Nasty Wreck

Happy Birthday to me! I will be spending every minute of this day reminded of the wreck that I had yesterday after I skated the trail.

Lone Star Trail is a smooth expanse of concrete around 3 meters wide. It snakes up and down to the contour of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River Valley that it follows. The slow rise and fall coupled with the twists left and right give the trail a sense of adventure. Wildlife teems in the lush fauna that always accompanies the presence of water. Birds ranging from Finch to Cardinal, and, Heron to Red-Shouldered Hawk frequent the area. Red-Eared Sliders and Soft-Shelled Turltles are often found basking on the banks sunning their carapaces. Even the occasional skunks and chipmunks make their suicidal launches across the trail under the misguided notion that right now is the last possible moment to go.

Hillary and I have even borne witness to a pack of wild boar piglets. She was pacing me from her moped while I skated that day, and, had just stopped so I could change water bottles when she noticed them. “Those are some odd looking dogs”, she said, and, I replied, “No, honey, those are wild boars, and, we need to go now”. They were in the thicket across the river, but, wherever piglets are, a sow is sure to be. We didn’t stay to find out. Boars are animals best left to their own matters.

I had just finished 50 km of skating, yesterday, at that trail, and, in the neighborhoods between it and our home. I was coming home for water bottle refills, and, maybe some goo.The wind was gusting, as is always case in Texas.

There is no reason to complain about the wind here, and, I even have a saying, “If you want to skate in Texas, you’re going to skate in the wind”.

I took the opportunity to do high resistance 15 kph runs south into the wind that enters at the south end of the river valley, and, funnels out to the north. Then I returned with 35 kph runs with the wind at a foot pace of around 20 strokes per minute. The constant focus on slow steady footwork steadily became more evident as my hips voiced their concerns to the workload. Little did I know that I would punish them even farther before the day was done.

I had just made the final major intersection near the house and had entered the last block. It is a long downhill that runs past the T-intersection next to our home. I like to skate it fast, because, I can either, make the turn if it is clear, or, I can waive it off, and, do the run out to the bottom. Yesterday, I was happy to find the intersection clear and prepared to make the turn.

The turn felt good. I entered it at about a 45 degree angle with my knees bent and my body ready for the transition up the small hill to the house. It seemed like every other turn at that corner that I have made.

Just as I was making the last part of the transition, and, just before I would have brought my legs squarely back under my body, it happened. My wheels lost traction and I skipped sideways about a half of a body length.

My intuitive response was to dig my feet in the next moment they made contact. I did. My ankles decided otherwise and both of them rolled out sideways under the pressure. The centrifugal forces took the rest of my body and flipped me over the fulcrum that ankles provided. I slammed into the ground hip first. This was followed by my shoulders as my head whipped into the pavement.

That exact moment of my head slamming against the street was like a freeze framed moment in time. It was long enough for me to take account of what had happened, and, be grateful for the helmet that I was wearing.

That wasn’t the end. My other shoulder was the next target, as I continued to somersault end over end, before landing on my left knee. I managed to cover the distance from my lane to the sidewalk in that tumble.

I immediately got to my knees, as my neighbors started their way over from their garage. “That hurt a lot”, I said as they began inquiring, and, remarking about the severity of the accident they had witnessed. I arose to my feet, and, was thankful that nothing appeared broken. We had a good laugh, and, praised the benefits of safety gear. The pictures I posted tell the rest of the story.

My left hip is mighty sore. My ankles feel like I sprained them, and, my knees are also protesting. My shoulders and neck feel like I was in an automobile accident. I even have a bruise on my forehead that probably goes along with the ringing in my ears, and, light headache.

I will miss my helmet. It gave its life in that fall, saving mine. It was a good helmet, and, will make a great trophy to put upon my Alter of Pain, with all of the other gear that I broken.

I don’t think that I am going to put in the 100 km skate that I had planned for today. It wouldn’t be very smart. It is my birthday, however, and I get to spend the day doing whatever I want to.

I’m going to take the day off… maybe a couple of days off.