Monday, September 29, 2014

Brakes!

I am obsessed with riding a bike. Yes, I know, people say I need to walk first. But really, if I can ride a bike I don't think I'll ever need to walk. Biking is much more efficient and looks super cool. In that vain, I regularly sit on my tricycle in the backyard and pretend I'm riding. While I haven't actually peddled an inch, I know I look pretty good in the seat.

Bodie, as you know, is a bike riding machine. He got on his bike, started peddling, and never looked back. No training wheels, no fear, and no shortage of wipeouts. Speaking of wipeouts...we were headed out on a family ride last week. I was connected to my dad in the trailer, then Bodie, then my mom. There is a busy street between our house and trail. Bodie usually walks his bike across the street, down the hill, and then begins his ride on the trail. But my mom announced this would be the day he'd navigate the busy street and the hill on his bike. It was awesome. Bodie confidently rode across the busy street and safely turned down the side street toward the trail. My mom was praising him from her bike as they rode down the hill. Then we heard her...brakes Bodie, brakes! Bodie BRAKES! BRAKES! USE YOUR BRAKES!!!! SMASH!

Somewhere amid the praise for navigating the busy street, Bodie took his feet off of his pedals and panicked, forgetting how to slow his bike. His bike accelerated down the hill at rapid speed toward the trail and stopped abruptly as he hit a metal guard rail at full speed. Ouch.


NOW I understand the value of helmets. (Bodie should be a spokesperson for our Nutcase brand helmets.) He went head first into the guard rail with the right side of his face taking the second hit. The helmet absorbed 90% of the crash, his sunglasses 8%, and his right eye 2%. A shiner and a small cut under his eye, that's all he got. Helmets RULE! And his steel bike? He hit so hard that his handle bars folded - yes, folded - down to the frame because of the impact. Luckily fixing that just required a tool my dad carries on his bike.

After a minute of crying, and before my mom could get the cold water bottle on his eye, Bodie said, "Let's get going mom. It hurts, but I'm fine." WHAT?!?!! My big brother is a stud. He just smashed his head into a big piece of metal and he's more concerned about getting back on his bike to ride to the park and swing on the monkey bars. Bodie protested, but my mom did get the water bottle on his eye while my dad repaired the bike. And we did make it to the park.

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