New Gear. Old Gear.

Finally bought a good swing away bike carrier and a solid hitch for mounting it. No more disassembling the bikes to fit them in the camper. With the swing away I can open the back end with out removing the bikes. Very nice. Maggie and I tried it out on a Sunday ride.

That ride also proved the value of a critical piece of old gear, my helmet. A couple of miles into the ride I was dodging washboard cracks on a wet, mossy trail near The Evergreen State College. I cut just a bit too sharply, my bike slid out from under mi and I and went down on my right knee and shoulder and slammed my head on to the pavement. My helmet took the hit and saved what's left of my brain. I wasn't injured and rode another six miles with Maggie around the Evergreen campus and vicinity but wisely canceled my plans to ride an additional six miles home from there.

Four days later everything is healing. No sign of any traumatic brain injury symptoms, which was my biggest concern after I realized nothing was broken or lacerated. Once again, I lucked out.