Ah yes, can you imagine starting the day around 60 degrees knowing that it wasn't going to get above 80 and you are off on your very first century ride. Ride the Rivers - doesn't that even sound fun? You get to start at a casino, cross the Missouri River, ride through the city and a couple of college campuses (Wash U and St. Louis U), ride along the Mississippi River, cross the River into Illinois - ride along side the Alton canal, ride a couple of ferries before getting back across the Missouri and riding back to a bar to celebrate your ride.
Oh, it sounded so lovely....my friends were all going.....couldn't get any better.
You know by now that there is a big BUT coming up - BUT, it will take me awhile to get there.
Start out by having difficulty with my tire pump - apparently a very key piece had fallen off the pump so air wasn't really getting into the tire. I found that piece a few days ago and didn't know what it was - but knew it looked familiar. I know I put it somewhere that I could find it because I knew it would be important - BUT (number 1), I couldn't find it. I did manage to force air into my front tire, BUT (number 2) heard something pop. Thought it was the tire BUT (number 3) it wasn't. Tried to pump the back tire and it flatted out. Maybe that was the pop? So I assumed there was a problem with the tube and got a new one. Got enough air into the tube to get it on the tire and on the wheel, BUT (number4) couldn't get the wheel back on the bike. The brake was closed too much and I couldn't get it on. My husband tried to help me with no success and I ended up yelling at him. I even yelled that I knew it wasn't his fault BUT (number 5) I was yelling anyway. I threw the bike in the back of the car and hoped someone at the ride start would be able to help me out.
One of our tri club members was there and he figured out that the brake just needed to be released at the handle and it opened right up - go figure! He got my wheel on and now I'm ready to go with everyone else. Of course, my Garmin also decided that today was not the day to work and wouldn't stay turned on - should I have read all of this as a premonition?
We got started on the ride and it was a great day. We stopped at the first rest area and proceeded onto the next stop where we were to meet up with one more friend. At one point of the ride we got on a trail that goes along the Mississippi River. I broke in my first road bike on this trail and felt soooo comfortable. A little wind at our backs, and we were cooking right along. For some reason, the ride had us exit the trail and out onto a main road. I didn't know why they did that as that trail should've taken us all the way to the 2nd stop. I'm figuring we were about 2 miles away from our next stop and were approaching a yellow light. There were three of us in a line and I was at the back. I yelled to go on through but for some reason, the lead rider hit the brakes, the second rider hit the first and I hit them both. Oh my gosh, here it comes, get ready for the impact and then BOOM! My face hit the pavement - I knew it hurt and I just laid there for a few minutes. A lot of other riders came by to assist us - bikers are really good about that and one even had a first aid kit.
When I got up, I realized that my elbow was pretty scraped up and my lip felt like it was huge. I was able to stand up and got a big bandage on my bleeding elbow. Went to look at my bike and therein lies a major problem - back wheel is pretty bent up. Joe (Rider #1) thought a semi was going to pull out into the intersection and hit his brakes which started the pileup. His bike also had a mangled back wheel but physically he was in great shape! Tori (Rider #2) had a big chunk missing out of her helmet - but thankfully, not out of her head. THANK GOD FOR HELMETS - if this doesn't make you want to wear a helmet, I don't know what would. She did have a swollen wrist (her Polar watch broke off from her wrist) and her hip was very sore.
If it wasn't for the injuries to the bikes, we would've made an attempt to continue onward - at least to the 2nd stop. Our friend waiting there is an athletic trainer and she would be very qualified to triage our injuries - but no luck with the bikes, so we were forced to get the sag wagon to take us back to our cars.
What a sad death march that was - of course we were all grateful that our injuries were minimal, but our spirits were broken and poor Joe was having emotional issues as he felt that he caused the wreck - they just don't make bandaids large enough to cover that type of injury.
Post ride injuries turned out to be a little more involved than initially thought. Tori ended up going to the ER as she could not put any weight on her leg. Luckily, xrays were negative. For myself, I had a protrusion from the wound on my elbow that looked really weird. I opted for an urgent care center and found out that was muscle hanging out. They ended up taking an xray (negative) and suturing the wound. Stitches have to stay in for 2 weeks - no swimming until that happens.
