Cycling Memory (1 of 2)

Gordy suggests maybe I should take up cycling as my next venture in outdoorsiness.  Brought back one of my oddest childhood memories.

Couldn't tell you how old I was.  But I was visiting some friend's house and we were all going to ride bikes around the block.  The block wasn't entirely flat -- it was flat down her street, then we turned right and went up a hill, then turned right and it was kinda flat again, then turned right and went downhill, then turned right again to end on her (flat) street. 

That was the plan anyway.  I wasn't really experienced with anything hill-like, the bulk of my bicycling till then having been pretty much restricted to the end of a nice flat cul-de-sac.  But I made it uphill OK.  And then we turned downhill.  And then I started picking up speed -- more speed than I really knew what to do with.

We were on the sidewalk at the time, and the other kids jumped the curb into the street.  I didn't think I'd be able to accomplish this, but I followed (peer pressure and all that) and the bike landed as it should've and kept moving downhill with too much velocity.

Then, we approached her street and everyone turned right and then pulled into her driveway.

Everyone else.

I turned really WIDE, having no idea how to control a bike in a turn with all that speed.  I ended up turning so wide, I crashed into a mailbox on the far side of the street.  I knew I was gonna hit the mailbox -- there wasn't any doubt in my mind.  The bike was headed right for it and I had given up any attempt at controlling it.  And so ... I ended up in a cute little puddle with bicycle and mailbox.  No injuries of any significance whatsoever.  Bicycle and mailbox also escaped unscathed.