SPLASHDOWN
2/1/03. 6:49pm CST. Home.

The bike ride itself was uneventful, but smacking headfirst into the pavement beforehand is probably worth a mention.

Got up early, turned on the TV and saw what had happened to the Columbia crew. Watched some of the coverage, ran errands, thought a lot about the Challenger and Apollo, came home, watched some more.

Still, it was shorts weather in February, I felt I should take advantage of it.

Git-n-Go has apparently installed a new, non-free air pump. I did not know this. And I didn’t remember raiding my bike pack for loose change, and I didn’t think to make sure I had some cash in it before leaving the house. I did, however, find the spare key to my truck in there, which I’ve been trying to find for weeks. Idiot.

Regardless, the free pump at QuikTrip was the only option. Half a mile north, I could have easily walked there, but I thought, hey, so the tires are a little flat, I’m not going that far, I’ll be fine, I’m here to ride, not walk! A few blocks down 41st Street I took the turn slowly and in a wide enough arc to accommodate the lack of tire pressure. I thought.

I lean right as I turn, but the front tire shifts, and the bike slides left. Soon the right side of my face slams onto the pavement. I go in helmet-first (thanks Mom), then my hands, elbow, and knee bounce off the road, and I hear myself utter an ‘umph.’

I have to confess being a little annoyed that the lady with the dog didn’t even acknowledge my presence as I climbed back up on the bike and rode off with my tail between my legs (and my blood on my temple). I could tell right away the cheekbone, eyebrow, elbow & knee had taken the worst of it.

I rode about halfway to the QT station, thought better of it, and walked the rest. My forehead didn’t look all that bad reflected into my mirrored shades, and I told myself that unless there was blood dripping into my eye, I was still going out there to ride the trail.

Like the last time, when I scraped off a chunk of my chin crashing in front of an SUV, this could actually have been a lot worse. The gravel dents in my palms will likely be gone by Monday, and my knee will probably heal completely in a few weeks. Can’t tell right now if the right elbow will scar, don't care. The cheek isn’t even bruised, just sore, the skin sunburn-tight. There’s a large bump in the middle of my eyebrow, but the inch-long gash blends in, so even if it scars it probably won’t show.

The slight headache doesn’t worry me much, but I’m resisting the urge to take a nap, just in case. My second major bike accident as an adult, and the second time this helmet has kept me from cracking my head open. Guess I need a new helmet now. This one has dents in both frontal lobes.

On a normal day I’d probably be proud that I went ahead with a 6-mile ride after the wipeout, like I played through the pain or something.

But as someone who has spent so much of his life dreaming about space, with another crew gone I feel guilty even putting NeoSporin on these wounds.