29 July 2014

Growing up with a Tandem.

I bought the tandem maybe 10 years ago.
When Nashesha was this age she started riding with me with seat at the bottom.

a couple years later..




another 1/2 year later we visit Cunninghams


Yesterday, 6 years later ..... she invited Michelle. We traded off the three of us on tandem and another bike.


Same arch 6 years later.  I am fatter and Nashesha is sassy.  We rode here and there.  The young ladies had a gas.



19 July 2014

Not sure if serious or not.

A bit over a week ago I was riding close behind some inexperienced young riders on a Wednesday morning ride. We had just finished a down hill and there was a sprint announced 6 km up the road.  The pack was hyper.  The last thing I can remember was thinking " OH NO , I am going down and it will not be nice." No time to brake, no time to hop over the mess.   Blackout.

I must of ploughed into someone hit my head above my eye, then went over on my back and hit back of my head and my lower back and side of thigh. The first day I only was feeling and seeing this:



 

 I recall sporadic moments until we reach Arusha by car about an hour later.  Thadayo says I kept asking the same questions of what happened.  By the time we reach the hospital I was clear headed and in no pain.  We looked at the crowd of patients and decided to buy antiseptic and ibuprofen and have Thad clean me up.

I knew I had a concussion but had no headaches or nausea.

In my confusion and fidgeting I went out later in the day and tried to ride my commuting bike around the drive, and  then repacked a bottom bracket bearing.  I couldn't tighten the bolts by myself.

It  was day 5 of the Tour de France, and they were on and off cobblestones and it was wet. Many crashes so it was hard to feel sorry for myself watching so much misery.

The next day my ribs began to give slight pain and severe pain with a cough or laugh.  By two days turning over in bed was a big problem.  Only then did I realise the eye was minor.

 All during the next week I was still discovering bruises like this one on my thigh after a week:

 

 It took me a week to notice this one and others I won't show, granted at my age bruises form easily.

 I think I went to work on the next day. I went to a doctor eventually who said probably not cracked ribs and it would take awhile.  We figured x ray not worth the time.

One day I stopped the ibuprofen pain killers and that was a mistake, as I turning over in bed was an ordeal.

Without the exercise of commuting I find my mood low and I question my life,  about the accident and road bike racing.    Either my body is missing the exercise induced endorphins, or the concussion brings mood, or the constant ibuprofen taking, or being out of contact with acquaintances.  Too much time alone to think. Will I be able to give up road riding? should I? Is riding a bike really my best choice of  social outlet?   I show up at work late morning but I am not productive.

At least since day 8 I am riding the bike instead of burning fossil fuels.