babyhog wrote on 05/06/10 at 07:31:56:

You won't feel comfortable on unfamiliar roads if you can't see them.
And you know better than I about contacts (glasses... forever) but I've always heard they move around and can impare your vision when they do.  However, as you noted, better perifial vision.
Your choice, but you do have do the maitenance when needed.  Have the "I gotta pull over" signal agreed upon ahead of time.

The good thing was that hubby was riding behind me, and we have the Scala Rider communications, so he knew all the way that I was having trouble.  He's good at trying to calm me down... until I yell at myself and it comes off as yelling at him.  lol

I think I'll take a little ride this evening with my glasses on, and see how that goes.

But I appreciate all the comments.  I feel better now.       

Oh, one other thing reared its ugly head a little while ago that may be the root of my un-steadiness...  let's just say you "men" don't have to deal with it... except indirectly...  Might have gotten me off kilter a bit.  I'll have to mark this on the calendar and see if it affects me in future months...  (I apologize if this is TMI, but maybe some women have some input on that part...)

 

I didn't even think of the periodic difficulties women have, since the difficulty quit afflicting my wife some years ago. And, as you say, we men do not directly experience them. I wonder whether the hormonal changes could actually affect your eyes, perhaps making your contact lenses fit less well (fluid retention happens all over the body). Might be worth thinking about (I heroically refrained from saying "watching for"). If your lenses fit less well your vision could change.

Kenny wrote on 05/06/10 at 11:00:36:


Great tip

Sorry to hear that you were uncomfortable with that strange road. You done right to respect the curves that you were not familiar with. Seasoned truck drivers know that you can come down a mountain 100 times to slow, but you can only come down 1 time to fast!

                                                                         Ride Safe
                                                                         Marine5317

Drop down one or two gears so you get the engine in the power range. If you riding slow into a turn in a high gear you don't have any engine braking and the bike handling can feel wierd. Don't focus on the turn, focus on the exit of the turn. And the best advice is that if you don't feel right on the bike pull over and take a break. Turn around and go home if you must, it just isn''t worth getting in to deep. Glad you are OK, keep your chin up kiddo

Not going into the eye or other issues, what you experienced is not all that unusual. Even pro athletes have off days or days they perform well beyond their "normal" abilities.

When I have times like this, stopping for 10-15 minutes, get adjusted, have some water and start over. If it is still not working go home. Studies of plane crashes show that it is rarely one issue that causes the crash but a series of small "inconveniences" that lead to a catastrophe. Stop, get the issue(s) and your mind back on track then enjoy the ride.

If it doesn't work, go home have a beer and be able to enjoy the next opportunity.

Beer before the ride doesn't make issues go away, it just makes your perception of the issues go away