Wednesday, July 29, 2015

If it doesn't kill you, blog about it

Note: there's a followup on how I'm doing at this link.

Anything that doesn't kill you can make a great story later department: 

First off, the bike is OK. And the blood will wash out of my clothes. I think.

The story:
Today, after playing tennis and working on an art project at Los Medanos College I was riding home along the lovely Delta de Anza Trail in Antioch, California, a city on the Sacramento River Delta. As I rode behind Turner School in Antioch two young lads came onto the trail and, as I passed, knocked me from my bike. They may have hit me in the head, or kicked me. I have a very weird mark on my face.

They took my iPhone 6 and demanded my wallet, which I was too befuddled to cough up.  I'd fallen on my left side pannier, and it was perhaps hidden under my tennis bag, which was strapped to the top of the rack. They didn't take the pannier or my ratty tennis bag, and I still have the junk I was carrying in the pannier.

Oh. I left out the gun part. They had a gun. A GUN! I saw that alright, but it's amazing how little else I "saw." Just two slightly-built young men, maybe middle schoolers, short hair, and a shiny revolver. That's about it.

I climbed on my bike and rode to the place I get my hair cut to call the police and Tricia. She took me to Kaiser where I was treated (by a doctor who's a cyclist!) for a three fractured ribs and a knee that required stitches. 

It looks like I'll suffer no permanent damage, but right now walking, or moving at all is very painful. The Doc says I'll be in hurt city for a month or so, and that even though I hurt a lot now I'll hurt more as it heals. Yikes.

I'll leave out the really bloody photos, but look at this. Is that a shoe mark, or a pistol whip mark? I didn't fall on this side, so I'm not sure.

Here's my Garmin track. (Yep, I GPS my commutes. I am a geek.) There's a dot where it happened, and you can see the little wobbles right where they hit me. If I'd only had a GoPro...



10 comments:

  1. Oh man Curtis I am very sorry this happened to you!! I'm speechless and hoping your going to be OK.

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  2. OMG! This is so awful! I'm so sorry this happened to you! I hope those punks are caught & prosecuted. I can't dislike this enough. Damn.

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  3. My heart is breaking for you Curtis. Will check/text in with you Friday. Follow all the concussion protocol. Rest easy.

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  4. "If I'd only had a GoPro..." A friend gave me a Fly-6 to do a product review on... I'm preparing it now. It's a thing that looks like a rear blinky light but actually has a camera in it that records in a loop - not for making videos but for capturing close calls in traffic and such (passing too close, trying to run you off the road, throwing garbage at you... whatever). My first thought was that it wasn't that useful, but do you think it might've captured your attackers? Like they maybe came in behind you, or would've been in the view from behind for long enough to ID them? I may have to re-think that if so.

    I worked at 7-Eleven one summer in college and was robbed - bunch of punks stealing beer and wine - one of them clubbed me with a wine bottle on the way out the door. Not as bad as your situation, but I know I went through all the emotions you'll be feeling; anger, fear, and pain. The most important emotion I had though, was feeling fortunate - had I put up a fight or something I might've been injured permanently... I'm really glad I didn't - I'm glad you didn't too.

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  5. My neighbor on broomTail ct said that his house was broken into on Wednesday (yesterday ) and a gun was taken. I did not get a description of the gun but I can. Perhaps these events are connected. Do you have a description?

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  6. I had this happen but it went the other way, reached for knife, i drew expandable baton, struck the wrist, it snapped under the blow. He escalated to deadly force so I then smashed over his skull and had police arrest. Got taken to hospital first I believe. Lil bit of CQB comes in handy. You kinda look like some of the meth heads i run into.

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  7. I am very sorry this happened to you sir. I pray for your speedy recovery!

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  8. Holy cow Curtis! So sorry this happened to you! I read about a bike rider injured and was heading over to sign the petition when i clicked on the link to your blog. Hope you feel better soon! Take care out there. Dawn Morrow

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  9. Looks like a tennis shoe imprint, hope the healing went well, are you still alive? :)

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