Congratulations to the Bon Ton cycle gang! Here are some pictures from their week long ride.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Bon Ton Roulette
Now for something a lot more fun. Seven people, mostly from Oxford, did successfully complete the 300 miles around the Finger Lakes in New York last week. It was challenging and they hit quite a bit of rain thoughout the week. But they completed the trip.
Congratulations to the Bon Ton cycle gang! Here are some pictures from their week long ride.
Congratulations to the Bon Ton cycle gang! Here are some pictures from their week long ride.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Bark Bark Bark
What a lousy way to start this blog. I spent much of 2008 training for a 300 mile bicycling trip around the Finger Lakes region of New York. My wife and I had planned the trip for months. We were going with a group of friends and fellow cyclists.
Well along in our training, we were completing a 60 mile ride in Preble County, Ohio, truly bicycling heaven. As I rode past a farm house on Gettysburg Road, a Golden Retriever charged full speed into my bike, hitting the rear wheel. The force of the impact knocked the bike over hard. And me with it. My feet, of course, were clipped into the pedals. So the impact, twisted my leg in a very unnatural way, tearing a tendon and muscle fibers in my calf. As I fell over, my natural instinct was to put my right arm out to break the fall. As I hit the pavement, I drove my extended right arm into my shoulder, making a mess of the tendons and ligaments in the area.
Needless to say, those few seconds of impact destroyed the months of training I had put in and ended my quest to ride the New York Finger Lake region this year.
The dog attack and resulting crash took place on July 1. Five weeks later, I am still recovering. I go to physical therapy two to three times a week. I am learning to walk properly again. My shoulder is still weak and sore. Thankfully, I will be back on the bike again, but it will probably be another three to four weeks. And some time after that before I am back to riding real distances.
So I make this plea to dog owners everywhere. Be responsible. The dog that attacked my bike and ruined my quest for the Finger Lakes had a history of running out at passing cyclists. What does it take for owners to understand the dangers involved and the price of even a relatively minor crash like I experienced? Please: get a clue. Fence your dogs. Or tie them up. Or contain them in the barn or the house. Please, be responsible. Before someone gets killed.
Well along in our training, we were completing a 60 mile ride in Preble County, Ohio, truly bicycling heaven. As I rode past a farm house on Gettysburg Road, a Golden Retriever charged full speed into my bike, hitting the rear wheel. The force of the impact knocked the bike over hard. And me with it. My feet, of course, were clipped into the pedals. So the impact, twisted my leg in a very unnatural way, tearing a tendon and muscle fibers in my calf. As I fell over, my natural instinct was to put my right arm out to break the fall. As I hit the pavement, I drove my extended right arm into my shoulder, making a mess of the tendons and ligaments in the area.
Needless to say, those few seconds of impact destroyed the months of training I had put in and ended my quest to ride the New York Finger Lake region this year.
The dog attack and resulting crash took place on July 1. Five weeks later, I am still recovering. I go to physical therapy two to three times a week. I am learning to walk properly again. My shoulder is still weak and sore. Thankfully, I will be back on the bike again, but it will probably be another three to four weeks. And some time after that before I am back to riding real distances.
So I make this plea to dog owners everywhere. Be responsible. The dog that attacked my bike and ruined my quest for the Finger Lakes had a history of running out at passing cyclists. What does it take for owners to understand the dangers involved and the price of even a relatively minor crash like I experienced? Please: get a clue. Fence your dogs. Or tie them up. Or contain them in the barn or the house. Please, be responsible. Before someone gets killed.
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