Bike Wreck

I'm riding my bike to work and back these days to get back in decent shape. It's working. Slowly. But it's working.

On Thursdays, I have a guitar lesson I drive to over lunch. I don't carry my guitar on a bike, so I go ahead and get up early, ride my bike to campus and back, and drive in. Which is what I was doing this morning.

On my way back, just before the long uphill stretch home, I made a left turn onto the shoulder of Providence. But another cyclist was coming the other way. I didn't see her until the last second because a yield sign blocked my view. When I saw her, I knew I would hit her if I didn't do something fast. Turning fast would have thrown me right into the yield sign, or I might have wiped out ... right into her, taking her out as well. I hit the brakes to slow down so I could make a better maneuver ... but I hit the front one too hard. Went right over the handlebars onto the pavement, road-rashing my left arm, and the left side of my face hit the pavement.

I got a good gash under my left eye, and smaller ones in and near my left eyebrow, and three big scrapes down my face ... and a gash in my ear just for good measure. Nothing broke. My knuckles are scraped up, my right wrist is strained, and I have a little road rash on my left knee.

I was going to go to my normal clinic to see if I needed stitches (I thought I probably would on the one under my eye). Had to wait until they opened at 8 to call. They said they don't do that there so go to urgent care.

The receptionist suggested I might want a "plastics" consult, and for that we'd need to go to the ER. So I told her I'd let the urgent care doc evaluate that.

They cleaned me up pretty well. Got a piece of gravel out of the hole under my eye. And said I might want to get a plastics person to stitch me up.

So we went to the ER. Where a lovely (seriously, lovely - woah!) young woman from plastic surgery came down and stitched my eyebrow, the gash near the eyebrow, AND the one under the eye ....so ... about 21 or so stitches.

By this time it was 1:30 and we were starving, so we went to lunch, then I went to my guitar lesson ... and the day is a wash.

I look ... awesome. Probably will for several weeks.

It's actually healing up some already.  Most of the swelling is gone.  The bruises around my eye are leaching and making the skin all around my eye yellow.  The stitches itch.  And I have a Don Johnson beard that has ... quiiiiite a bit of grey in it.  Stitches come out Thursday.

I got a helmet.  And I rode in today.  I didn't Friday ... I was concerned about my wrist.  It's definitely sprained, not broken.  So I put a wrist brace on, and away I went.

Onward!

More Camper Mods

After our Longbranch trip and the subsequent float trip, finally figured out what needed to be done to the camper so that we can put it up and the two sides lean out slightly like they're supposed to.

See ... the middle A frame poles are only adjustable on the right side.

Well ... WERE ... until this weekend.

I used the holes on the right side to make a template with blue painter's tape and a felt marker .... and taped it under the tab for the one-hole attachment point on the other side, and drilled new ones.

Now no matter how I adjust it, I can keep the ridge in the center of the camper, allowing me to adjust the poles that hold the sides up so that they both tilt out (helps with water shedding in the rain).

I also patched a hole in a seam where the top had been stretched to much from me trying to adjust it the way I want it.  Got a full sized broom to pack in the camper for cleanup, and re-packed the "this'n'that" box into a newer, slightly larger box.  It holds things from gloves and playing cards to emergency fire-starter and repair equipment.  Even spare bearings for the camper wheels.

I'm also working with brother Jeff on a PVC running water tank.  It'll only hold 3 gallons.  It will "run" on compressed air.  It'll attach to the side of the camper, and I'll be able to fill it from a hose, and just hook a tank full of compressed air (with a regulator) to it and a little faucet, and voila.  Running water for brushing teeth or rinsing dishes.