MonoMonday Challenge 386 - Steady...

(photo from yesterday's ride)

What an exaggerated effort!  ...besides from being out of shape, I'd like to blame it on a side-effect of the Covid-19 vaccine... haha.  I made it up the mountain finally.  To the 'new' old bike's credit, I made the climb in the same time not counting all the rest breaks.  I know this road quite well and is wonderful on so many counts - rising up from the seaside through the changes in vegetation (Mediterranean flowers, undergrowth and trees) and rewarding both visually and olfactory. The reward after reaching the top is not only the views and cooler temperatures, but also the fast curvy descent and knowing that it is all downhill back to the seaside.  I was really beginning to gleam with satisfaction how the bike was riding and taking confidence quickly with the ride.  Something in the back of my head kept me constantly in check as if there was something yet to discover.  That part came in the easy flats near to the seaside.  I heard a siren behind me and approaching very quickly. An ambulance?  There was a slight right bend to the road in front of me and in a last minute judgement I decided to brake and make room in case an oncoming car should be approaching.  I definitely didn't want to be clipped by the blasting sirens running down my backside!  Well... pause, hard to affront the next moment, but when I braked hard and swerved to the side I ended up going off the pavement into the gutter which was maybe 15 centimeters wide and a few centimeters down from the pavement.  Really not sure who to fault.  I tried to run back up onto the pavement, but the front wheel twisted in front of me and I fell.  All I could think was, this is a stupid way to die.  I was going to splay out onto the road in front of the siren barreling down onto me.  I bounced right back up to move off the road, crumpled over the bike.  There was no oncoming traffic and the police car swung wide and drove off at all speed without slowing to check on me.  Anger.  Lots of anger.  Anger at myself for falling off the bike.  Anger at the police for driving so fast.  Anger at the police for not slowing to check on me.  Anger at my new road rash on my leg and chin. Anger at the damage to the 'new' old bike. Anger why the wheel twisted instead of staying true to the handlebars preventing me from riding back up onto the high side of the pavement.  I suppose the last one is maybe the blessing in the story... if the wheel hadn't twisted, I would have probably been thrown into the middle of the road.  So, it is all good... so to speak.  I was able to ride the rest of the way home. The rest of the day was on the couch nurturing my injuries.  Turns out someone shot his ex in the next town over and then turned the gun on himself...  That explains the high speed police descent to arrive at the scene.  Time to sort out the road rash and next improvements and repairs to the bike.  Time to build the mojo back up and get on with it.

Steady...

Thanks to Majoayee for hosting this week's challenge.