Warning - Gory Graphics! You have been warned.

(DON'T scroll down if you don't like the sight of blood)

So, good deed done, we decide to take off again down St. Charles to proceed further uptown.

I'm minding my own business, riding along the sidewalk, and decide to head into the street. I see a nice short curb onto the strret. Chris is a few feet behind me.

Later, he said he knew something was wrong when my front wheel disappeared.

There was this storm drain, you see, and it was about 18 inches deep.

Problem was, it was full of leaves and twigs that had blown off the trees, so it looked very innocent. It wasn't. Chris later called it a "Tiger Trap." I'm pretty good on a bike, but Lance Armstrong wasn't getting out of this one.

I'm pedaling along, and before I even know I'm going down I have face-planted into the asphalt, and can't see out of my right eye for blood, and something that won't blink out. (eyebrow flap)I'm seeing stars, and dazed.

Pic below for non-squeamish....

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Chris was cussing me when he took that pic, as he was standing downwind and it was still gusty. My blood was blowing all over him. Scalp wounds, you know.

A few hours and three stitches later, I'm out of the emergency room. The docs and nurses were glad to see me, as they had had a VERY slow day, and they all enjoyed seeing the pics of Bush's tree.

They said I was actually pretty damn lucky, as some folks that do a head-first dive into the pavement break a neck. All I know is, my entire right neck, back and shoulder feel like they've been beat with a bat by a large surly man, and the right side of my head is all swollen and deformed. They say it'll go away.

I asked the doc as he was sewing me up if I'd have a scar. He said the standard boilerplate - "anytime you get stiched, there is a possibility you'll have a scar. I said, "Cool. Chicks dig scars."

I was a lil loopy on endorphins, I think. :-)

So, there you have it - how I lost a fight with a pothole.