NJ: Crash!

Wednesday, October 8th: The Bedminster Flyers' Wednesday Night Ride(s) are slowly coming to an end as the days get shorter and shorter. Tonight was a beautiful evening and the small group, above, started out easy enough a 5pm.

The pace picked up fairly quickly on Lamington Road and we were all cruising at a good clip when the rider in front of me hit a pothole which I went into next. I then thought my Chesini bike was starting to disintegrate....lots of bad noises coming from the back. Next, I'm flying towards the Lamington Road pavement. BANG!

I stumbled to my feet and see Peter G. laying in the roadway (in the Colavita jersey above). obviously hurt more than I am. My shoulder and ribs hurt.

Peter later learns he cracked two ribs. I'm nursing my shoulder with drugs and compresses.

Speaking to Peter today we pieced together what we think happened. I hit the pothole, flatted, and slowed just enough for his wheel to overlap with mine; he hit the pothole and crashed into my rear wheel.

When your ride a lot going down is going to happen sooner or later. Thankfully, we escaped serious injuries.

My Chesini steel bike had damage of the type I've never seen before: from the impact with the pavement the downtube water bottle cage got torn off, one bolt was sheared in the boss and other boss was completely pulled out of the frame leaving a hole where it had been in the downtube!

Some of the components are banged up and will probably have to be replaced. Another reason to have more than one bike.

Which brings me to:

The pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express Praise for answered prayers. A lady stood and walked to the podium. She said, 'I have a Praise. Two months ago, my husband, Tom, had a terrible bicycle wreck and his scrotum was completely crushed. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn't know if they could help him. You could hear an audible gasp from the men in the Congregation as they imagined the pain that poor Tom must have experienced.

She continued, 'Tom was unable to hold me or the children and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation. They were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Tom' s scrotum and wrap wire around it to hold it in place.' Again, the men in the Congregation were unnerved and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Tom.

She continued, 'Now, thank the Lord, Tom is out of the hospital and the doctor's say that with time, his scrotum should recover completely.'All the men sighed with relief. The pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had anything to say.

A man rose and walked slowly to the podium. He said, 'I'm Tom, and I want to tell my wife the word is "Sternum".