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If you are a relatively new reader, you might not know that I like to ride a road bike. Lately my schedule has only allowed me weekend forays on the bike and I usually keep my rides to an hour or so. Personally, I love the feeling of flying down the road, in and amongst nature, with the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze playing counterpoint to each other.
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In my nearly three years of riding, luck rides with me - I have never been injured. Until today. Now, there are many ways a bike injury occurs. Collision with another object - animate or inanimate. A surprise wind gust throwing off your balance. An unfortunately placed speed bump.
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I had just left my neighborhood and was traversing Riley-Fuzzel Rd. (soon to be the Grand Parkway). The two lanes of traffic each way are easily escapable thanks to a wide paved shoulder. Frequently, to a cyclists chagrin, the shoulder becomes the repository for road waste - tire bits, broken taillights, periodic trash (Don’t Mess With Texas!), and broken glass. I usually do well to avoid to obstacles, keeping my eyes ahead, but today I rode through a pocket of broken glass.
One of the first lessons I learned while riding the bike is to keep the tires free of broken class - duh, right - so I did what you are supposed to do. I leaned forward and, using the portion of my glove between my thumb and forefinger, pressed against the front tire, clearing the tire of debris. Then, I reached behind me, just under the saddle, and did the same thing.
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My glove protected most of my right hand, but I still managed to tear the skin off in a couple of places and give myself friction burns on others. For a musician, it could have been much worse.
Make sure to think before you act. It doesn’t matter if you are riding a bike, in the middle of an emotionally charged argument, or pursuing a like changing decision, always give consideration to the results of your actions. I learned an important lesson today (one I am certain I have been taught before), but I know, had it been any number of other situations, the results could have been much more dire. Take it from me: don’t get burned.
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