Newsletter - 2002 Archive

BC Randonneurs Cycling Club

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A few utility things to do yesterday afternoon (Fri June 28). Take tax cheque to PoCo City Hall, pick up some transparencies at Kerrisdale Cameras in Coquitlam Centre, mail an overweight letter and sqaunder my usual $5 on a lottery ticket. The last two I can walk across the road for. But as I had to go to Coquitlam Centre I decided to deal with those things there.

The thought of parking the truck and getting in that cauldron of over heated drivers and engines along Lougheed beween Shaughnessy and Coquitlam Center I decided the rain was not sufficent to prevent me riding.

After the City hall bit I went up Oxford and west on Patrica to use the foot bridge across the Coquitlam River. On the other side I met an invalid lady driving her electric chair. I dropped the 2.54 cm off the asphalt onto the gravel at the side. She was very grateful and then had to turn round to see if I was alright when she heard the crash! Stupidly, instead of staying in the gravel I tried to ride back up onto the ashphalt path, in the wet!

She was apologetic and concerned. But I assured her it was purely my stupidity amd had nothing to do with her. I re-toothed the chain and carried on to Coquitlam Center, albeit with a stiff and painful left thigh. By the time I arrived at the Centre my jacket was wet and very dirty down the left sleeve. So I changed into the rain jacket I should have been wearing before limping around dealing with my errands. I asked for my packet of slides only to be told they had not returned yet. So the trip was a waste anyway!

On the way home I realised my elbow felt wet and sure enough there was a bit of skin the size of a quarter (Loonie?) missing and needed dressing. I would normally walk to the clinic at the corner of Prairie and Coast Meridian. But with a bloody elbow and no coat I drove. Had to go round the block twice to find somewhere to put the truck. The Doc engaged me in a cycling conversation while he dressed the wound and suggested I should get my hip x-rayed. That I did about 16:30 with a promise they would phone the Doc and he would give the good, or bad, news. I guess no news is good news. By the time I got to the x-ray clinic, almost back at Coquitlam Centre, I was limping as if my leg was broken. I could see my plans to actually ride "MY" Canada Birthday randonnee on Monday coming to naught. But, a good night's sleep worked wonders and it seems to be getting better already. They say it's better to be lucky than rich!

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