How's that for timing

All summer, instead of going to the gym on Saturday mornings, I've been riding by bike around the lake. It's close enough where I can take a quick trip through the neighborhood and turn into the park, then enjoy a ride by the water.

This morning was booked, but it was nice enough this afternoon. The first part of the trip, through the neighborhood, was down a long stretch of hill before going up just as high, then coasting around to the park. I had just picked up speed when I noticed something.

The right handlebar was no longer attached to the frame. The grip had slipped right off. 

At that point, my left arm didn't have a counterweight, and the front wheel decided to turn very abruptly. It's kind of a blur from there, but apparently I had the presence of mind to drag myself, bike and all, off the road into the nearby grass. The immediate aftermath hurt - a lot. I laid there for a moment trying to compose myself. But there was a measure of fortune right behind me.

My wife had just left the house, same time as I did. She was right behind me, saw the whole thing. Texted our oldest to get out of the house and help me.

A few cars behind that, a pickup truck full of medics from a nearby firehouse. My wife gathered my things while three guys looked me over. I was going pretty fast and dragged that bike downhill for a good distance. Once I composed myself, I was standing and *trying* to be myself. Too much of myself hurt. 

My hands and forearms took the brunt of it. My gloves are completely torn apart - I'm hanging them on the wall and buying another pair exactly like them. My helmet sticks out a bit, which I always thought was weird, but realized soon after that it's the only thing that kept my face from getting ground into the pavement. My cheek has a scrape on it - the helmet lost a wide chunk of plastic. That could have been my face.

Wear your helmet.

The handlebars, once the bike nearly flipped over, dug into my waist. There's a massive bloody bruise right *above* where I don't want it. That could have been worse. That could have been so much worse. 

So yea, regular maintenance is your friend. Don't ignore steering problems. There's a metaphor in there somewhere but I'm still on that adrenaline high so figure it out for yourself. Surround yourself with good people. If I had gone first thing in the morning like I normally do, I would have been on the ground for awhile before I dragged myself back home on my own. I had a hard enough time with my son taking the bike.

Excuse me, I need a nap.