It’s been a day…

• torijoy

Hey All,

So unconventionally I’m going to time hop and bring us all to today! As you have all probably realised I’m pretty out of date with everything so far but I’ve just been spending time with such lovely people I haven’t had a chance to sit and write. Anyway, I shall scuttle back to the last post over the next few days and bring the route up to date but for the time being I have some news…

I’m exhausted after everything and just don’t have the energy to sit and explain everything properly but basically don’t worry I’m ok! I’m very stiff and am not altogether convinced I’m going to be able to walk tomorrow but we’ll see!!!

I’ll add to this post properly as soon as I can.

Lots of love for now! Time to sleep! xxx

Righto – here I am again! I’ve had a day off in the motel in New Roads today so I’m feeling a bit better and will try and explain everything a bit more now.

As I mentioned in the video yesterday, my day was a day of headwind. It started out fairly weak in the morning but just got stronger and stronger throughout the day at seemingly the same rate as which my route was leading me into it! I left my fabulous host Mark around 8am and by 4pm I was really tired. I knew I was only a few miles out from the town where I was hoping to stay and I had my head down and was pedalling with as much energy as I could muster in an attempt to get the day over and done with!

Although since leaving Florida the roads have been getting worse and worse, for most of the day I had been on a hard shoulder which admittedly was not always the smoothest but it was a hard shoulder none the less. During the last 5 miles however the shoulder had turned to gravel and eventually became impossible to cycle on and so I had been forced moved onto the side of the road.

Whilst riding along, suddenly and very unexpectedly I saw white in the corner of my eye, heard a crash and found myself falling towards the floor. I do remember, as if in slow motion, shouting “Ohhhhh Noooooo” as I was falling which I suspect would be rather funny if played back! I also remember thinking, “Ah man, hitting the ground is going to hurt”. Well, it did!

I suppose as would be expected it was pretty confusing afterwards. My hip was immediately sore as I suspect that’s where the wing mirror had struck me and also where I must have taken most of the impact on the ground. I was totally awake and not knocked out at all luckily but felt a bit… well weird to be honest… and I couldn’t really stand up properly. I was immediately worried about the bike and picked it up, put it on it’s stand and started to check it over when an off duty police officer who had been in the car behind came running over. He was a bit of a star really and called an ambulance as well as getting the driver of the car that had hit me over. I realised I didn’t make that clear in the video but he did stop and was incredibly sorry and pretty shaken up himself. To be honest I was starting to feel sorry for him by the end of it all… wandering around holding his broken wing mirror!

After a while the ambulance turned up and out jumped the very friendly firefighter Bobby, who I had actually had a chat with earlier that day when he refilled my water bottles. “I had hoped it wasn’t going to be you” he said as he came over and he looked after me until the paramedics arrived. He was very kind and even called the hospital later that evening to offer to put me up at the fire station and drive me west the following morning. Thanks so much Bobby!

So anyway, to cut a long story short, I was taken to hospital for a puncture wound on my leg which as you all probably know I think was from my tent poles (as my friend Dan says, an unusual injury!) and I was stitched up, patched up and sent on my way. I was incredibly lucky really and can only be relieved that all I suffered was a cut leg and a broken pannier rack as I know that it could have been a lot worse. I have learnt some important lessons, particularly to try to start and finish my rides earlier and thus avoid riding west into a low winters sun and to, no matter how tired I am, keep using my mirror obsessively. Oh and of course, hard shoulders are my ultimate friend!

photo 1-4

My first selfie! Going in with a bang!

photo 2-5

The little blue bike goes to A&E – it’s like a kids story book but more stressful!

As for the driver, I shook his hand before I left and didn’t leave on bad terms. Accidents happen and I don’t think that, unlike every other driver in America, he was on his phone (texting or I suspect in a lot of cases on the internet). I abhor that emerging culture of suing people for every penny you can and approaching every scenario with the mindset of “what can I get out of this”. I’m not saying that he wasn’t to fault but I suppose your perspective is realigned when something like this happens. I was ok, the bike was ok and I could see how upset he was. I just hope that he has learnt his lessons as I have and he never lets it happen again.

