Oh, and I was hit by a car, head-on, way back in 1982. It was pretty bad in that I do not remember the impact or the ambulance ride. My bike was mangled, and my Bell Biker helmet was visibly damaged. I can't say for sure if I received any long term brain injuries, but I'm doing OK. Other than that, I was just bruised and lacerated, no bones broken. I was back on the bike in about four weeks.

I was 21 years old at the time. My father was very upset, as he believed cycling is dangerous. I was very heartened when he told me to get back on the bike ASAP. He said this because he knew it was important to me, and he knew that waiting longer would make it scarier. When I did get back on the bike, I was indeed scared, and going slowly felt too fast. Of course, I've recovered from that problem. I am the fastest descender I know, at the age of 53.