Full Contact Cycling

It's almost 70 degrees today and perfect weather for cycling. Also, it turns out, perfect weather for almost killing a kid.

I'd decided to go onto the rail trail because last time I went road cycling I nearly got creamed by a car. This wasn't your garden variety near miss. The damn van was so close I could have grabbed its back bumper and gone for a ride. Shook me up pretty badly, so this time I decided to stay out of the way of big, heavy objects.

So, off I went. I made pretty crappy time, this being the first time I'd done any real riding since last summer. But all in all, it was enjoyable. I made it out to Bedford and back to Arlington without incident.

And then, not one mile from the Alewife station and the end of the trail, it happened.

She was cute - probably about six or seven, long ponytail, streamers on the handlebars of her pink bike. Unfortunately, she was also on the wrong side of the path.

Despite crying out HEADS' UP! and slowing down to nearly a crawl, she still barrelled right into me. I'd clipped out of my pedal on one side, so luckily I was stable enough not to take her down with me. But I wrenched my knee fiercely and will definitely have a bruise on my shin.

Makes me wonder sometimes why I bother enjoying the beautiful weather from my bike. Walking would be much safer.