Last Wednesday I embarked on a training ride with a couple of teammates. These guys are pure motors and know every gravel road in a 200 mile radius of Salem, so usually I hang on for dear life. We rolled out of town around 9:30, and about 20 mins into the ride, while passing an intersection to a park, a lady decides to gas it through the intersection we've just entered into, making a left hand turn from oncoming traffic. She clips the rear wheel in front of me, and the Scion Xa and I become fast friends as I slam into the side of it. After careening off the car I land in the road clutching my shoulder. There were a few other cars that got a front row seat to the action as they were stopped at a red light. After a short ambulance ride, xrays show a stage 3 spearated clavicle, and a compressed rib cage.
A visit to an orthopedist results in a sling for 4 weeks, no surgery, and lots of pain during sneezing, coughing, and laughing.
It's now the end of October, been off the bike for over 2 weeks, slowly losing my sanity. Though I've been racing since Febuary, I felt itchy to get back on the bike after only a few days, 4 weeks is torture. Coach says to use the time to get a nice mental break, then back at the base miles...he's always right.
Since I was on my cross bike, my only geared bike, during the crash, it's toast, and now I'm waiting on a 2011 Specialized
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