Today's crash actually didn't involve ice, snow, or any other common winter themes. However, I've had my studded tires on for about two weeks now, and I've been feeling pretty good about my commute.

I teach at a public high school, and I get to school around 6:45 each morning. Since we have had a bit of snow and ice this past week, I've been extra careful on corners and other such things.

To get to our bike rack, you have to ride onto a broad sidewalk in front of the school, make a left onto another broad sidewalk that runs alongside the school, and ride up to the rack. I get to school so early that no one is ever around, so I don't worry about riding on the sidewalk.

Being extra cautious I've been cutting through the grass at the sidewalk corner so as to not slide on any ice there. Well, irony of ironies, cutting through the grass caused me to crash today.

As I was trying to get back onto the sidewalk from the grass, my front tire went into a water-filled rut that runs between the sidewalk and the grass. Being stupid, and it being early in the morning, I tried to ride out of the rut and onto the nice, smooth pavement.

The tires decided to stay in the rut while everything above the tires' point of contact with the ground, including me, landed with an audible CRASH!!! on the concrete.

The Good News: I don't think anyone saw me crash. The bike seems to be ok. I don't think I broke anything.

The Bad News Someone undoubtedly saw me fall like an idiot.