A dear friend of mine graciously donated biking apparel from the company he works for and I was able to present that to John to help him be comfy during his ride.
Another great local company FLUID has joined in support of www.laurensride.org and gave John products and advice how to use them along his 3500+ mile ride.
Friday I did my crossfit workout in the morning where I promised that I will own those pullups one day. Pullups still seem to be my most challenging feat and I refuse to use a band for assistance. Double unders come in a close second.
I then went to my chiropractor appointment where she tried a few new techniques and I felt a lot better as I left.
I wanted to get my bike brakes checked before my scheduled ride in the evening. A friend offered to take a look at my bike for me. I had a great time watching him have fun with my bike he even set my chain on fire. He made my brakes awesome too.
My evening mountain bike ride started out by meeting up with a new friend at the local college and heading to the trail. I have never tried to ascend the trail we started out on I've only descended it and I thought an ascent would leave me hiking my bike the entire way. Surprisingly enough I only had to walk one really long nearly vertical hill at the beginning of the ride. The mid section which happens to be one of my favorite downhill rides gave me a little challenge in a couple sections. I took one graceful fall to my left and hopped right back up. We then continued on a fire road where I walked another hill because my legs felt fatigued. Thats an understatement the sun was in my eyes and my legs hit failure. My only choice was to walk and stretch my legs before jumping back on to sprint to meet up with my friend at the top of the trail. This trail is one I've been wanting to try for a while even though I'm full aware it is most likely highly over my skill level and very far out of my comfort zone. I tell myself I wanted a challenge and I start riding. Oh my goodness the first 3/10 of a mile of the trail was so scary, but somehow I rode it. My friend pauses to ask me how it was and if I was scared. I respond yes as he quickly replies this is your chance to bail out. If there is one thing I've learned about myself it is bailing out makes me unhappy, but following through and conquering a challenge fulfills me. So I keep trying. I walk sections, I fall to the right on the trail into some prickly brush as I struggle to get my left foot out of the pedal. That upset me a little, but I brush myself off and continue. I hit a section of trail that had some technical rocky parts as well as rolling hills and I was having a great time. My friend then tells me most of the hard part is over and I'm relieved, but then more challenging technical trail comes out of nowhere as my friend informs me he didn't remember that part. I get out of the saddle and walk for a while then I jump back on and begin my ride I don't know what caused my next and last fall, but I do know that it's my third one and that saying is false it wasn't charming at all. At this point I realize I did my signature fall which is on my left knee and it hurts and I see my pant leg is saturated so I know I'm bleeding. As I pull up my pant leg I see a gash that spans my knee cap. I start crying, remove my t-shirt, wrap it around my knee and continue the ride. My friend was far ahead he never knew I fell. I take it easy the remainder of the ride. I walk the sections that intimidate me and I make it to the bottom where my friend is waiting. He then tells me he wants to try the eucalyptus park area while it's light because he's always ridden it at night. I tell him I'll take elevator that is the trail name although I wish it could have been the mechanical elevator. The first time I ever rode elevator I absolutely hated it the bridges annoyed me and the berms frustrated me, but now I love it. It's a rolling trail very few rocky parts and just gorgeous. I've learned to love those bridges. Last night was different I was favoring my knee and just knew I was almost done and needed to finish. I alternated between riding and walking and heard rushing water that was so calming. I crossed a bridge to look to my left and saw a beautiful flowing waterfall. That is where that soothing sound was coming from. I met my friend at the bottom and we finished the ride. He rode to his house and I rode back to my car even continuing up the steep hill on the road where I had parked.
As I got to my car I knew three things. I was cold, needed a shirt and needed first aid supplies. I opened my car door to find my mudmashx shirt that I had given to one of the guys in my running group months ago and he had returned to me Thursday at the bike ride. I was so happy to have that shirt.
I drove to the store to pick up gauze, tape and adhesive bandages.
I showered and got warm and toughed out the pain of warm water running over my wound as I was cleaning my knee.
I then set out to assess my injury better. I looked at it and came to the conclusion that if I went to the emergency room they would suggest stitches or just pack it and wrap it. I realize I want packing gauze and not gauze wrap, but I did the best I could with the materials at hand.
I learned a lot yesterday and despite the fall and knee wound I had an incredible time!
1 comment:
Pack it with granuated sugar or if you happen to have manuka honey, even better. Change the bandage everyday. It will heal much quicker and help granulate the tissue is because it is deeper.
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