Not my ride

This is not what I thought my next blog would be.  I have worked hard to get ready to leave this Friday on this cross-country journey.  Instead I will remain in Spokane to recover from injuries sustained in a bike accident on April 26^th.

Four of us riders were on an overnight test camp/ride to Heyburn State Park on that day.  We had ridden out Valley Chapel Road with our fully loaded bikes.  It was a great training ride.  We were rained on; hailed on; and fought some wind.  We road on gravel and climbed hills.  I felt great as we had done about 50 miles.  Just as we were heading downhill into Plummer, ID on a back road, an ATV driven by an older man who was just driving through the fields, popped onto the road from my right. He came up an incline out of a field so I did not see him coming and he did not see me.  I thought he was a going to run me over.  I swerved left into Eric Eriksen who was riding to my left.  We both crashed onto the road.  Many bruises, scrapes and bumps were sustained as well as more.  My helmet did its job and took the hit instead of my head.  My chin will have a scar.  My winter tights were shredded but saved my knees from stitches.  Eric had a large road rash on his side. Dr. Henry Lin, a hand surgeon, was one of our riders. He did triage on us right in Plummer.  Eric and I were driven to Sacred Heart ER by Tim Ice’s wife who jumped in her van and came to our rescue immediately

After 4 hours in ER, the toll was becoming clearer.  I have a cracked bone on the back of my left hand.  I had two very bruised torn up knees.  One of which still has an open wound on it.  Eric had torn a rotator cuff.  Over 4 weeks I think we both found more results from the crash and tried to deal with them.  Eric went back to work.  I went back to training, which was basically hand therapy and spin bike.  I found out this past week that it was not enough when I rode 150 miles in 3 days.  My back took a hit in the crash.  It was not in shape for 150 miles. Between that and my hand, I am basically not ready to do the cross-country ride.

I would like to say I am fine with it, but that is not the case, yet.  I am sad and depressed.  I will get on with healing and rehabbing.  I may join the group for some of the ride at the end.  At the moment, I am still coming to terms with no trip.  I have already started looking at cross-country rides next year, so I am looking forward.  I feel like I have let you all down.  I know that is not really the case.  Just letting you know it is off for now.  Hopefully you will see me back on the road soon.

The ride is going on.  You can enjoy the tale as Tim, Jeff, Linda and Henry set off for adventure!

Leisa