FiftySix

Had my first spill in years this morning because I was tired, out of gas, and stupid.

I haven't had good sleep all last week and this weekend. Working out of town and sleeping in loud hotels had something to do with it.

Due to heavy rains the last couple days, I finally got a ride in this morning. But I'm tired, running out of gas, and let my wide 42mm front tire on my single speed bike go into a rut when I'm nearing home. Luckily I had slowed down considerably as home was 150 feet away.

But, now I got a 3" diameter knot on my left shin and skin missing from my right knee. I'm so happy now.

flangehead

Glad it wasn’t worse. Hope you heal up quickly.

FiftySix

Thanks, flangehead. It's not bad, just annoying. My minor injuries should be good as middle aged in a few days.

Elbeinlaw

My intent was not to intrude or to impugn your mental acuity.

Elbeinlaw

Sounds just like what happened to me for my second major spill (second set of stitches, second bout of cellulitis) since I came back. Except that I didn't know I was out of gas until my legs suddenly quit on an uphill and I didn't even have the muscle control to get my feet out of the 'traps. The bike and I went over all tangled up. Handlebar buried in my gut. Front derailer chainsawing my shin.

End of the 'traps. End of that bike. End of the illusion that at 64 I'm can ride like I'm 18. Or even 48.

livedarklions

I didn't take it that way at all, and in hindsight I should have acknowledged that I knew your intentions were good even if your diagnosis was wrong. I apologize for that.

Actually, your point was good that if you have issues with drowsiness, sleep apnea should be considered. My issue was probably overconfidence in my ability to stay alert precisely because I don't have any general issue with drowsiness, and have always had the ability to function with very little sleep when necessary. So I think I reacted so strongly to your post because I thought you were stepping on the point of my cautionary tale. Thinking back on it, I should have realized a thread can carry more than one possible reason to be concerned.

livedarklions

​​​​​​I can't tell from your post when that happened but I sure hope you're okay now.

Russ Roth

Amazing how a little sleep deprivation can mess with your reasoning, had a bad week of things going on one week and topped it with having to take an hour drive to a meeting at 7pm. Stopped into a gas station to get some coffee, poured the cup and grabbed a couple creamers. I pulled the tops on the creamers, poured the creamer in the opening for the garbage and tossed the container in the coffee. The worst was staring at the cup and sensing that something wasn't right but it still took me quite a few seconds to realize what was actually wrong. I've tried to force myself to go to sleep more often then reach that point again. Problem is I struggle to fall asleep at a reasonable time and the kids wake me up early.

Elbeinlaw

I can top that! When I was a freshman in college, I was 1. not getting any sleep 2. taking a large courseload 3. breaking up with the girl I thought I was going to marry while falling in love with a wild woman to whom I later became engaged (and then then disengaged) 4. trying to keep myself from failing calculus, which I thought I understood. 5. deciding to go against generations of family culture by changing my major from pre-med to English and 6. taking a chemistry lab while 7. never sleeping through the night. So, that chemistry lab was kicking my butt, as everything does when you're afreshman. I finally succeeded after many hours in the lab in producing whatever substance the finals challenge was supposed to produce, and was walking out the door with my success in a flask in one hand and some other liquid in my other hand. The door was closed. My hands were full. There was nobody around to help. So I came up with a solution: let go of the flask, open the door, get the flask again and proceed . You'll note that I said "let go," not "put down, " and let go I did. My flask of success smashed at my feet. Years later I learned that sequential thinking is the first thing to go when you're tired.