Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Your Time Is Gonna Come


In my head I was feeling hard core. We ride in the rain. It's race week, these things have to be done. I imagined all the drivers looking at me in their rush hour cocoons and thinking I was nuts.


I saw the purple hue of petroleum products seeping to the top of the water, standing on the pavement. I made a mental note to be careful. It hasn't rained in a while and I knew the roads would be slick. As I eased into the corner, and I was mindful not to cross any painted lines on the street. A quick look left verified I was clear of traffic and I accelerated through the corner. I started to lean and as I turned my head back to the right, an old guy was walking out into the cross walk, about ten feet in front of me, pushing his bike. I grabbed a handful of brakes and next thing I knew, I was sliding on my hip and elbow.


That first few moments after you crash are the worst. The adrenalin dump, not knowing if you are hurt, and the voyeuristic stares from people at the light. Information is swirling in your brain and you just want to take inventory of what is falling off your body. I wasn't off the ground before the old guy was asking if I was alright. I was really pissed because I had my new Bike Chain Jersey and socks on. My socks were ripped and I figured my jersey was toast. I was hoping I could still salvage a ride but, my leg and elbow were starting to get stiff. I was headed for the bench.



Blood on the elbow, ripped glove, cheese grader on the hip, but no broken bones. The bike seems okay. My phone rings, and it's big Worm singing a Mac Davis song. I try to wait for the end of the chorus, but I am seething with anger. I interrupt the last few "Baby Baby don't get hooked on me's" before Worm hits the high note of the big finish.


The trip up the hill to my house is slow and miserable, but mostly I was mad I couldn't ride with the crew. My race this weekend is either over, or it is really going to suck.


In nine years of cycling, I have never gone down on the road. It is a fear I have buried under layers of denial. Some part of you knows the check is coming, but a self preserving instinct makes you think there is an escape.


Pavement sucks.


W.B.Z.N.

12 comments:

Human Wrecking Ball said...

Sorry I had my comments button off yall! Thanks for the heads up Sister Moon!

Ms. Moon said...

You're welcome, Brother B.
I just wanted to say that actually, gravity sucks- pavement is just really, really hard.
Get better fast.

nicol said...

Ouch. Sorry. That's the worst when you're fired up to go and then have to limp back home, for whatever reason. Bummer about the socks.

Hope you can still race if you decide you want to.

BIGWORM said...

He can race if he really wants it. It's just a matter of deciding that th eouchy is nothing more than a smudge, and getting on with it.

Or, perhaps the fear of Big Jim Slade is setting in...

Human Wrecking Ball said...

BASTARD!!!!
OW! OUCH! OWIE!
BASTARD!!!!!

BIG JIM said...

Please leave me out of this. I hate everyone.

Juancho said...

I'm with BJS. Everyone sucks. Except you W.B. I'm glad you are going to live. suck it up and race dude, I already told the guys at the Santos Bike Shop you were going to whip their asses.

don't make me more of a liar than I already am.

I rode 82 miles today.

See? I am already pretty bad.

Fat Lad said...

You need to learn to bounce. Or to quote hhgttg: The knack of flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss

Fat Lad

Anonymous said...

you didn't hurt yourself so much as you saved the old man from certain destruction.
Better to race and suck because of an injury than to NOT race and stew in the regret; get some!

Human Wrecking Ball said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

yeah, you better remove it!

Human Wrecking Ball said...

Thanks for the support. I am racing...BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!