The Big Crash: Lars vs El Tumulo
Today I suffered my first serious bicycle crash in five years. I was on a casual non-touring day ride, descending at high speed in morning light and I didn’t notice an unpainted speed bump (or tumulo in GT) hiding in the shadows. I hit the tumulo at full speed and my rim immediately taco’d under the force. This sent me flying over the bike before landing hard on steep asphalt.
My beloved Rigida Sputnik rim is now a taco. Fortunately, I think hub dynamo is okay, but I still need to build a new wheel!
Whilst I escaped the crash with only scrapes and bruises, I managed to destroy my front rim, crack my helmet nearly in half and rip my merino jersey to shreds. Still, I consider my self really lucky not to have any broken bones or head injuries.
My helmet cracked in three spots as a result of the impact on the asphalt.
This has been an important reminder for me to slow down and watch the road more closely, especially in Latin America where the roads are unpredictable and good medical care is not always immediately available.
I would like to thank Carl’s sister in law, the nurse who treated me at the local clinic within 30 minutes of the accident. She gave me excellent care and wouldn’t accept anything in return. I would also like to thank Carl for helping me to the clinic and not to mention all of his hospitality whilst we’ve been staying at his home.