Got it Out of the Way

I had a semi-good ride last evening at Cannonsburg SGA again. The group is trying to cram as many outings there as possible since it is closed as of September 15 for the start of hunting season. Yup, the hunters "own" this land and let us use it as long as we maintain it when they're not allowed to hunt by law. Again, SGA = State Game Area.

I arrived late due to a meeting in the office ran long. Gotta pay the bills, you know. So I started to suit up. While doing so, one of the regulars came back from the trail... something about needing to switch shoes for his borrowed bike with crappy commuter pedals. He waited for a bit for me, but I sent him on his way. I would try to catch him. So I hurried getting ready and began toward the trail when I realized my back end was getting soaked. My bladder was leaking... not "my" bladder, my "CamelBak" hydration do-hickie. I have already been having problems with the thing and this was the last straw (see my upcoming review of the HydraPak hydration system at my bike tech blog). I whipped the thing off, emptied the essentials and filled my pink and blue water bottle up. Good riddens. I locked in and went into race-pace to catch the rest of the group.

I caught a fast-moving femme rider and hooked on. She had a nice pace going so I just hung out until we reached the end of the first section. When we dumped out on the road I powered up the short climbs and distanced myself. I burned through the next section and found myself chasing a then unknown "rasta" like jersey. I thought it may be a classic Bontrager jersey... which was the bike I was riding. The rider always seemed to be at a constant distance from me no matter how much I slacked or pushed. By the time I hit the top of the long grinder climb, I had to fight the feeling of needing to stop and take a breather.

At the top of the climb, I stopped for a breather. D'oh.

The lady I followed in the first section passed me, along with a lot of riders... like 8 or 9, before there was a clearing I could jump back into the flow. A couple of swoops later, I began the short, technical downhill to the switchback climb. While decending, I felt the front tire catch/my back tire raise and the inevitable payback ensue. Up, over and sliding down the decent. I could feel my neck compress and my chin pushing on my chest. Then a rolling slide and my bike coming around above me. I remember pushing the bike away with my legs and arms. With great fear, I felt my bars (or something) yank my wedding ring clean off my finger... hoboy! When everything stopped, I was on my back. I tried to get up but pain shot up my right side. I just lay back down for a second and I hear a rider coming up from behind. My bike was still on the trail so he stopped and began to ask me "am I alright" questions. I did the rundown wiggling my toes and grasping my areas. I stand up and look at my bike. Next to it laid my wedding ring (whew!) and I snatched it and put it back where it belonged. I then yanked my bike off the trail as I heard another rider coming. I sat down off the trail for a few and chat with the rider a bit. Thanks, by the way for stopping... it helps to have someone to converse with after a good wacking. I stood up again to check the bike and the front wheel was reefed over to one side. Since I ditched the pack at the beginning, I had no tools so I man-handled them back in line. I assume the tire caught and gave thus tossing me up, over and down. Ouch.

Soon, he took off and I followed along. Albeit, with a lot more caution. My right side hurt pretty good and my wrist was a little tweaked. I also got my right love-handle on something 'cause it was pretty much numb (this morning it was streaked red with a nasty bruise starting to come through). Normal knee and forearm damage though... strewn with a bit of blood.

The crash slowed me down and zapped some of the fun of the last section, my favorite. Caution in my head had me backing off in the twisty pines. None-the-less, I finished in 34:50 not counting the crash. Shortly, the other riders came out of the woods...

Oh, and the rasta jersey? That was Lee on his Cannondale Rush. I know him from Velo City, but it sounds like he has moved to another LBS... one that deals in Trek.

That's it for now... I hope I can find a replacement washer for my Trek Fuel so I can get it back out. I am reluctant to say it, but I miss riding it right now.