I Fought the Bike...and the Bike Won

On Sunday, my training regime called for a 12 mile bike ride. So I called upon a buddy that is an experienced rider (well...more experienced than me!!!) and we decided to head out in the morning.

On Friday evening, I exchanged my regular pedals for pedals with clips on them...meaning that on my ride, I would wear special cycling shoes that actually "clip in" to the pedal...creating an attachment between the rider's shoes and the bike. And I tried the clips on Friday. Had Caton hold the bike while I mounted, clipped in, and rode away. And was able to un-clip and dismount without any incident.

Well...that was Friday...and this was Sunday.

Apparently in the day and a half between there...I forgot how to un-clip my shoes. For when I returned to the house (after only 4 minutes due to the fact that my riding partner blew out one of his tires), I unclipped my right shoe and went to put my foot down...however the bike started leaning tot he left side. It was like I was in slow motion. I tried to put my left foot down...but it was still clipped to my pedal. So I tried to un-clip it really fast...but I was too late. The pavement was rapidly approaching...and I needed to brace myself for the impact.

And I completely bit the dust. I scrapped up my left hand, elbow, thigh, and shin. Thank goodness I had my helmet on...no telling what would have happened to my head. As I laid there for a moment with my bike on top of me...I didnt know whether to cry or laugh. Cry at the pain...or laugh at myself. Cry at my inability to operate a simple clip-in shoe pedal...or laugh that I am indeed (as Caton calls me) the "most clumsy athlete" he has ever known.

So I just slipped out from under the bike...got up and went inside to clean up. Caton was surprised that I was back from the ride so quickly...but soon was sympathetic when he saw my "battle wounds."

Later when we were talking about what had happened...he very coy-ly said, "Well, honey...if you cant even walk around without falling down...what makes you think you will be able to ride a bike without falling."

The bike may have won round 1...but this fight is not over!!!