That's not supposed to happen!

I lay my helmeted head back on the bridge and try to gather my thoughts. I knew that I was lying on the curving wooden bridge over Campbell Creek. Prior to that moment I was accelerating towards the end of my nearly one hour bike ride.

Saturday, July 7, started out fairly well. I was going to swim, bike and run for the first time. The Wife (Merrill) had gone to run her 8 training miles in a neighborhood. We don't usually do training separately, but I needed to get some swimming done. So, off we went our separate ways.

That sound is familiar, but what is it? That's the sound of bike tires on the bridge. Oh, this is not good as I am sprawled across the bridge and my bike is next to/above me. Oh God, this is going to hurt when I get run over. "Bike down!" I say in the strongest, but weak voice. I look up and there is a bike coming around the curve straight at me. Somehow, unfortunately for the rider, he is able to apply the brakes and then slides himself and his bike on the bridge.

Swimsuit on, gym bag on the seat next to me and bike and necessary riding equipment in the back of my little Scion tC. The question of whether the bike would fit became answered. I started the drive to the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center. As I pulled up to the Aquatic Center the parking lot is full. It hasn't been full like that before. There wasn't anything posted during the week saying that there was going to be an event and would be closed to members. The call to the front desk confirms that it is closed ALL weekend. Now I need to drive home to change into my biking clothes and head out to the Greenway,

I picked myself and my bike up. Something is not right, but I still don't know what. I do know my mind is not quite right. It's about a 200-yard walk to my car, so I decide to walk my bike back. My car is a welcome sight. Lean the bike against the car and get my bearings. Things are fuzzy.

The ride was good. There were some trees across the trail from the storm the night before. I had to dismount and walk my bike over those trees. I pedaled the whole way, which felt really good. There was some coasting for drink breaks, but that was it. Bzzz, bzzz. That told me I had gone my planned 40 minutes and there was still a little more back to the car. I wanted to finish strong. There's the last bridge. Pedal strong to get up it. There's the peak, switch to a higher gear to get that strong finish.

OH CRAP! I am on the ground. Near as I can tell, the bridge was still slick from the rain the night before and my tires slid out from underneath me. That is not supposed to happen!

At my car I look across the street at the fire station, not sure if I should go over because I know I'm injured. Like I said earlier, I know my head is fuzzy, my shin is bleeding pretty good, and my right wrist is sore.

"Merrill I laid my bike down and I'm scared. Where are you?" That is the call The Wife gets from 

me. She reminds me that she went running at the park and just finished. She is on the way to where I am parked and keeps talking with me.

"Brian, you're bleeding from your head." I did not know that. The helmet did its job, but is no longer safe to wear. I need to get a new one before I ride again. My shirt is covered in dirt.

I have realized this was a pretty major crash. More than I originally admitted. Head lacerations, shoulder red, extremely bruised left hip and road rashed upper leg, gashed shin, and bruised and sore inside right ankle.

The most serious injury is a broken scaphoid bone in my right wrist. On Monday, I will find out what this means when I visit the hand specialist. I hope it doesn't impact triathlon training too much. It probably means that my first triathlon on July 31 will need to be deferred to a future race. Again, I'll know more tomorrow and will react accordingly.

Like I said, That's not supposed to happen!

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