I went up to Middletown VA last Friday for Matt Settle's 600K brevet, which follows a rugged, scenic course through the Shenandoah Valley to Roanoke and back (mostly a long narrow loop although the section from Buchanan to Roanoke is an out and back). Things were going well for the 8 or so of us that started (broke up early into a couple of small groups of 2 or 3 and some solos). I was riding with Chris Mento and Phil Creel and we were on our way to the return control at Raphine (where drop bags were located). Around mile 233 at 3:30 a.m., we were starting down a long hill and heard some dogs barking close by. Phil and Chris got by them, but I did not fare so well. With no warning, a medium size black dog appeared square in front of me. There was no time to react, and I t-boned the dog, sending me over the handlebars. I felt the impact of the helmet on the road and then went down on my right shoulder. I laid on the road for a minute or so, and managed to get to my feet, but my knees buckled and I went down. Chris got on his phone and eventually reached Tom LePore, the volunteer working the Raphine control. While waiting for Tom to arrive with his van, Phil and Chris did what they could to make me comfortable and also gathered up all the stuff that had been knocked off my bike (cue sheet holder, water bottles, helmet light, mirror, pump).
Tom's wife Rose provided excellent help, carting me to the hospital in Winchester and staying there for several hours where I had a full round of xrays and the various scrapes and contusions were cleaned up and dressed. I ended up with a broken rib, another one cracked, and assorted bruises. Thankfully, no broken collar bone or dislocated shoulder. Now I just have to deal with the pain and wait for the healing to run its course.
