Nearly 43

Wrapping up my 43rd year by having (what should have been) a very serious bicycle accident and trying to keep things in perspective.

What exactly happened?

I was planning on doing a 50 mile bike ride that afternoon. Went through two storms and had to deal with a fixing a flat tire along the way. When I got started again after the flat, I forgot to restart my watch, and it just doesn't count if it's not recorded, so I expected to have to do another .2 miles or so.

I also thought I passed someone I knew along the trail and figured I'd check the lot for their car as I passed by to wrap up the 50 (recorded) miles.

Well, I was cruising through the start/end of Color Park, checking the parking lot for a car, completely forgetting that earlier I saw--for the first time in 5 years--someone had closed the gate. I'm also new to riding a road bike and did not have my hands in a position to brake.

In the second or so that I had, my hands froze while my brain tried to decide if I could maneuver out of it. I couldn't, or at least didn't. And my rear dashcam caught it on film.

I love that you can see me turn my head toward the closed gate, then see my hands make one large grasp for the breaks.... then BAM.

All things considered, I'm in fantastic shape. Had my helmet on, but don't think I even hit my head. I managed to do a complete front flip. I think my left shin either caught the gate or my pedal and got a good laceration, and my right knee feels like it likely hit the ground, but it could have been so much worse.

I bandaged up the best I could, then went to urgent care in the morning to get a few stitches.

After I left the urgent care, I went to Mediterra Cafe for some breakfast. I was given the number 42 while I drank coffee and waited for my breakfast sandwich, which is what's bringing on this post

I won't be getting into specifics, but this past year has easily been the worst of my life, and it pretty much started right on my 42nd birthday. Things have gotten better though. And easier. I'm learning to let a lot of things go; or, at least, I'm finding it easier to do than I have in the past.

If I can flip over my bike at 15 miles an hour and walk away with only a minor laceration, things can't be that bad.