Sunday, July 12, 2015

Crash on Windhaven 7/12/2015

Windhaven Parkway in the city of The Colony had been my go-to hill since 2007.  It's the most accessible hill for my training.

2007.  Police would read the speed off the radar gun as we waive to each other.  I sometimes jumped to the back of bike groups for their loops on the flat parts of the Colony.

2011 was a great year.  Casey joined me.  Cyclists and motorists often got a kick out of watching 2 guys racing up a hill on skates.  Casey was the top non-pro skater at NY 100k that year.

2012.  1 cop strongly dislike skaters on the road--story of a typical Dallas speed skater's life .  Other cops made an effort not to see the skater on the road.  I was often asked to use the sidewalk such that I used the grass at the bottom to bleed off speed.

My heart wasn't in A2A that year and was ready to forfeit the registration fee.  I went to Taiwan to be with family as father having his 3rd cancer surgery in 12 months.  I wasn't sure if my job would be there when I returned to Texas.

2013.  A cop offered: "if you are off the road when the petrol is at the bottom [of the hill], we don't see you skating."  He was sympathetic having seeing me negotiating through pedestrian and pet traffic.

2014.  Half of my downhills were on the sidewalk.  I crashed on the grass for the first time--tripped by a Shiner bottle.  I accepted that my A2A days were numbered.

2015.  I lost the runoff grass to new housing development.  I braked so much I wear wheels through.


[MPC really used 2 layers for these wheels]

7/12/2015 was a typical long session toward end of my base phase.  The cop set up the speed trap before 10am.  I went down the hill on the sidewalk grinding 110mm wheels.  A few laps later, I saw police car leaving the scene.  I got back to the road and bomb down the hill.

Half way down, I saw the speed trap still there--the departing police car was a different one.  I attempted a high speed U turn.  Left foot was caught in a grove.  I crashed.

The crash 3 hours into the session.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/831185331

I was pissed and decided not to waste adrenaline; I continued to train 'til I ran out of water.  Other than the crash, it was a decent workout.




Road rash was minor considering the speed.








_my first 911 call

Because I was too cheap to pay for Amazon shipping or to pay full MSRP at drug stores, I decided to bum Tegaderm off Casey.  I phoned to confirm his stockpile then emailed to confirm my arrival time.

I arrived on time.  No one answered the door.  Both cars accounted for.  Voon was in New York.  I thought he could be in medical trouble; neighbors were friendly but of little help.  I called 911.  Cops came close to breaking down Casey's door.  Casey eventually woke up from his nap.

Wasn't the best day; could be worse.


It took 18 minutes to dress the wounds after shower.