dcrowell

Yep, I went down. It hurt. No pictures, you might be trying to eat.

I was riding my LHT, and turning left on a busy road. There was a brief moment with no oncoming traffic, so I started my left turn without slowing down.

The roads were wet from an earlier rain. I hit a pothole. It happened very quickly. One second I'm deciding to turn, the next I'm over the bars, on the road sliding.

I wasn't wearing gloves. I was wearing a helmet. I didn't need the helmet. Somehow my head never touched the pavement. If it would have, it would have been my face

Both of my hands are scraped up on the knuckles, as if I had my hands turned backwards. The palm of my left hand is bruised and had a small piece of road stuck in it (but the road got more of my skin).

My left elbow, right knee, and big toe on my right foot are also scraped up. I was wearing sandals.

The bike has some cosmetic scraping on the right brake lever. It's also going to need new bar tape soon.

I got off lucky. I hit the ground hard, but I don't have any bone or muscle aches. I didn't hit my head or face.

This isn't my first crash, but the others were much more minor. This one left me reeling for a while. It took me a while before I could continue riding. It was very painful at first and I was bleeding all over.

Oh well, chicks dig scars, right?

volosong

Ouch! Glad you aren't hurt too bad and can joke about it. No gloves, sandals, wet pavement? I better keep my thoughts about this to myself.

Kerrvillian

Big ouch.

Still have the scabs from my wreck on gravel 3 weeks ago and my right shoulder is still so messed up I'm finding myself reaching for things with my left hand. Earlier in the week I went to move a patient in their bed and heard a "pop" in shoulder that didn't sound good and felt worse.

WJordan

Got off lucky, huh???? Wait until you bath, soap and water hits all that raw skin! ;-) j/k
But seriously, sure glad you didn't get hurt any worse!

dcrowell

Oh, This happened yesterday afternoon. I took a shower when I got home and had to scrub the wounds. I also had to pull of piece of gravel (tiny) out of my hand. The worst of the pain is over. Maybe.

My toe is starting to get very stiff. I may have injured it beyond just the scrape. Ah well, it's only a toe.

dcrowell

I need some better footwear. The sandals are about all I have left for all-weather cycling. They will get replaced, they are falling apart.

I used to wear cycling gloves, and probably will again. I should buy some new ones. If I can find the old ones, they are pretty tattered.

I was wearing my helmet, which is odd. I've been going without sometimes recently. Wouldn't have made a difference this time. I somehow managed to keep my head from hitting. Not quite sure how.

volosong

Instincts. The subconscious drive for self-preservation. Nothing more. Just an automatic reaction.

If you wear XL sized gloves, drop me a PM and I'll send you an extra pair of black crochet back/leather palm gloves that I'm not using. If they fit you, and you'll use them, I'll mail them to you, free of charge.

dcrowell

PM sent!

The instinct to protect the head leads to broken arms and collar bones. I got lucky.

Surrealdeal

If you lost as much skin as it sounds you are in for several days of suffering followed by another week or so of discomfort before the whole thing becomes generally bearable. I honestly don't understand how those TdF riders can continue operating at the same level after a big crash. If you haven't seen it, google for Johnny Hoogerland's stage 9 crash... THAT guy has donated some blood to the sport!

Hang in there man, & keep your wounds and dressings clean. You'll be back on the horse in no time - with shoes and gloves, I'd guess.