It's all fun and games until someone breaks a rib...

Whenever we find our way close to Reading, PA we meet up with our good buddy Patrick Leaman and his family.  They have become quick friends to the band and if we can we try to sneak in a ride with Patrick when we come through.  This time, things ended abruptly and unexpectedly.

Here is the five of us after a good long grinder of a hill on Sportsmans Road...

Shortly before this photo we were talking a big talk about how freeing cycling is.

 

 

Next, we started to descend.  Patrick and I got into a nice conversation about life and the pursuit of happiness, I'd suspect, when all of a sudden he says, "Trent, there's a hill ahead that's very fast and possibly dangerous.  Use caution.  Go back and tell Eric, I'll catch up to Jay and Brian and tell them. 

Well, just as Patrick made it to Jay and Brian, they were flying down the hill.  Within minutes, this was the scene...

Brian looking on with new friend (if by friend, you mean, glad I didn't hit your car with my bike at 40 mph)

Brian contemplating his next move, not on that rear wheel presumably

So, Brian and Jay, feeling young and spry, flew around the dangerous corner, nearly hitting a car, but definitely hitting the ground in one way or another.  Brian's bike was beat up more than Jay's, but Jay got the brunt of the body damage.  While Brian had some notable road rash on his hand and hip, Jay broke a rib and jammed his finger pretty heftily.  It didn't look good for him playing that mandolin that evening...

Jay, after the wreck. 

But you can't keep a good man down.  We made it to gig that night and Jay ripped off his splint and played a great show in front of the famous Steel Stacks in Bethlehem, PA. 

So, Jay is currently in rehab and we all are taking our downhills a little more cautiously.  It's fun to go fast, but not that fun.