Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Tim 0, Seagull -1
This seems like as good a time as any to actually do some writing here, mainly to prevent me from embellishing this experience in the future. So, what gave me the new face shown in these pictures? As I have hinted at it the titles, it was a seagull. Seriously. I am training for a triathlon being held in September, so was up early to get a 20 mile bike ride in before work. I had just purchased and installed some new clip-in pedals on the bike and was wearing my dorky new cycling shoes (they have Velcro straps as closures – need I say more?), so was feeling pretty squared away and, honestly, fast.
I left my apartment in Venice around 6:15 am and headed south on the Venice bike path along the beach. The path is curvy in this section and bordered by small mounds on the left and the beach on the right. Accelerating out of one of these curves (probably going about 20 MPH), I noticed about five or six seagulls to the left of the path about 50 yards away. I clicked my tongue at them to get them to fly away, which they began to do, but not quickly enough…
Before I had had time to react, I was surrounded by the birds including one that was headed right for my front tire. The next thing I knew, I heard flapping and then a large clang. The seagull had indeed flown right into the spokes of my front tire, thereby jamming the tire and jettisoning me over the handlebars. I flew a few feet forward, landing on the right side of my face on the cement path. I think I slid for a little and then finally stopped and sat up. I was wearing a helmet, so was still conscious, but I was only half aware of what was going on. I sat for a few moments, and then stood up to shake it off, quickly realizing that all was not well, as I stumbled around and half-fell, half-sat down on the mounds.
I sat there for a few minutes when a homeless guy (I think his name was Raf) came up to me and asked if I was okay. I mumbled that I was fine, as I really wasn’t in much pain, just very woozy. He then pointed at my eye and said, “Wow, you are messed up”. I had been wearing sunglasses and then reached for them and realized that the right lens was knocked out and the frame was shattered. In addition, my hand came away covered in blood and I realized I was spitting blood. Raf then went to get my bike off the path and stopped in his tracks: “Holy shit! There’s a bird in your bike”. The seagull was still lodged in the spokes, and was now very dead. Raf pulled the bird out of the spokes and brought my bike over to me, its front rim completely bent and useless. Raf then ran off and got me some toilet paper (keeping half for himself) so that I could wipe off some of the oozing blood. (Thanks for all the help, Raf)
I was actually feeling okay by then, so just picked up my bike and carried it the half-mile home. I then drove myself to the Emergency Care, were they remarked that they had heard lots of stories, but had never heard of a bird bringing a biker down by flying into the spokes. I was covered in cuts, and my neck, back, wrist, ribs and face all hurt, so they gave me lots of x-rays and even a cat scan for my neck and back.
So, what was the final inventory of injuries?
- Cracked cheekbone, causing some blood to seep in to my sinuses
- Six stitches on cheek and six stitches above my eye
- Strained back and neck (reactivating an old neck injury)
- A big tooth gouge in my inner upper lip
- Some slightly banged up molars
- Sprained wrist
- Bruised ribs, knees and elbows
- About 20 cuts and scrapes on my face, ear, hands, elbows, knees and ankle
- One dead seagull (you can see some feathers still on the spokes below)
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
