I started riding a bicycle on a regular basis in December of 1999. At that time, I was advised that it was not “if” I would fall, it was “when” I would fall.
Almost 9 years and over 10,000 biking miles later, “when” happened, this morning, September 1, 2008.
It was relatively minor fall. I was making a slow turn when my front wheel goes caught in a valve cover in the road. The front wheel twisted and I could-not adjust in time and the bike and I fell.
I only had a few scrapes (“road rash”) and the bike wasn’t damaged, so it wasn’t that bad. (I always wear a helmet.)
I read up on “road rash” and found it can be serious. I discovered one of my favorite treatments for any skin problem (Hydrogen Peroxide) could actually be counterproductive.
Strangely enough, I didn’t find any discussion of using knee and arm pads for protection against road rash. I did decide I will purchase knee/arm pads and a safety medical kit and always carry it.
It reminded me of how life can change in a second. Several inches on either side, I wouldn’t have had an accident, if I had been gone faster, it could have been much more serious.
I’m just glad I can keep on riding. I enjoy my early morning walk and bicycle ride. I currently ride about 5 miles per day (30 minutes or so) and it has been good for me. I look forward to it and am disappointed when I can’t ride.
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