It has been a long time since I fell off a bike. Last week was the first time since I returned to cycling in my late 20s! Before that I rode a moped for a few years and came off that a couple of times, always when hitting ice.
Anyway, these bruises have reminded me of another time I fell off a bike. I might have told this before, but I guess that now I have turned 50 I can turn into the old guy who tells the same stories over and over?
We were about 18-19 years old. One of the gang was getting married, so we were having a stag night for him.
I cycled down to our starting point. It was an old bike that one of my grandads had given me - probably dated to the 1950s!
Anyway, we started the evening drinking some ouzo that one of the guys who was in the paratroopers had brought back from his last posting.
Then we hit just about every pub in town - all except the Prince of Wales, where you were not allowed in if you did not remember The Depression.
We were totally blasted by the time we got back to our start point.
A few goodbyes and then it was time to go home.
My best friend "Charlie" (not his real name, but that is what we all called him) was with me, and told me to push the bike, but I was having none of it.
I climbed on, probably managed to turn the pedals twice before going down - BLAM!
We both roared with laughter, as I got back on and tried again.
BLAM on the other side!
This was repeated all the way home.
It was hilarious!
It didn't hurt at all!
Until next morning, anyway...
12 comments:
I'm listening to a discussion about drinking and driving on the radio right now. What are the odds?
Falling off the bike is something destined to happen sooner or later when you ride a bike as often as you do. A few years ago I fell off my couple two times in one year, once landed in mud which actually kept me from getting hurt and the other time on cement. Blam!
Wigsf - Well there do tend to be a lot of discussions about that at this time of year...
CiCi - Yes, mud is better...
I don't think ouzo and bikes are a good mix!
You've got me thinking. The last time I fell of a bike was probably a good 20+ years ago too. A woman made an illegal turn into me and I did an up and over. Luckily we were both going pretty slow - and I still had my youth! Ironically, she was a law student.
Can't help but laugh at that story! Of course the alcohol would have you convinced that riding while drunk was a good idea!
I can only remember wiping out on a bike as a kid. I was traipsing through the neighborhood alleys and streets and hit a patch of sand. I scraped up my leg really good and had a bleeding wound full of sand. Ouch.
Abby - I am really paranoid about that sort of driving - good job you were going slowly!
Terri - Sand in cuts - not nice, but I guess they are what childhood is made of!
I still have a blob of bluish gravel embedded in my knee .... a lasting memento from a bike crash when freewheeling down the steep gravel lane beside my auntie's house at the age of 11. Someone said "I double dare you" so of course I had to try.....
Shammickite - and it is still there? The power of the double-dare...
Funny story!
The only bike fall I can recall was when I was nine and flew over the handle bars after hitting a rock. Knocked out my front tooth and needed stitches in my lip. Not funny. And it DID hurt. I've managed to stay up since then.
Running... well that's a different story. I've fallen more times running than biking.
Oh man ouzo is crazy powerful alcohol! I'm amazed you were able to get on the bike at all! No wonder you fell off!!
Yeah, I can bet you felt no pain! Thanks for making me laugh, although I feel guilty ;)
BWI (Biking While Intoxicated) - fun times all around. I bet that hurt in the morning.
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