Some days I drive part way to work and ride a bike in the rest of the way. I won’t do this if its raining. This week it was the wind. 20 mph gusting to 30 mph. I rode in Monday and Friday this week on the days it was the ‘weakest’.

Friday after work, a friend of mine gave me a ride to Razzoo’s where I had this huge 32 oz. beer. Riding back to my Honda Element, I felt this shimmy run though the bike. It felt like the back wheel was coming off. I’ve suffered the consequences of my shoddy workmanship before.

When I was young, my parents gave me a Sear’s ‘No Hassle’ Bike. This meant everything was quick release and you could take off the wheels and seat post with no tools. I had a flat on the front tire and fixed it with ‘No Hassle’ by removing the front wheel and replacing the tube.

The next day I was out riding and popped the front wheel over a curb. As the front wheel was in the air, I watched the ‘No Hassle’ feature activate and the front wheel disengage from the bike falling forward and away from the fork. I remember thinking it was interesting that the front wheel moved forward faster than the me and the rest of the bike.

As I watched the front fork descend towards the ground, I thought that this wasn’t going to be good and decided to try for a full flip onto my back rather than a face plant. I did a full flip over the handle bars slapping the concrete with my arms and the balls of my feet. My walkman radio and bike scattered into pieces of debris. Nothing on me was broken but I laid there stunned.

While lying there, I was aware of 2 younger twits who started gathering and reassembling the pieces of my walkman. They turned it on and exclaimed, “it works!” I groaned and they seemed to notice me for the first time. I put my hand out and they handed me the walkman and ran off.

With little to ‘No Hassle’, I reassembled my bike and rode off.

Yesterday, remembering that, I pulled the bike over and checked the back wheel. It must have been the beer and the wind, it felt solid to me and I made the rest of the way back with all the pieces staying attached.

On my bike in full biking paraphernalia including cool helmet and sunglasses, I pulled out of the parking lot crossing half way across the street. Waiting for the traffic to clear so that I could turn left, I was moving forward very slowly with both feet clipped into the pedals.

I started to fall to the right and my foot was stuck in the pedal. I thought “trapped, dang, brace” During the slow fall in front of several bemused drivers, I tucked in my elbows and gritted my teeth. I took the fall on as many points as possible including my shoulder and the outside of my right arm and leg.

The pain went through my body and was completely absorbed by my ego. Totally physical pain free, I got back on my bike and rode away, fast.