Sliding down the road

I'm still biking to work, I plan on doing it year round, as long as the roads are mostly clear. In the winter months I use an old mountain bike, with thick / knobby tires. It's a beast, very heavy and starting to corrode, but it's cheaper than a car and faster than the bus.

This morning things were slick. Our little street was a complete sheet of ice when I left at 6 am. As I was going down the road I was thinking, "I really need to be careful here, I really don't want to wreck here." Then at the end of the street I tapped the brakes to slow down and before I could blink I was on the ground sliding. Some people say that a moment like this happens in slow motion, not for me. I hit on my left knee first, then hip, wrist, elbow, back and then my head hit really hard. Good thing I always wear a helmet. The bike slid about 15 feet, I slid about 10 feet. There is not a scratch mark on any of my clothes, the bike or even the helmet. It was pure ice and I was gliding along the top.

I picked myself up, did a quick inventory of the body parts and got back on the bike. I don't have any soreness anywhere, but I do have a mild headache. The rest of the ride was uneventful and the main roads didn't have any ice on them, they were just wet.

Tomorrow's goal is to buy a new helmet.