Another Crash

Yep...another one for me. This has been a rough year:

- Cherry Pie Criterium
- Final lap crash
- Body: Minimal damage...scrapes
- Bike: Broken carbon bars
- Time off: None

- Kenosha Criterium
- Sprint finish Crash
- Body: Nearly broke my collarbone
- Bike: Nothing but a flat tire
- Time off: 2-weeks

- Port of Oakland Training Ride
- Dumb guy crashed in front of me and I had to hit him...flipped over bars
- Body: Minimal damage...scrapes
- Bike: None
- Time off: 1-lap

- Easy Ride around Paradise Loop with team
- Sprint into Tiburon...bad crash (explanation coming)
- Body: Lots
- Chin: 12 total stitches
- Road Rash: Left shin/knee, both elbows, both hands/knuckles, right wrist & right shoulder
- Bike: Broken carbon bars (again)


So here's the deal. I really wanted to make Ben's "Going Away Ride" memorable and I'm sure he will always remember driving me to the ER and then hanging out in the ER waiting room for a while. Mission accomplished.

Our team went out for an easy ride around Paradise Loop. This really was an easy ride because a number of us were set to race the Benicia Criterium on Sunday. Coming into Tiburon is always a great place for a sprint. You hit a nice downhill that levels off to a perfect, clean, flat drag into the town. Jan had the pace picked up for a while leading into this downhill and I was patiently sitting on his wheel. Dino came around us both and started leading it out...I jumped around to his wheel and Jan moved to mine. We hit the flat part and Dino was up out of his saddle in full sprint. I started to come around him and had to coast for a second and then immediately got right back into it full force. Standing and cranking hard on the pedals and then all of a sudden my chain either skipped or fell off and got jammed. Whatever it did, it cause my rear wheel to come up off the road and I was flying down the road on my front wheel...at 40+ mph. It was extremely fast (but somewhat slow motion).

I stood up off of the road and felt horrible. My teammates were all looking at me with concern and told me to just lie down. Jan went into town and came back with an ice bag for my chin...it was split open. We made a few calls and another teammate (Jeff) was home and able to come pick me up. He drove me and Ben to Ben's house, where we switched cars (Jeff was about to head to his daughter's 1st soccer game, so this let him make it for the end of the game). Ben drove me to the ER. I owe my teammates big time. Many of them made it into the ER to hang out and see how I was doing. Jan and Emily stuck around to give me a drive home. They were great for sticking it out till the end...it took a while for the plastic surgeon to make it in and do his magic.

I look like a mummy.

I'm feeling ok though. Stitches come out on Thursday.

Needless to say, I did not race the Benicia Criterium on Sunday. :-(

On the bright-side, I've had an amazing year...I posted this New Year's Resolution and nearly hit it (I'm only 1 point away)

Chronological Order:
- 6th Place: Rhonde van Brisbeen
- 6th Place: Burlingame Criterium
- 6th Place: Martinez Criterium (Really 4th!)
- 1st Place: Santa Rosa Criterium
- 2nd Place: Davis 4th of July Criterium
- 3rd Place: Lafayette Criterium
- 2nd Place: Metromint Giro di San Francisco
- And several Top 10's

p.s. I'm pre-reg'd for this Saturday's SF Twilight Criterium (doubtful though)...well...???

I'm leaving you with a few injury pics from this one...sorry, no chin shots - they are pretty nasty.