As if life wasn't tough enough already

Cycling is a dangerous sport. I know, because I've had my share of accidents. Fortunately, the only thing I've ever broken was my wrist and thumb, about 25 years ago, but I have had my share of road rash along the way, and even a slight concussion in November of '05, which got me started on this blog.

Since then I've been pretty lucky. I've had one or two close calls, but basically nothing [that I can remember]. Even the thought of an accident seldom enters my mind. That is, up until yesterday, when an accident occurred during the group ride.

Saturdays is our normal pace line training loop (the Hammer Zone) around the streets of Seal Beach. It was a little unusual because we had caught the first [faster] group, and no one seemed to be pushing the pace. It was a nice comfortable 25 or 26 mph pace. There are a few spots where the pace always picks up regardless (usually around turns), so it's easiest if you move towards the front before those points, and then get back on the back as the group goes by. And it was at one of those points where the accident occurred.

As we were coming down off the 405 overpass, heading south on Valley View, a truck was coming off the freeway, which split the group. I was fortunately in the front group, but didn't really realize that until a short time later when I briefly turned around, and discovered no one was behind me. I suspected something was wrong, but at that point there was not much I could do, so I headed over to the coffee shop and learned of the accident when everyone returned.

Apparently as the riders, who got caught behind the truck, attempted to accelerate to catch us, someone veered off course into another rider causing a chain reaction. Fortunately no one was hurt seriously, but a number of riders went down, and there was a lot of road rash.

So just how lucky was I to avoid that accident? After sitting in on the back for the majority of the ride, the one time I decide to move towards the front, an accident occurs behind me.

Normally I wouldn't give this a second thought, but there has been talk lately about eliminating the hammer zone ride. Sure it can be dangerous, but any time there is a big group of riders, accidents can occur. Accidents can even occur when you're riding by yourself, or going slow. Of course accidents at high speed are typically more serious, and me, with my enlarged spleen, makes it more problematic, due to a higher likelihood of rupture. And I can't be that lucky all the time.

So why does this have to occur now, especially when I have so many other things on my mind? I just hate this s*/^. Even today's ride seemed to lack its normal pizazz, no doubt due to yesterdays accident.

I love cycling, and Saturday's Hammer Zone is one of favorite rides, and I sure don't need to be dwelling on the dangers of cycling, because I'm worried about my spleen. Heck, if that were the case I should just give up cycling altogether, and go back to playing golf.

I could do that. Some people might even recommend it, but then the disease would be controlling my life, and it really should be the other way around. Otherwise it wouldn't be much of a life. At least that's the way I see it.

Oh well, such is life. I guess I'm just going to have to find some way to put everything out of mind, lest I go mad, or even worse decide to give up cycling altogether.

Vaccine Mandates, what are they good for?

Not much, that's for sure! Simply showing evidence of receiving a Covid-19 vaccine (whether fake or not), does not mean you are protected from getting Covid-19, nor spreading it, if infected. We are all different, and too many of us, i.e. people who are immunocompromised/ immunosupressed, the elderly, or others for various reasons, do not [cannot] mount an immune response as good as younger and healthier individuals. What is evidence of immunity is a quantitative antibody test showing you have developed antibodies, and to what degree, either from natural immunity or the vaccine. That is what we should be testing for. That is what is important. But for too long, many, i.e. the FDA, doctors, and other health experts discouraged people (and still are) from getting antibody tests, because there was little knowledge about what level of antibodies are needed to impart immunity to the virus. That of course is true, to some extent, but how can we ever find out [learn] the answer to that q

History IS repeating itself

I didn't grow up during the rise and fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany, so for me to claim it feels like those are the times we are living in now, must be taken with a grain of salt. But I have seen enough movies, and read enough history to know, if the times we're living in now are not akin to the rise of a Nazism and Facism in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's, then we're not far off. If you can't see the parallels with Nazi Germany, then you must be living in a different country than me. Republicans and other right wing extremists will stop at nothing to subvert the will of the majority, forcing their beliefs, that they are the superior race and have been appointed by God, to impose their will on America, while they blame all our problems on immigrants, blacks and Jews. As I speak, Mitch McConnell, and his minions are raising roadblocks to all legislation designed to help average Americans under the guise of fiscal responsibility. They condone violent and verba

Open letter to all Democrats

Stop the nonsense! Continuing to go after Trump, without any hope of getting a conviction, does nothing more than provide Republicans with an obstructionist dialogue (now that they have come up with the unconstitutional talking point) in addition to giving Trump much needed publicity, when we should be ignoring him. It's the pure definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result! Instead Democrats need to be laser focused on what is important to all Americans, i.e. healthcare, Social Security and Medicare, infrastructure reform, the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, to name just a few. And when you do talk about Trump, simply steer the conversation as to how the Trump administration botched everything, how Trump is responsible for the deaths of 400,000+ Americans, due to his inaction and the down playing of the pandemic, plus the deaths of 2 Capitol policeman during the insurrection Trump provoked and incited on January 6, 2021.

LIVING WITH MCL

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