Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Back in the Saddle Again...

Woo hoo!  I'm able to ride again!  After 2+ months of no riding, I've missed it terribly.  I finally got outside on the bike on Saturday.  It was a beautiful day to ride out of Kelso, with the sun shining, a light breeze and just me on my fabulous Guru...

I was trying out a new compact crank that I had installed a couple of weeks ago, thinking that I may need the extra low gearing for a bit as I continue to rehab the groin injury... I wasn't far off the mark, so I'm glad that I opted for the change but I feel a bit like a hamster!  LOL!  Spin-spin-spin...

All was glorious until I fell - clipped in - and landed on a big pile of sharp, jagged rocks at the side of the beautifully pristine and newly paved road... SLAM!  Wow - that one really hurt!  My entire right side is covered with lacerations and bruises from shoulder to thigh.  What a spaz, eh?  LOL!

A nice man in a truck stopped to make sure I was okay, as I was picking small rocks out of my arm, barefoot, on the side of the road... luckily, I had a fresh pedicure so while I was covered in dust and grime, at least my bare feet looked good - ha!

I knew, of course, that I would fall - it would be inevitable that as soon as I made it outside to the open road, I would have at least one spaz cleat-related fall.  It's just a really good thing that I didn't attempt this too soon - like, say, a couple of weeks ago... when a fall like that could have set me back in my rehab.

So, words to the wise:  Speedplay cleats, although extremely similar to engage/disengage from pedals as Shimano, require the foot to be shot outwards to the side immediately once released - any attempt to disengage and lift the foot upwards will be futile... it doesn't release!  It's probably supposed to be a safety feature or something... ;)

My second ride the following day was much less dramatic and I found a nice, quiet spot close to home where a Sunday morning short training ride can be pleasurable and empty of road traffic:  an industrial area :)

Happy Trails!!

2 comments:

  1. I use speed play pedals. What is weird is that I always remember the last time I fell (never the others, just the last one )

    Good news you are riding again.

    Note: the compact can spoiled you as you hamster up hills. You don't notice the difference until you ride a standard again though

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  2. oh no, that's terrible! Hope you are ok. I have fallen a bunch clipped in, it sucks.

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