Q Wiped Out
So, with gas prices up and weather improving, I've been taking the family on more bike trips. For Spring Break, Q was enrolled in an ice skating camp in Ashburn. I would pull the trailer holding RJ and T while Q would ride her bike. After dropping off Q at camp, RJ would ride the bike back home and we'd reverse it for the afternoon pickup. It's only 7 miles by car and just over 6 by bike, but I figured I was saving about a gallon of gas per day.
The problem was the kids are slow and most days we left late, so I ended up pulling the trailer AND pushing the kid on the bike. Anyway, I got really comfortable pushing a kid on a bike. On Friday, Q and I pedaled to her softball practice, it's just 2.3 miles by bike. It was cold out and I wasn't dressed for the weather, so after practice was over, I was motivated to get us home quickly. About halfway home, I let go of her and she veered away from me then over-corrected into me, then back away. Before I knew it, my brakes were locked up to keep from running over her head. She was wearing her helmet and now a full coat of road rash. She begged me to call her mom and refused to get back on the bike, so we ended up walking about a mile to get home. No I didn't have my phone. I rarely carry it. I knew the walk home would be about 10 minutes, but it would most likely take ABL 25 to pack the kids in the car and find us.
We cleaned up her road rash, but her hand was really swelling up. ABL asked our neighbor to come by and take a look at it, but I was pretty sure an ER visit was in our future. We dropped off the two younger kids at the Hojnacki's and motored over to Inova Loudoun (which claimed on the internet that the ER wait was only 15 minutes-huge lie). We waited over an hour before they took her vitals. I have to say though the Inova Loudoun Pediatric ER is very kid friendly. They had books, dvds, and Wii. We left the hospital around 11:30pm so it was a long day for Q.
I blame myself.