Having said that – if he had been on his phone I would have gone crazy. NEVER DRIVE WITH YOUR PHONE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! I can’t tell you how many people pass me looking down at a small lit up screen with one hand on the wheel and no eyes on the road. They don’t seem to comprehend that a mistake when passing me at 60mph may only be a mistake for them but could be a life for me. Man it makes me so angry. A lesson for all of us I hope.

Finally, after such an emotional day I slept like a log only to wake this morning to find this gem waiting for me on my phone… I guess if you’re having a bad day, someone else’s is always worse, in this case my lil’ sister:

I can’t tell you how much I wish she’d walked round to a warehouse full of blokes with that thong (yep it was a thong!) still stuck to her boot. Oh jeez it makes me cry with laughter every time I think about it!!!!!

35 thoughts on “It’s been a day…”

  1. awwwwww no tor!!!! 😦 well done for being an absolute legend and laugh/crying all your way through your video. YOU CAN DO IT!! i’m sure a stupid car and a little tent pole (even with a piercing capacity) wont stop you having the most incredible journey to the East. Good luck with the riding and the highs and lows. Have a wee break, cable tie up the broken bits and say it was an Alligator fight to the next people you meet.
    Get well soon,
    Berry (in SA with Oli and Amy – who arn’t home but if they were they would say hi and good luck too!)
    xxxxxxx

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    1. Hey Bez! I hope so! I will certainly be moving the tent pole storage from now on! I’d never have guessed they would have done that! I’m a bit worried about finding a bit of me next time I put up my tent too!!! haha, Uck!! I’m hoping my bruise is going to come out a bit more as it’s currently one of those really sore ones that you can’t see!! Not good for sympathy! Say Hi to Ollie and Ams for me! xxx

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  2. TORI BUSH!! You were worried about your bike, typical! Can you just have a day off tomorrow and rest please. I’m so so so soooo pleased that you are ok and that we could see your face. Please be safe, I want to see you in one piece next time I see you. Thinking of you and you make me so proud to be your friend. Love you always and forever! X x x

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  3. Bad day 😳. But you’re one strong woman, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!! It’s these kind of days which you’ll back on but it’s important that you keep going and get back on the bike. Rest, recover and go out with a fresh mindset of determination. You can do it!!!

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    1. Thanks Ol, I’ll certainly keep going. I don’t want to leave it too long before getting back on the bike as I think it’s going to be a bit scary so I’m having the day off today and will aim to be back on tomorrow! xxx

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  4. oh no.
    Zef and 00na here…horrified to see your vimeo…at the same time proud of your brave story…wishing we had a helicopter to come and swoop you away for R&R&R (added the rehab R). Hoping the cop who stopped got the careless driver too. Please rest up…the second day is the worst. ANYTHING we can do from way back here, let us know. So glad the LBB is still in one piece, but want you to rest before you “get back up on the horse”. Much love.

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    1. Hey guys, thanks so much! I’m feeling ok today actually – stiff but I can still walk which means I can wander to the shops and look forward to more than Hersheys peanut butter cups for breakfast (my food supplies are due for a top up!)!! It was all rather dramatic but I’m feeling much better now… a good nights sleep does wonders doesn’t it! I’m very relieved about the bike as well! Goodness me that would have thrown a spanner in the works if that was broken! I’ll have a proper check over it today! Thanks so much again! Tori xxx

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  6. Hi Tori following call last night, and Mum sending insurance docs. I assume you got details of drivers details, especially as you had the police officer there. Who looked after bike while you were going to hospital?

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    1. Really glad that you’re ok. I hope you have a good rest let your body heal. Hold your head up, dear. Nice to have met you. Good Luck.

