Induction.

It's official. I have finally eaten shit on my bike. This is my induction to urban biking. I guess.

10:20 PM, riding downhill on Powell towards Market. A car is emergency parked on the right side of the street, blocking the only 1/3 of the street that is not covered by tram tracks.

God damn tracks better not fuck with me.
Well, I thought right. But I was wrong. They did fuck with me. I'm not sure if I simply zoned out, or didn't slow down enough. But there I went, front tire across the tram track at way too narrow of an angle. The tire slid in, caught, and as I lost my balance and got thrown towards the floor left-ways, I screamed "FUUUUCK" with such fervor I was convinced that the entire downtown district of San Francisco heard it. And if not it, the echoes.

As I lied there stunned for a few seconds that felt like minutes, a homeless guy ran across the street and bent by me. "Are you okay???"

"Yeah," I forced a smile, "these damn tracks."

"You really have to be careful, you know." His left hand held a panhandling cup. "Are you sure you're okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay, thank you."

For a moment, I expected him to offhandedly ask me for some change. But he didn't. He reluctantly left me as I slowly pulled myself off of the gravel and slowly glided down the road.

As I rode home, I couldn't help but start laughing. First, out of the sheer adrenaline. I could've gotten hit by a car. I could've landed on my head. But I was back on my bike, riding. FINALLY, I thought. Finally. I finally ate shit. I've been waiting and semi-fearing for this day for so long. Then the staggered bursts of laughter of relief, incredulousness, and a weird sense of satisfaction.


Got home. Checked out the damage:

Minus the humongous piece of skin I peeled off my leggings, hip scrapes and a not-so-deep shin puncture wound.

Didn't have any antiseptic or rubbing alcohol, so I used what was available:

Yup. Smirnoff Green fucking Apple. It doesn't sting any less. Just smells worse.

Thanks to my corner liquor store, I was able to dress my wound:

Electrical tape --> Racing stripes

Ah.