The 99 mile ride into Portland today was a mixed bag. The good news is that my bike fit and conditioning were both fine; and the weather was great. The bad news is that I crashed for the first time ever. It was early in the ride and I was in the third position in a pace line going about 18mph. Without any warning from in front, my tires were suddenly in a narrow rut in the road running parallel to my direction of travel. On the left there was about a two inch high pavement edge and on the right was the gravel shoulder. It was clear this was not going to have a happy outcome. So, after watching how the pros did it at the Tour de France, I decided to lay my bike down on my left side to avoid the risk of going over the bars or into the gravel on the right. I think it was the best of a bunch of bad choices. I have some pretty significant abrasions and a lot of soreness from the left side of my neck down to my hip area - but my head is intact with only a few scrape marks on my helmet. After a few minutes I got back on the bike and continued riding. At the next rest stop the Trek Travel guides replaced both of my damaged wheels, gave me several Advil, and I was good to go.
The rest of the ride was uneventful although heavy truck traffic as we came into Portland on Highway 30 made the last 20 miles somewhat unpleasant. Even with the aches and pains from the crash I rode strong and under control. For the last 45 miles after lunch I rode in a small group with Craig Kipp, CD (73 year old surgeon from Charleston SC), Dan (from New Jersey), and MIchael (one of the guides who lives in Portland). They were pleasant company and together we accomplished my goal of conserving energy and finishing in the last group. Actually our pace was 16-18mph so we weren't exactly dogging it.
Tomorrow we have a 73 mile ride up the Columbia River valley to the town of Hood River. The temperatures may be hot, but hopefully we will have a tailwind to make things easier. I'm sure I will be very sore when I get out of bed tomorrow, but I fully expect to do the ride. Although I pretty much suck at walking right now, the injuries didn't seem to impede my cycling. So if I can make it to the bike tomorrow, I should be able to ride it.
Steve
Sorry to hear about your crash. We balance a bike by using micro turns and so a narrow rut will always mean we go down. Looks like you took the best option you had and I am glad you are still able to ride.
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