"BIFF"

WARNING - this blog may make parents, step-parents, grandparents, aunt, uncles and close family friends worried about our safety...DON'T WORRY...we're being safe, wearing helmets and zinc suncreen!

We were cruising at about 22km/h down a flat, unassuming road, farm fields stretching out on either side...perfect conditions for getting into 'the zone'.
Now, I'm a Phys Ed student and have heard all about 'the zone' that elite athletes report of attaining during high level exercise...I think my zone may be closely related.
I achieve a similar kind of mind-body separation.
Sometimes it happens when we are crawling up a long climb in low gear, othertimes on long, open stretches like the one we were on today, regardelss, it's as if my mind says to my body-
"Body, you just keep doin' what you're doin'...I'm going elswhere for a while, I'll check back in a few minutes"
Here is where I assume my 'zone' is different from the elite endurance athlete.
My mind goes to...sheepdogs hearding sheep, how do they know exactly what to do at all times? toasted avocado, tomato and cheese sandwiches dipped in gingered pumpkin soup, could I keep bees in my mom's backyard at home? Mmmmm...peaches...hey, I could write about peaches for my next blog...
So that's where I was, that state of mind-body separation when a series of unfortunate events occured that brought mind and body back together as one...
The sound of rubber on rubber and then the warm, but rather abrasive, feel of skin on asphalt with a little bit of bike on top.
Before my mind knew that I had clipped Rob's back tire, lost control and flown over the handle bars into the center of the lane...my body was already up, on it's feet, dragging the bike onto the grass and retieving loose panniers sprawled on the road.
Luckily, the nearest car was about 250m behind us. I was also fortunate that this SUV happend to be a nice, friendly Kiwi Police man and not a transport filled with sheep or milk, or a camper van with a distracted tourist at the wheel. He stopped to make sure I was okay and that the bike was still in riding condition.
"Well, you sure did come off that thing fast now didn't you?"
You're tellin' me mister.
Once again, I was glad I didn't spend alot of money to throw myself off a bridge or out of a plane in Queenstown...buying this bike has given me more adrenaline rushes than I ever could have imagined!
Once mind and body caught up with each other, slightly delayed by the haze of adenaline, I evaluated the damage.
The damage was minimal. One cut knee. One skined knuckle. One bruised shin.
Rob immediately morphed into 'guide mode'- the first aid kit was out and I was patched in no time.
As for the bike, my chain had come off, but no damage to my ride or the panniers.
AND...not even a bruise on the plums riding in the front pannier that flew off onto the road!!

So all in all, a successful first 'biff' in a perfect location and convienient timing to boot.

From now on though, I am going to try to keep mind and body as one, where they should be I suppose, when riding on the road.