Seriously??

So on Saturday Annie and I rode out at Cutler Park... but you already knew that.

I have two things to comment on about that ride, well sort of about that ride.

First off, is it me or are the chipmunks absolutely looney this year??  When I was at Foxboro they seemed to fearlessly play chicken with my front tire.  Darting across my path from out of nowhere to narrowly escape being "trail kill."  I swear I at least clipped one...  So when they were pulling some of the same sorts of shenanigans at Cutler it lead me to believe it wasn't just a tribe of crazies limited to Foxboro, but an unabashed bravado these little guys are carrying throughout the region... thoughts??

Secondly, I was super proud that Annie pushed on for that extra lap.  She had just about convinced me we were done and I had resigned to packing up when she called for the final lap.  That's my girl!!  But that wasn't my "secondly" that was more of a side note/important statement.  So, secondly... I messed up my ankle pretty bad on our "easy" ride.  Looping around Cutler I began playing around on the 4300.  Hopping what I could, taking the "hardest" lines, and practicing no hands riding.  All fun and games - and we know how that ends.  No I didn't loose an eye, but I caused a nice bloody mess as we were for real ending the ride.

I decided for some reason that this would be a good time to do a (on the pavement of course) trials style stop and turn.  I slowed and readied myself, I shifted my weight forward, lifted my back wheel and whipped it around.  Tire touches down, I stand balanced for a second amazed that it worked and then here comes gravity.  As I begin falling my right foot doesn't come unclipped and down I go.

So that is how that is supposed to go....

My fatal flaw was once I got the rear wheel around and placed I did nothing really with the front.  I didn't reposition, I didn't roll out, I just stood... and that didn't last long.  So as I fall, to the right of course, my left foot is unclipped, and upon impact with the ground my left ankle decides to take on the big ring... and we all know who comes out the winner in that battle.

I pop up, more embarrassed than anything, and take a quick inventory.  My left ankle is bleeding massively, my right ankle is a bit sore from NOT coming out of the pedal, and I have a nice chunk of gravel in my right palm.  I've said it before, it's not biking if you aren't bleeding.  So all is ok with the world... for now.

As the night progresses the pain in my left ankle intensifies until I am left hobbling Sunday through to Monday.  Yesterday I had plans of hitting Wompatuck to get some good mileage in before hitting Foxboro for my rocky training ground today.  The ankle was feeling better, but still gave a nice twinge of "remember me" whenever taking stairs, so I decided I should take the day from riding and utilize the ankle to do some heavy lifting around the house while it is "good."  

So here we are, Wednesday morning with temperatures projected to be in the 90s, and I will be out testing the ankle in Foxboro... I will push my ankle as far as I can, but I'm stuck with a race coming up and the need to ride to prepare... this will be a balancing act of coddling my ankle to ensure it is 100% for the race and riding my ass off to get ready for the race.  Fun times!

"Watch the bike!"

Vicious Chipmunk

Failure to Launch

— MOVIECLIPS.com