What not to do.

Since starting to ride my bike over a year ago now, I have been very VERY lucky to have not had an accident. I have crossed my fingers and toes every time I have gone out and although have had extremely close encounters I have never actually been injured.

I have been lucky that I have clipped out on every occasion and have never found myself on the ground. That was until Wednesday.

Wednesdays ride was awesome. Absolutely beautiful weather and company was to be had. I was initially going to go to a certain turnaround point and come back without taking in the hills, but how can I say NO to my friends when they asked me to come along for the whole ride. So with the commitment made - it was off to visit Greendale in reverse. I really do find going that way alot tougher than the other way, but what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger. RIGHT?

As usual my quads scream at me. It never ever feels easier - or is it maybe that I am pushing a bit harder everytime the fitter I get. Whatever the reason, it still hurts. Actually my breathing still hurts as well. I am sucking in air like a lunatic heading through the hills but lucky for me I can still manage to talk. I think it will take alot more than that to stop me from talking, maybe when I do the Hawkesbury Lookout - which I have heard alot about, will I then be made silent.

Then as the ride was coming to an end is when the funny drama unfolded. I was slowing down checking over my right shoulder to make sure there was no cars coming so I could cross over to my car. I did this a few times and as I looked over my shoulder for the last time and turned to look ahead again I quickly realised that I had not slowed down quickly enough and I soon found myself almost mounted on Jen's back like a baby koala.

I slammed my brakes on and quickly unclipped - but not fast enough. Before I knew it I was coming down on my right hand side in what seemed like to me as slow as a scene out of the Matrix. I tried to shelter the impact by putting my right hand down but to no avail. My elbow buckelled and what was supposed to help me take the brunt of the impact ended up being the bit that winded me. My elbow came into hard contact with my ribs and then it was my knee, hip and shoulder making impact with the road.

As I lay there taking inventory of what hurt - everyone came hurrying back to see if I was ok. I couldn't really talk cause my ribs hurt as did my knee but as I looked to my left I heard Kate call out if I was okay and as she was looking over her shoulder to see if I was ok she fell down too. Thank goodness she didn't hurt herself. Once I realised what hurt and what didn't - I was kind of laughing about the whole thing. And the thing I realised most is that I probably ride a little too close to the person in front. Lesson learnt.

Will I be back out - you bet your bottom dollar. My knee is a bit sore and crusty so bending it is a bit difficult, and my ribs and hip ache a bit too. But all is good.