Spring 2009

Healing
With spring of 2009 I continued on my medical regimen, now on two blood pressure medications.

With the weather change I upped my bike riding increasing my distance, effort and terrain. The idea of 3 miles in the neighborhood was gone - I was hooked - and began commuting to the office and riding longer distances on the weekends. I had goals of riding several group rides that spring and summer which I accomplished until .....

Being foolish in trying out a new cyclometer I thought I could manage a downhill 90 degree turn at full speed in order to break 30 MPH. Which I did - 30.9 MPH to be exact!

However, this resulted in my right pedal clipping a curb thus a crash. I was thrown off the bike and landed about 20-30 ft away, by rolling across the street, in someone's yard. Three good Samaritans came to my rescue that early morning. To make a long and painful story short - I had road rash all over my body, literally, the worst on my arms, legs and face. A left hand broken in two places and nicely bent out of joint. A left leg that was sprang - but today we believe broken. And a mild concussion that resulted in some memory loss. Not to mention a very torn lip.

The folks in the trauma center were wonderful. And also those in the hand center who worked a couple months to restore my hand and then 3 more months of therapy.

As a result I was off the bike again!

After two months I managed to get to a gym for some stationary bike riding - though extremely painful on my left leg and still wearing an arm cast.

By the way - wear a bike helmet - always. My bike helmet was majorly damaged and it saved my life. Though I had a mild concussion, we believe at 30 mph with my head hitting the street I would have been in glory if not for the helmet.