SURVIVED: Ride #1, Crash #1!

   I wish I had a slow-motion video to show you all (and to see for myself, because I can't really remember exactly what happened...). We're fine, Zach has road rash and I'm limping pretty badly though. Let me set the scene for you: 50 degrees, beautiful, .43 miles from our house, the first weekend of hunting season in New York State.
   If you live in the country, as we do, this time of year is marked by men driving trucks oh-so-slowly down the back roads, guns at the ready to shoot a yummy deer out the window....drive-by style. Let it be known that I think hunting is a very respectable thing to do if its done right, but I think its REALLY not ok to do it from the road... Get off your ass, be a man, and go commune with nature before you kill it for christ's sake. Right? Well thats how I feel anyway.
   Zach and I had just gotten out the door for a Sunday ride, it was my maiden voyage on my Surley CrossCheck, AND the first time I've ever ridden with panniers on, so lots of new things for me to figure out. This was actually my first time ever on a road-bike. We had gone about a half mile and promptly ran across an ATV and a truck full of guys stalking a deer on our land, from the road! Nooo, my pet peeve! As we passed them I heard one say, "look over there! See him?" pointing to a deer on our side of the road.  I called out, "Posted property dude!" (Dude?) Then I smashed into Zach. Pretty hard. Both of us went FLYING off our bikes. Zach's wheel came off, my pannier with my MacBook Pro got thrown across the road, waterbottles everywhere. I remember getting up, but it all happened very quickly and I dont remember too many details. To their credit, the truck stoped and Zach was able gave them an earful.
   I guess Zach had slowed down and I didn't see until too late because I was distracted by my deer vigilantism.....haha. It was actually pretty funny, and since neither of us is hurt too badly we're both laughing about it now.
  My left calf got smashed by something which was probably my pedal, and is experiencing a great deal of swelling, and Zach's exquisite bum skidded across the road and has been shredded.
We finished our ride though, alternately groaning and laughing. I learned a good lesson: look ahead, and don't get rightgeous when you're riding a new bike for the first time! Zach's lesson learned: ride behind Jess. OUCH!

Looking Pretty Before The Crash! Surley CrossXCheck.