123rd ride

Today's ride was much more adventure filled than I wish. After riding to work this morning as usual, my workday reverted to another short one, as I was done by 1:00. So, I decided to do the long ride I had hoped to yesterday, up to the northeastern part of Ann Arbor (Huron Parkway and Plymouth).

Since my route took me very near to the shop where I got my bike back in April (Wheels in Motion), I decided to stop in and have them install an odometer for me. (I had in mind a low-cost analog model, with dials, such as I knew as a boy—but of course nowadays, they are all digitized, small multi-function computers). After that I continued north along Huron Parkway to Plymouth Rd., then west on Plymouth and then Broadway. When I told Doug about this route during our lunch today, he exulted, "You'll get to ride down Broadway Hill!" He was quite right—but neglected to mention what I should have realized anyway, that first I would have to ascend a fairly daunting hill to reach the summit. I continued on Broadway to Fifth Street (as Doug had suggested), south to Madison, and then west as far as Main St. Madison was closed to further travel, so I headed south on Main, and after I crossed Stadium I rode on the walk. "Thereby hangs a tale," as the phrase goes! Doug has kidded me that we should erect a sign in the garage: "X days since the last fall." But today it would have to be reset to zero.

After passing Pioneer High School I was trying to pick up speed in order to climb the significant hill, when, shortly before reaching Scio Church Rd., my front tire went into a sizable rut. It jerked the wheel violently sideways, causing me to lose control and flinging me face first to the paved path. The helmet protected me, of course, from head injury—but, like in my June incident, did not protect my face. I landed fairly hard and incurred a sizable number of lacerations and abrasions. Fortunately for me (thanks be to God for His never-failing protection and mercy) a Huron Valley Ambulance was passing by right after my fall. Another man had first tried to help me, asked if I was OK, and then motioned the ambulance crew over. They were quite alarmed at the appearance of my face, but I told them I was in no pain (this surprised both them and the personnel at the hospital later). Later, as we chatted (with the aid of a pen and notepad they had for me), I asked the two paramedics their ages (32 and 28) - and they were amused when I told them that, though I still feel young, clearly, at 56, my best days are behind me now.

After cleaning me up, they asked if there was someone they could call, and I said, "My wife—but I don't want to worry her." However, I was left with no other option, as I declined their suggestion that they take me to the hospital, and they would not allow me to ride the 3 miles I had left. So they called Michelle for me, and when she pulled up a few minutes later, we soon had me loaded in the car and the bike strapped onto the carrier, and she then insisted on taking me to University Hospital (even though when she asked me what facility I wanted to go to, I said "Millbrook Trail"—our home address.)

So—I am writing this on my bed in the ER at University Hospital (Michelle thought to bring my laptop), with the curtain drawn, while we wait for personnel to become available. I continue to experience no pain, but Michelle says my face is beginning to color up quite dramatically. Oh well—again, I thank and praise God for His care, and note that, even having come short of what I wanted to do today, this 13.4-mile ride gave me 15.6 miles for the day, in an hour and 25 minutes. (My watch strap broke when I fell, but I either remembered to stop the timer, or else the fall stopped it).