I have a problem. With staying vertical. Now I know what many of you will say... "Heh-heh, yeah. You like the horizontal tango!!" Well, yes I do. But this problem is associated with cycling. I've posted many times before about my problems with staying upright on my bike (I've wiped out no less than three times in the past year) and my problems with avoiding inanimate objects (I ran into a dumpster at one point). No, I'm not counting getting hit by a car as a problem I've had cuz, well... he ran the light and hit me.
Anyway, I've been doing very well with staying vertical lately. I learned a few tricks from my SBF on how to recover when it seems like you're about to lay down your bike and how to improve the traction of your tires when the roads are slippery. However, I guess I really am the clutz that I never wanted to admit that I am.
I was riding to a bike shop the other day (ironic, isn't it) and just as I'm cycling up to the front door my front tire slips into a crack between the parking lot and the sidewalk in front of the shop. And gets stuck. While I was trying to turn the handlebars to head to one of the bike racks. So, I'm trying to move the bike in one direction and the bike is basically telling me that this is not physically possible given the current situation of the tires. And then gravity enters the conversation and tells me that I'm needed in a meeting on the ground. I try in vain to catch my footing on the pavement before I completely keel over, but it was really a vain attempt.
I went down. Right in front of the automatic doors that slid open as I fell. Which revealed my stumble to several cycslists all done up in their riding gear and sparklingly pretty bikes as they were heading out for a ride.
Once... just once... I'd like for my falls to not be witnessed by half of Austin so I could try to salvage a little bit of my dignity.
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