Beginners Mis-Luck 2nd Ed.

So after yesterday's post about pain, blood, wrecked bikes and beginners bad luck, you would think that the bad bike karma would be finished for the week. Wrong. I very innocently tried to make the world a greener place by bike commuting to my frisbee practice last night. It's an easy 4 mile ride up a somewhat busy road with a bike lane that I don't think twice about. It was dark by the time I started, but I had a head light and a blinkie so I was well prepared. About a mile from the field, I had just gone through an intersection and was riding along right after it in a non bike lane section due to a right hand turn merge lane. All of a sudden, a huge bus came whizzing by so close that instinctively I angled my bike to the right towards the large empty turning lane. Just as I did this, I ran over a diagonal railroad track and put my tire directly in the opening that the wheels roll through. It formed a perfect fit to my mtb tire and hence the bike immediately and abruptly stopped. Guess who didn't however... See the drawing below for further clarification. Luckily I skidded across the empty turning lane rather than into traffic, but still I destroyed by bike light and bent up my handlebars and breaks. Luckily I was able to break my fall with my body and only hurt my right shoulder and knee and hands and ankles (sarcasm). I guess I was lucky I didn't break it with my head. Anyway, I am fine and mostly just sore, all except for my right shoulder which is preventing me from lifting my arm and my crooked bike which I took into the shop. But don't worry, I am sure I will be ready to go by race time on Saturday. I mean, karma has to reward me at some point doesn't it?

And they say that mountain biking is dangerous...