Today's ride was ... eventful.

I've mostly been riding inside these days, but the good weather meant that today was a good day for a ride out to Depot Park on the Minuteman.


Unfortunately, on the way back, things went, well, off the rails. Today's ride was the first time I've been outdoors with clipless pedals (had previously just done platforms). On the way home I experienced my first, and inevitable, accident. On the oncoming side of the trail, a large group of cyclists was passing a stroller. They kept coming even though I was approaching, and I got forced into the shoulder where it was icy. I actually did unclip, but while struggling for control I accidentally clipped back in, and down I went. Luckily on my side I escaped with a bruised hip and a small cut on my shin, but otherwise I'm in one piece.

However, the same can't be said about my bike. About a mile after getting back on the road, this happened:


I can't even begin to tell you how strange a feeling it was when the seat disengaged from the rails. I tried to bodge it back together:


But the seat came back off less than two miles later. I was back in Arlington at this point, and managed to nurse the bike about a mile to Quad Cycle Shop on Mass Ave. The seat was unrepairable, so it got replaced:


I made it back home on the new saddle with the decision to bring my lights on the ride paying dividends. I suppose it's also good that I'm doing my clipless learning now on a cheap bike and not on the new road bike I'm buying in the spring.

Overall, 25.3 miles, one crash, two seats.