Bikes are at the local bike shop waiting to be repaired.....could've been better but could've been worse.
Oh, it sounded so lovely....my friends were all going.....couldn't get any better.
You know by now that there is a big BUT coming up - BUT, it will take me awhile to get there.
Start out by having difficulty with my tire pump - apparently a very key piece had fallen off the pump so air wasn't really getting into the tire. I found that piece a few days ago and didn't know what it was - but knew it looked familiar. I know I put it somewhere that I could find it because I knew it would be important - BUT (number 1), I couldn't find it. I did manage to force air into my front tire, BUT (number 2) heard something pop. Thought it was the tire BUT (number 3) it wasn't. Tried to pump the back tire and it flatted out. Maybe that was the pop? So I assumed there was a problem with the tube and got a new one. Got enough air into the tube to get it on the tire and on the wheel, BUT (number4) couldn't get the wheel back on the bike. The brake was closed too much and I couldn't get it on. My husband tried to help me with no success and I ended up yelling at him. I even yelled that I knew it wasn't his fault BUT (number 5) I was yelling anyway. I threw the bike in the back of the car and hoped someone at the ride start would be able to help me out.
One of our tri club members was there and he figured out that the brake just needed to be released at the handle and it opened right up - go figure! He got my wheel on and now I'm ready to go with everyone else. Of course, my Garmin also decided that today was not the day to work and wouldn't stay turned on - should I have read all of this as a premonition?
We got started on the ride and it was a great day. We stopped at the first rest area and proceeded onto the next stop where we were to meet up with one more friend. At one point of the ride we got on a trail that goes along the Mississippi River. I broke in my first road bike on this trail and felt soooo comfortable. A little wind at our backs, and we were cooking right along. For some reason, the ride had us exit the trail and out onto a main road. I didn't know why they did that as that trail should've taken us all the way to the 2nd stop. I'm figuring we were about 2 miles away from our next stop and were approaching a yellow light. There were three of us in a line and I was at the back. I yelled to go on through but for some reason, the lead rider hit the brakes, the second rider hit the first and I hit them both. Oh my gosh, here it comes, get ready for the impact and then BOOM! My face hit the pavement - I knew it hurt and I just laid there for a few minutes. A lot of other riders came by to assist us - bikers are really good about that and one even had a first aid kit.
When I got up, I realized that my elbow was pretty scraped up and my lip felt like it was huge. I was able to stand up and got a big bandage on my bleeding elbow. Went to look at my bike and therein lies a major problem - back wheel is pretty bent up. Joe (Rider #1) thought a semi was going to pull out into the intersection and hit his brakes which started the pileup. His bike also had a mangled back wheel but physically he was in great shape! Tori (Rider #2) had a big chunk missing out of her helmet - but thankfully, not out of her head. THANK GOD FOR HELMETS - if this doesn't make you want to wear a helmet, I don't know what would. She did have a swollen wrist (her Polar watch broke off from her wrist) and her hip was very sore.
If it wasn't for the injuries to the bikes, we would've made an attempt to continue onward - at least to the 2nd stop. Our friend waiting there is an athletic trainer and she would be very qualified to triage our injuries - but no luck with the bikes, so we were forced to get the sag wagon to take us back to our cars.
What a sad death march that was - of course we were all grateful that our injuries were minimal, but our spirits were broken and poor Joe was having emotional issues as he felt that he caused the wreck - they just don't make bandaids large enough to cover that type of injury.
Post ride injuries turned out to be a little more involved than initially thought. Tori ended up going to the ER as she could not put any weight on her leg. Luckily, xrays were negative. For myself, I had a protrusion from the wound on my elbow that looked really weird. I opted for an urgent care center and found out that was muscle hanging out. They ended up taking an xray (negative) and suturing the wound. Stitches have to stay in for 2 weeks - no swimming until that happens.
Bikes are at the local bike shop waiting to be repaired.....could've been better but could've been worse.
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