Cycling...

It is only two years ago that I started to cycle - seriously...As a boy, it was something that never caught on with me - my balance has never been so good! When we moved to Czech Republic in 2001, a couple of times Petra tried to convince me of the 'joys' of cycling - and a couple of times on her 2-3 gear old bike failed to do that, especially up the hills!
But about 3 years ago, a visit to the doctors finally managed to convince me that cycling might actually be healthy for me...after all, my footballing days were coming to an end (no pace, dodgy knees) and much as I loved walking, I needed to do something more. A friend's brother (who is really into cycling) helped choose a bike for me (based on my size, weight etc) and that summer I took to the roads & cycle tracks...and have never looked back since (other than to check traffic, of course! :-))...Indeed, my wife reminds me that I was the man who said "I will NEVER go cycling!" (She still lives in hope that I'll go swimming...but that is as likely as Villa winning the European Cup!)
In fact, I have to say that I really enjoy cycling & have been eagerly awaiting some exercise after recovering from my gall bladder operation...It has surprised me how much I have missed something that I used to loathe...I am setting myself challenges - one of my dreams is to cycle from the family cottage (in Vysocina) back to Velka Bystrice - around 110 kms...(my record distance so far is 77 kms, last summer).
Over the last couple of weeks, I have taken to cycling to school...and yesterday I had my first ever cycling accident... :-o
I was coming from the school at Pasteurova and had the plan to come along to Zizkove Namesti, to turn left & go along the cycle path towards Novy Svet, and then in a roundabout way (via Velky Tynec) to VB...as I came down the road I checked behind me for traffic (all was clear) and then turned my head forward & got ready to indicate left...when to my horror I discovered that my wheels had unerringly wandered into the tram lines! It's hard to remember exactly what happened next - shock and panic were fighting for attention - but I think I fell on my right-hand side - HARD! Like a collapsing pack of cards. I remember my head hitting the floor violently. I was stunned. I'm not sure what happened next, but then there were 2 guys helping me - a middle-aged one & a younger one. The younger one talked with me - he was keen on knowing that my brain was working ok, which it seemed to be...it turned out he used to be a student at Pasteurova 12 years ago! :-) I took off my helmet and noticed 3 obvious cracks on the right hand side - he commented that it had almost certainly saved me from a serious injury. I also had grazes on my elbow, shoulder, and scratches on my knee...and incredibly, the bike looked fine - just a slight scratch on the frame! I definitely got the worst of it! I took about 5-10 mins to rest & get myself together. I declined a trip to the hospital & (perhaps foolishly) continued on my journey. By the time I got home I was hot, tired and very achy!

On reflection - I am so thankful to God that there was no traffic (cars or trams) when I went over...had there been, well, I might not be typing this now...I am also thankful for the invention of the cycling helmet! If you don't use one, PLEASE do so! And I am also very thankful that a complete stranger will stop to help & check that I'm ok, out of genuine concern, and no other motives. (Indeed, the young man contacted me on Facebook today to check that I was ok!)

Today is a new day - I am here to enjoy it...and I'm a little bit wiser about bikes & tram lines...sometimes, it seems in life that you have to learn the lesson practically (and not just in theory)...it's a painful lesson, but a worthy one.
Happy cycling!