Hitting the deck :(

Week started off well. My new approach of "flying blind" when using the PCs has been great. Not being focused on time and power has made riding the PCs fun again. What hasn't been fun, however, is the air quality. Summer hasn't officially started yet, but the Houston air quality is in the crapper. There were multiple ozone warnings last week, and I was certainly feeling the effects of ozone on a couple of workouts. I had to limit my intensity and volume because of it - better to sacrifice some workout time rather than damage a lung. Unfortunately I live south of Houston, and the ozone here always seems to be the highest in the area. There was no coastal breeze to speak of, so the bad air just sat over the area. My throat was hurting and I just couldn't breathe like I wanted.

I did set up the PC bike with clip-on aerobars, and I quickly got adapted to them. I was spinning away with zero difficulty when down on the bars. I'd get off the bars because of discomfort in my forearms (not the best quality clip-ons/elbow pads) rather than any leg issues. Plan was to ride like this for a week and then transition the PCs to my spare TT bike.

But things all changed Saturday. On the group ride we had a few "b-teamers". I have no problem with slower riders as long as they don't cause trouble. On the second half of the ride, my pals were going for a sprint zone. I decided to take the throttle off and just relax a few minutes before we hit a "cobbled" section of 3 miles (I love to drill it there). There were 5 of us in a moderate 24 mph paceline, with me 5th wheel. Wheel #3 swerves (he said #1 and #2 swerved for no reason and he had to swerve to avoid hitting #2) and wheel #4 touches wheel. Wheel #4 goes down and I've got a bike on the ground to the left and front of me and a ride on the ground to the front and right of me. With nowhere to go I t-bone the rider at crash. The good news is that even though I landed hard on my left hip, which I broke in 2002, there was no subsequent fracture. The bad news is I'm REALLY sore several days after the wreck. I had to use crutches Saturday afternoon, but by Sunday I was able to walk on my own. I think I've got a bruised/fractured rib, but the rest is all just minor road rash and a lot of sore/strained muscles. Because of the road rash on my left elbow and forearm, there's no way I'll be using aerobars until the scabs go away.

It's my first crash in a few years, and crashes suck. They suck even more when you're an innocent victim. Lesson learned - don't let those with less fitness get in front of you. These guys were probably tired (we drilled it the first half) and had half their wits about them. I'll just make sure to drop them early next time and not be Mr. Nice Guy.

I'm hoping to get a light spin Monday evening or Tuesday at the latest. The wife isn't too pleased with the crash. I got the third degree when I got home Saturday...

PC time this week - 4 hours 10 minutes
PC time to date - 213 hours 45 minutes