Today's adventurous ride turned out to be much shorter than intended. After last night's meeting of our small group from church, we didn't get home until about 11:30. Nevertheless, I pushed myself to get up and do an early ride today, and set off at 6:15, intending to ride to Gallup Park, along its path to the eastern end, and then return home, for a total ride of about 20 miles. At that early hour it was still quite nippy (low forties), and I was very glad to be wearing the long sleeved t-shirt that I had received for running in the Holiday Hustle 5K race in Dexter on December 5, 2009. My hands were cold, though—and I had my faithful taillight flashing to heighten my visibility in the early morning pale light.
Just over 3 miles into the ride (21 minutes), I was riding on the walk along the south side of Eisenhower Boulevard, going at a pretty fair clip, when I crossed Stone School Rd.—and didn't see the curb cut. At the last second I could see that I was going to smack head on into the curb, and braced myself, hoping that I might be able to jump it somehow. This was, however, a foolish hope, and it threw me off onto the ground. I was uninjured (save for a small scrape near my right knee), but the bike did not fare so well—when I tried to climb back on and pedal, it would not pedal, and though I am not mechanically inclined or able, it seems to me as if I have bent or damaged the chain or chain wheel somehow.
I pulled out my cell to call Michelle, and though I'm sure she was not pleased to be awakened this way at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday, she came immediately and without complaint to pick me up. (When I tried to tell her where I was, she couldn't understand me, so I texted her my location.) We haven't a car carrier for the bike yet, but we were able to get the back seat to lay down and put the bike far enough into the trunk to get the lid of the trunk nearly closed, and then hold it down with the cable from my bike lock. So she has now (thankfully) returned to bed.
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