So deciding to be billy badass I take a quick ride on Saturday. I figure it’s a good day, I rock my retro 7-Eleven gear and I am feeling alright. Earlier that day I had seen a few billboards about Halloween Haunt and I recalled that I had not been scared in a while, big mistake. Anyway, brutally hot and I decide to charge some hills. I was about 5 miles into the ride and on a steep downhill. I was, according the GPS, doing about 35 mph, on new tires. The downhill has a slight bend to the right about halfway down. I have taken this hill full speed at night, day, rain, so I am familiar with it. As I lean to take the bend, the bike starts to wobble under me. I am unable to keep my right lean because it felt like a flat, so I knew that if I lean the tire could rip off and I would be cheap fondant on the black pavement. I tap my brakes to no avail; I just hear the rubber fighting the rim for friction. In an effort to correct I straighten out and pray cars are paying attention because I sure as hell am not. In that split second the world went silent and all my attention was focused on the back of a white suburban. Why? At that moment, as I shifted from the right shoulder to the center divider I decided that the pavement was a bad idea and I would risk trying to stop myself with the suburban’s momentum or at least hit it and get cars to see me and stop. But I genuinely freaked out. I even did the whole cold sweat thing. Not being in control on a bike that I have put thousands of miles on was awkward and nerve-racking. I pulled to the side after slowing down some, only to see that the tire was not flat; scared me even more. Lessons to be learned; no Billy badass maneuvers, new tires = time to adjust, God really likes me and I owe him big. And I am sorry for even thinking about not being scared in a while, my bad, not going to entertain that train of thought again.
No comments:
Post a Comment