Pride before a fall...

Our eventful ride last Sunday meant we had to shorten the route and take to the roads but I was so proud of the Belles - especially Amber who took her first 'field' expedition completely in her stride. Though quite fun, we had had a tough ride and there were very few grumbles despite being muddy and tired. Amber was late home too so on the 'home strait' of Quainton road I upped the pace and sped off. It didn't go so well!

I've always thought that people who crash on black ice must have been driving too fast for the 'obviously icy' conditions. Actually I now know that black ice is invisible - totally invisible. I didn't see it coming, I didn't have even the slightest suspicion that it was icy. The road was wet - NOT icy. Amber says I went down like a 'plank' which, though I'm not keen on the analogy, feels appropriate. My wheels just went from under me. I hit the road, very hard and very quickly - I didn't even have time to think 'it's gonna hurt'. Suddenly I was just lying in the middle of the road.

Survival instinct kicked in - 'cars coming' I thought and stood up quick which caused me to make a swift return to the tarmac. I did a sort of dancing on ice routine and got to the verge performing a Hamill-Camel figure-skating move (google it!) to retrieve my bike. Simultaneously I tried to give a reassuring thumbs up to the concerned looking lady in a, by now, passing car and make positive responses to the voices in my head saying 'are you OK?'.

As my world began to re-balance and I finally managed to stand up I looked around (expecting nothing less than a string of '6's') but found I had competition in my new found sport. Amber was the last Belle standing and Vicky and Alex were both lying on the verge a short distance behind us.

Ooer - Two cars were approaching and I was terrified they would brake, skid and hit us all (it's a bright outlook on life I have at times like this). So I stood in the road, waving my arms until they slowed down.

The driver of the first car passed slowly waving cheerily back at the crazy lady. The second car was a Community Police patrol from Waddesdon and thankfully more aware of the road conditions. You have to love our Community Police - we were informed they were making regular trips up and down this road to check for (further) incident and accident - it was black ice all the way to the A41 (about a mile). Police advice was not to continue along it but to take the Waddesdon road which was ice free.

Of course we took the Police recommended route home which, though further and involved cycling more of the A41 than any of us are comfortable with, was another new route for us Belles.

With no more ice to worry about we pedalled along reflecting on the incident. What if?.. no, don't think about it! we didn't have a video camera and that was that - £750 from 'You've been Framed' would have boosted our fundraising - sadly it was a missed opportunity. When, eventually the conversation turned to the lovely Community Police I was surprised by my fellow Belles' powers of observation. While I had been stood telling the friendly face looking out of the car all about the fall (and rather hoping he would call an air ambulance) it seems the others had been clocking all - I must have been in shock cos I missed all this:

1. He had an iPhone 4 (so there was no chance of reception to call the air ambulance then!).
2. The driver was a WPC (I didn't even notice her. If asked I would have said he was the driver - dur - apparently he had a phone in his hand and was in the passenger seat).
3. He was good looking (see I was in shock).
4. He's not on Amber's watch - praise be he didn't recognise her!

I do know their car was back at Waddesdon Police Station as we cycled by and that they were not outside waiting for us with cups of tea (or an air ambulance or trailer) - where's the community spirit in that?

Anyway, it's over, we arrived home very late, very tired, very subdued but thankful to be very alive!

This is what my knee looked like when I peeled my cycling trousers off (impressively the trousers were still in tact).


Would not have looked good in the Sexy Santa Suit!