I HIT THAT DUDE HEAD ON!
I WAS PROBABLY GOING TOO FAST, heading back to the coast on an urban gravel road. It was midday and hot, not too many people out. I was mostly alone...
... and so was the dude I collided with.
Generally, I'm pretty conservative on blind turns.
Was I on this one?
I'd left home just after 7am, on the gravel bike.
Hit some dirt on my way to CV...
... a local group ride, stocked with local hitters.
According to the data, I registered new power numbers from 1 min to 20 min.
It felt like it.
The junior ahead of me on the La Paz climb (featured in the '84 Olympics), kept looking back to see if I was going to die...
... such was my breathing.
30 minutes later, at the high point of the ride I peeled off and...
... climbed higher on dirt.
At the top, I switched on my Incredibell to serve as an early warning...
... incoming missle.
This little bell works pretty darn well as long as people are in front of me.
It does not work around corners.
So, there I am.
Most of the climbing out of the way...
... letting those big 45mm tires gobble up the dirt, dust and ruts.
Around a blind turn, there is this dude.
Cutting the corner too tight.
I dive further inside, to my right.
HE DOES, TOO!
I lock the rear, kicking it to my right to change trajectory and try and get by him on the outside.
No luck.
Oh shift!!
Yardsale.
On my butt,
my back,
helmet.
I laid there for a sec...
... maybe for dramatic effect.
He popped up worried he'd killed me (2nd time today).
Super apologetic.
We dusted off,
shook hands,
rode on.
All good, just a few small flesh wounds.
Until...
... I got to the next climb.
It's steep.
Loose.
I wanted to cruise, downshifted, and promptly threw my chain into the spokes.
Oh, yeah...
... that dude's front tire went right into my derailleur.
I now officially have zero bikes to ride.
- Road bike, rear brake pressure.
- Gravel bike, bent hanger.
- MTB, suspension prep.
Good thing tomorrow is the day of rest.
---
164.8
7 hrs
no strength work
60 minutes recovery
60 minutes reading + Journaling
Podcast:
https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248
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