It appears I will not be doing the scratch race at Hellyer tonight. My track bike has been reconfigured to carry The Wife, but that is a result not the cause. Nope, all pretty stupid.
Yesterday I was riding to work when a dog, a big dog (yellow lab) ran out suddenly in front of me. As I evaded the front wheel dropped off the edge into dirt, the wheel caught, and I went down to the left. I was doing all of maybe 7-10MPH at best. Got a bit of scrape on the left knee. Nothing major. But as the day wore on the right thumb kept swelling, and then turned a nice blue. Just got back from getting some pics taken; fractures (plural) of the distal phalanx. All I can think is the thumb caught on the brake lever as I twisted down.
I am in a splint, icing and medicating to reduce swelling. Then the orthopedist will decide on the next step. Looking like I might be a spectator at Madera. Dang!
On the positive side, the upgrade sticker to put on the license was in this morning’s mail. Not that it matters much since I race open or mixed categories for the most part.
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April 1, 2008 at 12:52 pm
velogirl
ouch! but I bet the dog was happy you didn’t hit him. you know, racers have been known to race with broken bones. wasn’t it Marla Streb who won a world cup with her casted arm taped to the bar?
April 1, 2008 at 12:56 pm
CyclistRick
VeloGirl - I am not discounting racing on it. Need to see how it works once the orthopedist gets it in a cast or whatever. Biggest problem for me on the road is the Campy thumb lever; need to see if I can work that. And I have already tested my grip for the track, but want to make sure I am safe before putting myself in a crowd.
April 1, 2008 at 2:53 pm
twinkiepatissier
oh man, that blows. limited use of thumb is a major inconvenience…
are you gonna show us the pictures? visuals please, visuals!
April 1, 2008 at 3:02 pm
DrKim
So sorry to hear about the broken bone! Ack!! When you go to get it casted…bring your bike! I know someone who broke her hand…and had the cast set using her bike so she could still ride!
That is, if you want to….
Hope you’re up and at ‘em again real soon.
-And I’m sure the dog is happy you avoided him/her.
April 1, 2008 at 4:05 pm
CyclistRick
twinkie - the pictures I can take are boring, but I attached one anyway. The better pics would be the ones the radiologist took, but the orthopedist has those for now. You can see my wrist plate in those as well as the breaks.
Doc Kim - I do plan on riding. I did when my left hand was broken, that is I did as soon as I could safely work the brake lever. This time I need the cast or whatever to fit the Ergo lever and allow me to use the thumb shifter.
April 2, 2008 at 8:52 pm
lauren
fractures! oooh, bummer.
are you right handed? it’s always a pain when it’s on the hand you favor more.
heel fast! and good seeing you sunday!
April 3, 2008 at 7:00 am
chris
Man, that blows. I hope that thing is in a good state soon. Thumbs are like backs, we don’t know how much we use them for everything until they are injured.
April 3, 2008 at 7:18 am
marscat
how’s the thumb?
i took my bike in and they added another spacer…thanks for your assistance the
other night.
April 3, 2008 at 1:19 pm
CyclistRick
Lauren - yes, it was good to see you on Sunday. Been a while! And I am nominally right handed. I grew up ambi, since both my brothers are lefties. Ambi is cool, but since I have not practiced for years the skills are weak.
Chris - try cutting something with a knife or scissors without a thumb. Bummerific!
Marscat - glad to hear the shop did something. A missing spacer would not have been my first guess. But you were really kicking out there, even with that weird front end stiffness/looseness going on. Ms Chatterbox was happy to have you and Ippoc and the other ladies to race with.
April 3, 2008 at 7:57 pm
beth
yow! so sorry! hope you are feeling better.
those stupid dogs…. they come running at bikes, thinking we are moving fire hydrants or something.
hope that you heal quickly!
April 4, 2008 at 7:03 am
CyclistRick
Beth - thanks!