It was over in an instant....


The impact was severe. It happened so quick there was no time to react. One second everything was fine, the next the ground came up, close and personal. I may have blacked out for a few seconds. I didn't remember much at first, but, I did remember it hurt like Hell...

Four of us, my wife and our two friends, decided to explore an area of Cape Cod. Ten speed bikes, fast and maneuverable, were the perfect choice. Race Point, on the Cape, is an inviting place in summertime. Taking full advantage of a gorgeous sunny day seemed a good idea. So much to see and always within view of the ocean. The 'Point' is part of the National Sea Shore, on the outer Cape. It's a 40 mile stretch of sandy beach protected by the National Park Service. Migratory birds of all kinds spend time here as well as many other critters.

Paved bike paths provide an excellent way to get from one point of interest to the next, and can go on for miles. We off-loaded the bikes from the car picked a direction and headed out. It was a beautiful day, breezy with a mixture of sun and clouds. We navigated the bike path easily. Our pace was good and we traveled a good distance before coming upon an Amphitheater. It was built in a small clearing, at the bottom of a hill. Constructed in semicircular shape it had rows of bench type benches  made of concrete. The bike path ran down the hill, directly toward the benches. Just before reaching them, it curved to the left, to avoid the last row, then continued on behind, and away from the theater. Pausing at the top of the hill for a few minutes, we agreed to continue down the hill and past the Amphitheater.

A minute or so before biking down the hill, it started sprinkling. Not a lot but, enough to wet everything, most importantly, the trail's dusty surface. I didn't feel this would be a problem. We've ridden in the rain before. Sonny, my friend, and I started down the hill. Trudy and Pat, our wives, would follow once we reached the bottom. I was first down the hill and gained speed quickly. Sonny, was close behind. In just a few seconds it was time to grab the brakes to slow down but, nothing happened. The brakes were wet. I squeezed them with all my strength.....nothing. My speed was increasing. In another few seconds I'd reach the curve at the bottom. I was going to fast, I'd never make it. If I continued straight, I'd crash into the cement benches, and be turned into a large pile of Jelly, not a good option. My only chance was to get away from my bike. I took one foot off the pedal, and stretched for the pavement. I pushed off hard away from the bike. In an instant I was slammed onto the pavement. Severe pain shot through me. Pressure in my neck felt like it was going to explode. All the air in my chest was gone. It felt like an eternity before I could inhale a breath. My body slid to a stop. At the same time, Sonny was dealing with the same problem. I found out later that he was able to veer off the path and crash onto the grass. He was ok. Did I forget to mention, I removed my t-shirt before starting down the hill? It wouldn't have made any difference. Slowly, I sat up, regaining my senses. First thing was to survey the damage. My chest and stomach looked like raw hamburg. Both hands and elbows severely scrapped. My knees took some damage..luckily I was wearing jeans. I had gone down flat on my chest, and it took the worst hit. 

The wives quickly walked their bikes down the hill to where Sonny and I were sitting, clearly concerned about our conditions. After reassuring them that we were able to  get up and move about, we painfully made our way back to the car, loaded the bikes on and returned to our motel.  I didn't get medical attention. I felt I could take care of myself...after all, what would the hospital do that I couldn't? I didn't need stitches, no broken bones. I just needed to prevent any infection. That night was and I shivered incessantly, probably from partial shock. The wounds started to dry and begin the healing process, I was in agony. My skin felt like it was crawling. I tried applying soothing lotion to the wounds but, it was too painful. The next morning we left the Cape and returned home.

A few days later, I returned to work. One of my friends, a Doctor of Sports Medicine, asked why I looked uncomfortable. When I told him my story and showed him the injuries, he smiled and said, ' You're lucky..if you had a t-shirt on it would cost money to replace...skin grows back for free!' it was clear I wasn't getting any sympathy from him.

In a few weeks, my wounds healed completely. I would ride again but, not in the rain. I like to know I can STOP when I want too.....

Jake T