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  7. Oh Tori! Poor you – sending you a big hug. You’re such a trooper; what a shocker of a day for you. A day off riding sounds good – rest up so you’re fit when you carry on. Lots of love xxxx

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  8. Not a fun day! I feel in future you should start your videos with “I am fine, however…,” this would stop a massive knot developing in my stomach and getting a very dry mouth. I hope this hasn’t diminished your love of the road and the experiences it is giving you. We are all very proud of you, everyone I meet knows that I have a friend who is cycling across America. I hope by the time you read this your leg is on the mend and you have begun to turn this into an amusing anecdote to be told round future camp-site fires.

    With love
    Will

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    1. Hey Will Hoare, thanks! I hope there are no more videos like this one but if there are I’ll be sure to start them with “I’m fine”! I suspect I’ll be telling the “that time I got hit by a car” story for a while to come!!! Hope you’re well! Lots of love xxx

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  9. Oh tori, cars are big, fast and not very soft, please try not to argue with them. Sending you oodles of love, steve and gil xxx

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    1. Thanks Steve!! Perhaps I should adapt the “uphill propulsion device” into a air bag!! Feeling good today though… a day off and hopefully back on the road tomorrow or the next day! xxx

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  10. You are definitely the only person I know to have an accident on a bike and be injured by a tent pole! You’re doing really well and looking good in your video. Keep it going!!!

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  11. Tori! Myself, Jo and Anneka here. Just had dinner at Jo’s and was having a chat about you and how brave you are and how scared we would be staying in a tent on our own and being scared of the dark haha! Anyway the we watched your video and woooooo a big tear came to all of our eyes. Tori what a naughty naughty car! You are so brave anyway for doing this trip and now even more so for dealing with this. Look after yourself darling and make sure you take plenty of rests and maybe take a bus every now and again haha.
    Wish you were hear in cleaveland road drinking wine and eating malteaers with us.
    Love you
    Hayley, Jo and Anneka xxx

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    1. Aww thanks girls! It’s ok, the dark isn’t that scary!!! And I’m writing this from a motel room so I’m not exactly slumming it tonight!! Would love to be there drinking wine with you guys too!! Save some for me please! Love you all lots and lots xxx

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  12. Ohhh Hun, sending you a HUGE hug. Be super careful missy. Love you. Xx p.s. With my travel agent head on.. Did you have insurance?!

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    1. Hey Claire! Thanks! Yes I did have it luckily! It was super easy – I just gave the hospital the emergency number and I didn’t hear anything else. I’ll double check this end but I hope that’s it! xxx

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  15. Poor Tori! Stay strong–luckily you are still in the South so lots of good folks will help you along the way. Catching up with your blog with Roy and Dorrie x

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  16. Hi Tori, Ange & Roy here. We were so sorry to hear about your accident and hope that, after 10 days or so you are feeling much better. Keep on trucking, it’s a fantastic thing you’re doing, Mum & Dad must be very proud of you (and a little anxious!)
    We are thinking of you, and send you lots of love. ️Xxx

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    1. Thanks guys! I’m feeling much better thanks and the stitches are out so I’m nearly back to normal! I’m in Austin now, very exciting! I guess I must be nearly half way to California soon! Whoop! Lots of love to you guys xxxx

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  17. Hi Tori sweetie…just caught up with your blog and read this awful page about getting pranged and ending up in hospital, especially with that bad case of helmet hair. So glad to read about your progress in the later updates and that you found your comb. Keep peddling (safely)! xxx

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  18. I,m really sorry about your accident ,great news is that you are not seriously hurt ! If you will email me back as soon as you can i’ll get an address to where i can send a clip for your bag and which clip was broken ! Your pannier was ” ORTLIEB “,am I correct ! In the future ANY mechanical help that you need by internet I will be glad to assist you .I own /operate A small bike shop in VIRGINIA , Please email me on any help that I can be . Keep up the good work . TONY –FAR OUT BICYCLE SHOP

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