Down!

The birds in the flame tree about 1.5km before I crashed. There are times I envy them, but I suppose they have days like this too.



Well I suppose now was the time it was traditionally "supposed" to happen, but that doesn't make it any easier to take. It happened when I was lane-splitting my way through the gridlock on the Sundale Bridge today -- something I've done a zillion times before, well there was this ute ahead (had to be a friggin' ute didn't it?) who apparently wasn't sure which lane he was in (although he wasn't actually moving anywhere -- that's what gridlock is all about). Actually, I managed to get into a position where I possibly could have gone by, but I just felt a little uneasy, and moved back, then tried for the gap around the ute, and didn't make it.

Strangely, it still came as a shock to me that I actually went down. It took a couple of seconds for me to realise it had happened, but then, I've got plenty of those spare if I'm riding through gridlock. Thank god it was the so-called "rush hour". I had plenty of time to get up, check myself, get off the road, do a minor repair that my bike needed as a result of the crash, and get on my way again. The thing that really bugs me is that firstly, it's my own fault, and secondly, I'd already done all I needed to in order to avoid this one, but I still managed to f*ck it up completely.

Still, as I say, it's about the time -- six weeks before a tour. Add this to being hit by a car in 2000, a far more severe crash in 2001, a knee injury in 2002, another collision with a car (this time in a hailstorm) last year -- all supposed "calamities" 4-6 weeks before a tour, and all of which I survived and learned from. The only damage done here is a bit of road rash in about three different places, and some bruised pride. I'm sitting out the Hinze Dam ride in the morning, just to make sure nothing seizes up -- I've got a century this weekend, and I want to be ready for that.

Another lesson learned. I have to say I'm feeling a multitude of emotions right now. Anger and embarrassment that I crashed. Relief (and even a little excitement) that I came out of it OK, and kept on my way (probably still getting home faster than any of the car commuters), and determination to put it right tomorrow. Time to get Alex Lloyd on the CD player I think.

Actually, the whole day was a bit of a f*ck up really. Kept getting interrupted at work and couldn't get anything done, now this. At least it's over (I think).