Trucking surprise

Instead of connecting with a girl (had hoped in vain) I connected with a truck between Viljoen’s Pass and Grabouw yesterday. I’m into Valentines surprises – and even though the distant thought of getting closer with a stranger(s) did cross my mind in the week when hearing of swinging singles parties, I gulped and figured I’d bitten off more than I could chew when the getting naked was by forced cutting away of my bib-shorts by two nurses and a doctor… Let me take you through the day – detail by detail.

I set out for my 5h long ride on Saturday morning, planning 4 Passes and the short added section to Jonkershoek gate to fill 5h, 20min run off the bike before heeltyd speel tyd (all time is play time) for the afternoon including my invite to the Puma box at Newlands watching the opening Super 14 rugby match between the Stormers and the Sharks. Perhaps being excited to watch 30 grown men play tackle football for Valentines should have been a foretelling of misfortunes in itself?

The section of road has no shoulder. There’s a truck travelling in my direction and something approaching from the the front and me. If all need to be adjacent simultaneously, well, it might get more snug than most valentines couples. I wasnt concentrating, and did have earphones in (forgive me), but its just a roll of the dice. No one to blame, I couldnt have been more to the left, the truck might have just-just made it, but it didnt.

I was seated while pedalling, felt the blow to flesh on my right bottom/hip, and spent some time flying midair before crushing body and bike with rolls and skidding to the left of the road. Thankfully not touching tar, not getting hooked to the moving truck, not hitting a pole or concrete on roadside, not landing beneath the next car, or innumerable other scenarios that would have ended very differently.

Cliche, but the time from impact to stillness was lengthy, with numerous thoughts and convictions.

Cars witness to the drama screeched to a halt, and before I’d properly come to rest a few surrounded me with a hesitant yet excited versions amongst one another of what must have been a sight. Having stopped on my stomach, head down, I couldnt see much, and wasnt allowed to turn. The samaritans eased my position by removing my cracked helmet and getting a jacket under my face before calling an ambulance, and then my mother…

To be continued…

I hope you start the week as I do: With much gratefulness for life, for love, and for a little more time.