Well, today was exciting. Woke up at around 10am after working overnight until 6am...it was pouring rain outside, but I said to myself..."what the hey, I need to ride and if I don't do it today, it won't get done." So, out the door I went. Packed up the newly fine-tuned bike and headed out for Greensboro. Decided to pack my old helmet rather than my new color-matched blue helmet for some odd reason...now I'm really glad I did.
Started off down the railway greenway along the main route of Guilford Courthouse NMP, about 1 mile in I came to a sign saying the greenway was closed for re-paving. So, I turned around and went the other way. Headed down old battleground ave along the greenway and saw a sign I'd never noticed before which pointed the way to something called the Bicentenniel Greenway. I thought, hey why not? Change of scenery. Fortunately the rain had died down to a minor mist so I wasn't too worried about venturing into new territory. So off I went, 2 miles then 3...then, suddenly...the greenway disappeared beneath me. No signs. No pavement. No nothing. Just gravel headed off into the woods. So, being the adventurous sort, I took off down the gravel path. Not a great ride, I must say...gravel sucks real bad when you happen to have just rotated your bike tires out for new hybrid road tires. But, I made do and putted along at a nice slow 5 mph through the woods. Across wooden bridges, through tree lined alleys with vibrantly colorful leaves...then, suddenly...pavement again. And a sign indicating I was still on the greenway. Relieved, I continued on as I passed the 10 mile mark. Then, just as quick as it came...the greenway stopped again. No signs, no pavement...and this time, no gravel either. Just grass. Lots of grass. So I turned around and headed back the way I came. Having just rode through the same area, I got a little bolder and turned it up a notch to about 10 mph through the woods. I came to the long wooden bridge and just as I started across a tree limb fell about halfway across the bridge ahead of me. I made a minor course correction, or so I thought, and ended up with my bike coming out from under me. Sideways I flew, bike traveling about 30 feet ahead of me, hit the ground with my butt, then my head bounced off the wooden bridge. I traveled about 60 feet on my rear, while my bike went about 200 feet.
Stunned, I laid there a few moments then stood up and dusted myself off. All limbs and major parts accounted for, no apparent broken bones. And the bike looked to be intact. No bent rims, broken spokes or anything else plainly visible. So I mounted back up and headed back off. Miserable to say the least, I continued my ride and forced myself to finish out a full 25 miles as I retraced my steps, then rode the rest of the railroad greenway.
My arm is a little sore, and I need to take some time to go back over the bike with a fine tooth comb, but I suppose everything will be alright. Got back to the folks house for a quick shower and checked in on my fundraising...I'm at 85% of my goal, I need $55 to succeed. Hopefully it will come in before Sunday.
I'll be taking the next few days off from riding as I carb up for the big event in DC. My next post will probably be after the event, hopefully with lots of photos.
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