tuck and roll time

I owe Texas drivers, at least those outside of Houston, an apology. I have been pretty universal in my condemation of Texas drivers in general as not being cognizant of, much less courteous to bike riders.

Well today, while completing a 68 mile road along a country highway with a fairly wide shoulder, my assumptions of lack of concern were proven wrong. I was riding home along route 36 from Wallis, and there were 18 wheelers periodically passing me. These trucks were coming into Richmond/Rosenberg along route 36 from plants and construction site out beyond Wallis. I don't know if one of the big trucks lost a reflector or bounced something up off the road, but whatever it was it came directly towards my face. I swerved to avoid being hit and my front wheel went off of the shoulder and into the rough. All I can remember is thinking " oh **** not the ribs!" as I kicked out. I got my right foot down and did a rather spectacular tuck and roll down the slope into the ditch.

By the time I had pulled myself into an upright position and was headed back up out of the ditch to my bike, two cars on the other side of the highway had stopped, as well as one on my side, to check and make sure I was ok.

Aside from mud packed into both sleeves, my dark glasses,my mouth and all down my front, I was ok, and had even managed to protect my ribs. I reassured all of the drivers that I was fine, although the one who had pulled up behind me insisted on staying by the road while I checked out myself and my bike and made sure I was steady to ride. Needless to say the 18 wheeler had driven on oblivious.

The only damage was that the side mirror on the bike was broken off. I managed to find most of the pieces, recover my water bottles, wipe down my glasses, remove the mud from my sleeves and continue on home safely. When I got home and peeled off my tights, I discovered that I had also scraped my knee, yet again, just as it was finally scarring over from the last fall. I am acquiring a spectacular road rash scar on that knee since it never seems to get much of a chace to heal or for the swelling to go down.

So to those three drivers who were concerned enough to stop and to help a biker pick herself up out of the ditch on route 36 between Orchard and Rosenberg at about 1:30 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2008, thank you for your care and concern. You are the exception to the rule of generally uncooperative and rude Texas drivers. A big Texas Yee Ha to each of you.