As someone who got his first TT bike a few weeks ago, I know just how easy it is for that to happen. On my way home from work yesterday, I ran over a branch laying across the bike path. Never saw it until a couple feet before I hit it. I kept thinking how glad I was it wasn't a stroller. And on a long effort, you go into a zone where you are just totally focused on the pedal stroke. My first 40K, I blew past the turnaround, my only thought being "Gee... guy at side and a cone in the middle, must be getting close." TT's are the ultimate "set aside your brain" endeavor.

I'm really glad he is essentially okay. And I've broken a top tube (bike fell off the car rack) and still had true (CF) wheels.

One more note is that an older brother, avid cyclist when we were young, managed to plow into the rear of a parked VW bug, catapulting himself completely over the car. He ended up an engineer, and I'm guessing he did it just to see what speed was needed to accomplish it.