I really didn't mean to...but I don't know how I 'forgot' how to get off my track bike...not once but TWICE...with the second time yielding the big gash in my front fork paint. The first time I just ran into the bench with my tire. It's only slightly challenging to get off a fixed gear...actually...it's NOT challenging, it just take some thought and preparation before getting off the bike.
How can I go from knowing how to stop my fixie and never having an issue to: uhhhh i've clipped out one foot and then suddenly forgetting that I have to PUSH backwards on the clipped in pedal to get the whole bike to stop? I kinda do this hoppy clipped out dance where i've slowed down a lot and i'm hopping on the foot that is clipped out and pushing backwards with my clipped in foot. (it's probably pretty funny to watch)
I clipped out and it was like my brain stopped functioning. Completely. Suddenly I just didn't know what to do and my mind went completely blank. I even remember thinking: "um, how do I stop now? I'm going to hit that bench." Very weird...especially since it happened 2x.
These kinds of things happen to me all the time. I'm not-so-graceful in life. At least I have a good enough sense of humor that I can just laugh at myself. But sometimes I also have to just shake my head.
The funniest part of track class tonight for me? The 'handicapped race'...where my group got a 1/2 lap head start on the other group. To do this we had to go to the other side of the track and hang on to the wall over there. APPARENTLY....ahem...they said: RIDERS READY!! (and if you ready you shout yes...and put one hand in the drops which is the international sign for READY). I did NOT put my hands in the drops because I was not clipped in...i was CLIPPED OUT with one foot. But they whistle blew anyway, so the other4 people took off and I had to tell them to go ahead...and I then had to clip into my other pedal AT SPEED. Keep in mind, clipping into a fixie has its own set of challenges mainly the fact that you can't coast while clipping in. So here my team-mates (sorta) have taken off, i'm trying to pedal as fast as I can as well as clip in with the pedals spinning pretty fast AND not get caught by the other group. I did manage to clip in and catch my group, but our lead really didn't help us much sadly.
oye...me and my pedals tonight!
7 comments:
Girl, you CRACK ME UP!! What's funny about this is that I've def had those moments where I suddenly 'forget' how to do something. I wonder if something's wrong with me when it happens because I'm like "I"ve done this a MILLION TIMES how could I forget?"
Glad you're okay. I can't wait to get a track up here SOMEDAY!
Live and learn right!
Sometime everything flows right and there is no thinking and sometimes everything flows wrong because you are not thinking.
Still it sounds like you are making huge improvements!
Keep it up!
i must come and watch you sometimes, it sounds like fun ;)
Oh ouch! You're OK and your bike will still be there for you. Maybe a little dark blue nail polish to get her pretty again?
Oh yes, one of the *those* days. I think it's the brain's way of saying *I'm tired*
So glad you are ok! You have a great attitude about the whole thing.
Oh too funny. Oops on the forget how to stop!! Hope your bike is doing ok! :)
You are great!
I smashed a bike helmet a couple of years ago... getting off my bike.
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