| (Long Distance) Ramblings |
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I like to ride my bicycle - for long distances. I have earned the California Triple Crown and finished the Furnace Creek 508. My goals include qualifying for RAAM and ...(read the blog to find out). "The bicycle has a soul. If you are able to love it as it deserves, it will give you emotions you will never forget." "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride."
"The important decisions in my life I make while out riding my bike."
"Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.” Lance Armstrong
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Saturday, December 30, 2006
I was stupid today.Todays Saturday Century was just 15 miles long. Joanne and I left our house riding our Cannondale Tandem and headed toward Steam Heat Coffee House. The sky was clear and the air was cold, but the worst of it was that the roads were frosty. Tom Wood and Bob Dichtel were enjoying coffee inside Steam Heat when we arrived. They warmly greeted our cold bodies and wished us well when we left shortly after 8:00 am. The ride out to Cordon Road was not bad, but as we came to one stop light, the rear wheel of the tandem began to slid out. It wasn't bad, it was almost fun. This was our first warning. Next, as we came to a stop in the left turn lane to Turner Rd, the wheel almost slid out from underneath us again but this time it was not fun, we just about went down. We came to a safe stop with rapid heart beats. This was our second warning that we should have paid attention to. But foolishly, we did not. As we climbed up prison hill, our rear tire started to slip with every pedal stroke. Nothing serious, but it was our third and last warning. We crested prison hill and began the descent. I knew it was slippery, so I tried to keep the speed very slow. But, the tandem wanted to pick up speed. I knew we were in trouble. As we came up to Gath Rd, and I decided to turn onto it so we could stop on a level piece of road. But, the front wheel of the tandem hit a small rut in the road and we were down, and down hard. Joanne and I picked ourselves up off the road and moved out of the path of traffic. Sever people stopped and offered assistance, but we declined as we thought we could continue. But as I worked on the chain, we realized just how icy it was. We saw several cars almost spin off of the road. Then, we began to realized just how hurt we were. Joanne sholder began to be painful and my ankle started to hurt. So we called good friend Martin Doerfler for rescue. Martin took us home and then we were off to an three hour visit to urgent care. The bottom line is that Joanne has a broken clavicle and is off of the bike for four to six weeks. I was not so badly injured. I have a sprained ankle and I can not ride for two weeks. We will both be able to return to work next week. I am lucky that my wife and stoker loves me and does not hold me responsible. She says we were both stupid.
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