is ok.

After a brief pause to pick up the pieces, brush myself off and asses the bumps and bruisesI eased myself back onto the bike and gingerly rode on to the Bike Barn. The guys that own and work there are greatest. As soon as I walked in the door, they plied me with aspirins, wipes, disinfectant salve and coffee while they took my bike to the back to check it out. I went next door to get a bagel while they put spacers in on the crank to fix the chain problem, and gave the bike a thorough once over to make sure nothing was cracked, misaligned or damaged in anyway.

By the time I got home, after another long and tentative 17 miles, I was stiff down my entire right side. As far as I can tell, I've not broken anything, but have probably bruised and bashed my ribs, pulled my core muscles, and pretty much jammed up my right shoulder.

If it all doesn't ease off in a couple of days I will drag myself to a doctor, but in the meantime, I will stay home and continue popping ibuprofen and nursing a heating pad.

Unfortunately, although the weather contines to look perfect, it looks like I will be grounded and off my bike until at least the weekend.

Until the fall though, it was a beutiful ride.