Pardon the interruption

Okay, sorry about the delay folks, but I have a doctors excuse. I was doing a Gaps ride (see earlier posts) last Sunday 8/22 and on the final descent and yes the final switchback before the bottom I took a bad spill. All things considered I consider myself extremely fortunate to have only suffered a separated shoulder, deep laceration requiring 8 stitches on my knee, bruised ribs and an assortment of mild to medium grade road rash along my left side. I say fortunate because if you go down on the road at 30+ mph you are probably in for a couple broken bones, more severe road rash and possibly much worse. As I headed into the last turn feeling great having climbed three mountains and two descents, I had finally found a rhythm on the last and longest of descents. Descending is a bike skill that doesn't get mentioned much in lieu of sprinting and climbing skill but is something that you have to learn. It takes bike handling skill but also a little bravado to lean into a turn while doing 30mph stradling a piece of carbon fiber that weighs maybe 17lbs. on tires that are maybe 1.5" wide. Needless to say, I dove into the corner with the correct form and line and just as I reached the apex of the turn there stood two pools of gravel, one more towards the center of the road the other near the outside edge. In approaching the turn I saw two state troopers had pulled over two cars maybe 75yds from the turn. They did not have their big lights on so I figured that it was probably just two guys playing fast and furious on the turns and the troopers pulled them over. What I didn't realize at the time was that another car probably in front of them had hit this gravel and careened off the road into the woods dead center into a tree about 20-30 feet off the road. The car was obviously totaled with the front bumper pushed up a foot or so into the engine and both front wheels pointing in like a pigeon toed 13yr old. As I reached the apex and saw the gravel I knew that something bad was about to happen. A split second survey of options revealed that I had to try and hold my line through the outside gravel and hope that the bike would somehow hold to the road. Needless to say, the bike slid out immediately upon contact with the gravel with yours truly attached to it. I don't really exactly remember the immediate sequence that followed but I know I tumbled over two or three times before coming to a stop on the shoulder of the road in some dirt. If you have ever been in a physically traumatic situation like this, adrenaline seems to take over. I initially did not feel too bad. I could see the blood running down my leg and arm but my hands, face, head etc., would all escape unscathed. As I took a quick physical inventory I realized I had a pretty good lump on my shoulder which I immediately thought was a broken collarbone. That is one of the most common cycling injuries. Jason who was behind me saw everything and rode back up the 50yds or so to tell the troopers who were on the other side of the curve out of view. One of the troopers came down and then called for an ambulance. The other guys, Dale who although a great climber is a very slow descender came up shortly thereafter and both Doug and Keith who were ahead of me came back up within a minute or two after Jason went to get his car. Doug is an Antithesiologist and after checking me out figured I suffered a third degree shoulder separation but was most concerned about my left knee which took the brunt of the impact. He knew the Orthopedic on call at Kennestone Hospital about an hours drive back into Atlanta but I would have to forgo any immediate aid other than what the EMT's could offer. Here again, other than not being able to lift my arm and being banged up I wasn't in excessive pain. We decided to drive back to Atlanta for treatment. Fast forward to today, Saturday 8/28, seven days later, a three and a half hour emergency room visit, two Orthopedic oppinions later and here I am, on the road to recovery. I actually worked all week full days and went to the gym from Wednesday on to do cardio and leg work. I am feeling better every day and hope to be back on the bike in a couple three weeks. I will always have a knot on my shoulder from the injury and it may never be 100% again but I should be able to resume most of my activities. If after three months I still have alot of soreness or pain then I may have to look at a surgical remedy. In conclusion; cycling can be dangerous but so can pretty much everything else in life. My passion for cycling is not diminished and my faith in God is even stronger. I'll be back, God willing.