Fall down, go 'Christ, that hurts!'

Some friends and I are bicycle fiends. We are attempting to do a century ride in Palm Springs next month - the Tour de Palm Springs - and apparently in the first 20 miles there is a hill that pretty much will test my strengths as a cyclist. So in preparation, I've been attempting to ride my bicycle up Reseda Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley to its top - officially known as Reseda Backbone and Topanga State Park (click). Last Sunday I didn't do so well. I stopped about six times and walked up part of the way. But this week I've been doing some training in the gym, and felt confident enough to try the hill again tonight. Well, I made it to the top; I only stopped once. The view of the Valley was gorgeous; I have great photos to prove it. On the way down, however, I noticed something wrong with the gears, and I positioned my hand to attempt to fix them. Big mistake. Two seconds later I find myself on the ground in pain after doing a front flip as a result of my hand slipping and hitting the front brake. I don't have a bruise yet, but my right hip and elbow got banged pretty good. Thank goodness for a sweet couple - Sam and Natalie - who were up also on the hill and came to see if I was okay. They even watched the bike with me until my housemate came to rescue me and hear about my fall.

So I suppose its official. I've fallen and I've got the to-be scars to prove it. I'm no longer a prissy cyclist. I have potential.

I hope I don't wake up all sore tomorrow. On the one hand, I'd be glad to take the day off of work, because Lord knows I'll be told that I should've stayed home. But on the other, I'll have to spend the morning in bed, when all I'll want to do is take my two-wheeled beauty out for a scenic ride around the lake.

I can't win!