Family of Cripples

Just call us the McLarty Gimps. First, we've got me with the stupid ol'foot problem. Second, we've got my Mom who is getting ready to go under the knife this month for her third knee surgery...she's down to using crutches and crawling up the stairs. Now, Dad is official added to the 'gimp' list after he wiped out on the Port Orange group ride this morning!
He and I drove over to the PO Publix to meet up with about 30+ other cyclists for the Sunday ride. Everything was going great, we'd been on the road for about 40 minutes and the speed was slowing creeping up. At this point in the ride, I was leading the group and Dad just happened to be the next guy on my wheel.
I got the signal that we were making a right turn onto a side-street and proceeded to lead the group into the turn without compromising much speed. It was right as I swung wide into the side-street that I saw the HUGE black Dodge pickup-truck crossing the road in front of us...my brain was fighting to scream "CAR CAR CAR" at the same time it was telling my hands to brake as hard a possible!
I can still see my reflection in the gleaming paint on the truck as I somehow managed to stop just two feet away from planting my face into the side paneling...mad bike skills here!! Unfortunately, my Dad didn't luck out as well as I did...he did manage to brake in time but had his front wheel on the wrong side of my rear wheel, got all tangled up with the centrifugal forces at work and went down HARD on his left hip! The 30 or so cyclists that were following behind us came up fast but not as dramatic so we slowly picked up the pieces (meaning Dad's water bottles and bike that were laid out in the road) and regrouped to continue on the ride.
I kept going with the group and had a decent 2+ hour ride with some fast paced segments trying to keep up with the big guys...while Dad just tried to ride back to the truck without cringing on every pedal stroke. I think it was a good thing that he immediately got back pedaling on his bike because he's going to have a HUGE lump forming and the major problem will be painful stiffness in the area!
Fortunately, we were in the Publix parking lot so I ran inside and purchased a huge bag of ice for him to sit on as I drove the truck home. And, in the words of my Dad as he iced his new wound, "Hey, at least I'll have a real reason to watch the Super Bowl today!"