Rainbow knee.

There is currently a shortage of able-bodied folks at work. Yesterday morning, I was asked whether I was dealing with any injuries.

“Well, I burnt my gums last night. A blister formed and then popped. I can’t stop tonguing it.”

I just wanted to belong…

I mentioned in the previous post how I’d started group riding with one of the city’s cycling clubs. I even gave in and paid retail for a cycling jersey so that I could fit in with this club. I also woke up early last Saturday for a club photoshoot. I had to pretend I wasn’t freezing riding around without a gilet or leg warmers. The latter was decided out of vanity, as leg warmers make one’s legs look like sausages.

The women from that group had planned regular Monday evening rides a month ago. Yet, the inaugural ride kept getting postponed by wet weather. Yesterday was finally a sunny Monday! I left work 30 minutes early to make it to the meeting spot on time.

As the above photo suggests, I did not make it. It wasn’t rainy, but it was windy. A strong gust of wind knocked me off balance, and I rode into a parked car!

I shared the photo with the group via WhatsApp. I said I was fine, but my bike was not.

As it turns out, I am also not ok. The adrenaline wore off, and I started to really feel it. My ride data shows I was going 22km/h right before the impact. Yes, that will leave a mark: for starters, a shift lever-sized dent in the blue Pontiac Vibe I rammed into. Also, my right knee has started turning interesting colours. My shoulder got the worst of the impact, but my right arm is blue by default, as it’s the tattooed arm.

So, could a bike mechanic get her road bike back in working order quickly? Nope. None of our suppliers have an 11-speed rim brake shift lever in stock. I was looking forward to upgrading it, too. Since getting my road bike in 2016, I’ve upgraded all parts except for the headset, front derailleur, and shifters. BUT THERE IS NOTHING.

Unless I switch to SRAM, I’d have to replace the rear derailleur, too. Right now, I’m thinking of finding 650b road tires to put on the Horse. Still, the bike is five pounds heavier and less aero than my road bike. I’d have to work extra hard to keep up with the group.

This blows.