Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Bicycle update

Jan tells me bicycle story corrections are required.  Her brothers taught her to ride in circles on the blacktop.  She crashed into the garage twice and then got it.  Her narrow squeak between the grape vines and the uprights was result of being six and only learning mechanics.  She came down Gardendale behind her brother on his ten speed.  Mel idly amused himself pedaling backwards, which didn’t affect his bicycle.  She thought he was pedaling forward, and not to be outdone, redoubled her effort.  Down the hill.    She was totally out of control at the bottom and grateful for the relatively soft landing.

Mel wasn’t so fortunate when he crashed.  Excess speed was not a factor.   He came down the hill under reasonable control.  At the bottom his wheel broke, the bike went forward, the forks embedded in the ground and he went over the handlebars.  Chico’s mother, a nurse, saw the accident from her kitchen window and called for the ambulance before she went outside.  He spent at least one night in the hospital, being assessed and treated for a concussion.  As serious as the time he got a buttocks full of shrapnel.  Always up for adventures, Mel was.

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