Bike Crash... again.

Well.. I crashed again. Has been quite some time since my last crash. July I think it was, and that one totally wasn't my fault. Rider hit me. And well, technically I believe this one wasn't my fault either. I was riding down Overlook.. you know, that really steep hill by Murray Lock and Dam. Well Sean and I were going to be doing some hill-repeats on monday night. We figured it would be good training for us compared to all the crappy running we've been doing. But yeah.. climbed it, felt good, then turned around and started coming down.

Felt like I was flying.. tucked down in my aero position. Was in my drops, still don't feel comfortable on my top-bar when I'm going so fast. I'm not sure how fast I was going, but I'm pretty sure it was over 40 mph. Yeah, fast.

So then suddenly, there is a brown blur to my left. And by "my left" I mean the brown blur was striking my front wheel. I didn't even see the freaking deer.. it came out of nowhere. Didn't have time to hit my brakes, swerve, tense or anything. Of course, all these things might have been a good thing. So the next thing I remember I'm on the ground trying to get my helmet off. I heard the deer running through the brush to my right then I just felt like I needed to lie down for a bit. Sean arrived a few seconds later, a kind woman allowed us to use her van to transport our bikes to my apartment, then I went to the ER. Got some x-rays and a CT scan since I clearly was knocked out.. but everything was fine. So now I just have some missing skin, but am ok otherwise.

According to Sean when feel my bike basically exploded, both wheels came flying off and then I rolled about a dozen times. I dont' remember that... I remember when sitting in the van asking if my bike was ok and Sean saying "don't worry about the bike" but I wanted to. But I guess I couldn't change what happened. So yeah, the bike is ruined. When the deer hit me, or I hit the deer (don't know which it is actually) it broke my fork and front wheel off my bike.



So yeah, that's my front wheel and the fork, well parts of it at least. When I went down I think the base of the fork struck the deer since there is some deer hair on it.



It is hard to see, but there is some hair there on the side closest to you.. it is the hairy stuff. I imagine after that I flipped over the deer, and probably hit my head first on the ground. Cracked my helemt, then I think my back wheel struck the ground. Popped the back wheel off and I think at that point I came detached from my bike. Broke one of the cleats which hold me on my bike then I probably started rolling.

But yeah, I'm fine. Torn up pretty good. Don't really have an good pictures of the wounds which I would post here. Most of the skin was removed from my upper thigh/ass cheek. It was probably the second part of my body that struck after my rear wheel did. So yeah, don't want to post pictures of my near nakedness.

So I'm taking a few sicks days, I've got enough saved up. I feel pretty lucky that I walked away from this. Well, walk is a nice word for the stumbling I did into the woman's van. I feel asleep in her vehicle while the bikes were being loaded. I know, I know, you aren't supposed to but holy crap it felt so like exactly what I wanted to do. Had a strange dream in the seconds I was out in which I was dreaming about the bike crash. Didn't want to believe it, but felt that I had to wake up and accept it. Wierd.

Anyways, just wanted to post this so everyone knew that I was ok. Sean seemed to be sending around e-mails saying I was in a bike wreck. It wasn't that bad.. do I feel lucky to be in one piece and/or alive? Hell yes.. going 40+ and suddenly having your front fork break.. I probably shouldn't have survived that. Damn.. makes you think right?

Some people are probably going to ask is this going to change how I ride? Am I going to ride my brakes going downhills? Hell no.. this wreck just shows that I'm indestructible. No.. I'll probably keep a sharper eye at dusk for deer and other animals, and I probably will ride my breaks going down hills for a little while, but I imagine it won't last long.

Ok, I'm outta here.. need to go change my bandages.

here are some extra pictures.



I also cracked my top tube, but couldn't get a picture of it. Oh the next picture is kind of cool. The tire is still fully inflated, and there is deer hair between it and the rim. I think that is amazing. I must have tagged it pretty hard. Poor deer. I feel bad.. I mean, the deer doesn't know better. Though at the same time I'm pissed that a deer had the audacity to hit me. Oh well, it is a good reason to crash right? I mean, when cars hit deer it sometimes totals the car, or does a lot of damage. And I hit a deer with my bike and walked away. HA.



Ok, I'm outta here now. Take care people. You never know when a deer might come flying out of the underbrush and nearly kill you.

Later