I got home from work around 6:00 and although I planned on jumping on my bike and doing my 1:30 ride I procrastinated as usual. I sat around and read posts on slowtwitch, wrote some emails and then slowly started to get my bike stuff together. Well I didnt get in my car until 6:45 and didnt start my ride until 7:00. I have had a lot on my mind lately and I havent been paying much attention to things like what time the sun rises and sets. Anyway I get on my bike and maybe 10 minutes into my ride I start thinking wow its getting dark … then about 10 minutes later I have to remove my sunglasses - thats right I was a complete idiot and I forgot to switch my black lenses to clear ones. Im only 20 minutes into my ride and already I can see that I am going to be paying for my mistakes. I ride for about 10 more minutes and I keep telling myself that it will be ok … there will be enought light … then i start thinking shit I have only gone 30 minutes do I keep going and do the 15 minutes I have left until the turn around or do I cut the workout short? Normally I would have turned around without a second thought but as of Monday I made a promise to myself that I would follow my plan and not allow myself to stray so of course I decide to keep going. I hit the turnaround at 7:45, about 20 minutes after sunset, and I start to get nervous … Im on a busy road, its really dark (and no I dont have a light on my bike), and bugs and dirt keep getting in my eyes. At about 8:15 I notice that I can no longer see what is in front of me … i keep hoping cars will pass so that the headlights will light up the road. Then it happens - i hit something and take a dive … im freaked out but I get up and keep going in fear because I now realize that the last few miles are on this little path that cuts throught the woods on the side of a highway and I start thinking what if i cant find my way to the car. Then it happens again … i hit a pot hole … but this time I catch myself … but my favorite bottle pops out of my rear cage … i get off my bike to search for it but it is useless since it is so dark out. I get back on my bike and there it is … the path. I feel slight relief partly because I knew my ride was almost over and partly because I was ignorant about what i was about to get myself into. I get onto the path and immediately I lose all sight … it is pitch black … i cant see even 1 foot in front of me. I was so freaked out … I was scared to ride but also scared to walk since I passed this really sketchy guy about 30 seconds earlier walking onto the path… so I just kept telling myself ‘try to ride straight, keep going, you will be ok’. I keep trying to decide whether I should ride fast to get it over with or ride slow and be carefull … well I decide to ride fast … and of course this bites me in the ass! I hit something and I heard a pop … yep I got a flat … and guess what I also forgot my co2 in the car. So I walk for about 7 min in my bike shoes holding my bike and trying to stay calm. Finally it was over … I made it to the car! I start loading my bike into the car and as Im stewing over my poor judgement a cop rolls up next to me … he gets out of the car and asks if Im ok … I said yeah Im fine … im a little nervous because I know that you are not allowed on the path after sunset (which i now understand) so Im thinking he is going to give me a ticket to top off this wonderfull evening. He starts giving me a speak about riding in the dark and how he has seen several accidents this week because of that. Then he asks me if I knew that you couldnt ride the path at night … this is where i finally have some luck … he sees my flat … he says oh you got a flat out there … so I told him I had to walk my bike back to the car and he says well im glad your ok … have a safe trip home! Needless to say I learned a few lessons tonight … I wont be riding in the dark again any time soon!
It’s always good to tuck a headlamp in your jersey in the fall… At least you didnt’ get hurt…
Time for a headlight! My HID light is brighter than most cars - I can ride/see at 20 mph, seriously. Glad you are OK.
I think I will be making the purchase … Im not ready to ride on the trainer!
Hey, I did a lot of research on this as the HID ones can get pretty expensive (like $400-500!) Read lots of reviews, saw a couple of friends (niterider mostly). Check out the cygolite HID: HID comparable to 40W halogen! Can get online for around $230. I went with the NiCAD battery instead of the Nimetal hydride battery to save about $90. Slightly heavier battery (fits in bottle holder) and longer recharge, but same light/power.
I love riding on my trainer. Safe. Music. No flat tires. ETc.
Dave
I wanted to read your story…but you really need to learn how to press the return key.