Road rash
I'm not sure how common rail trails are in other parts of the world, but here in Ontario, they're all over the place. They take a disused rail line, remove the rails and the slag bed, and replace it with screenings, or fine gravel.

Mr. Armadillo and I went cycling on one of the local paths. I was watching the scenery, and not paying the greatest attention to the path. I dumped, and ended up sliding into some bushes by way of the gravel. I was missing huge swathes of skin on my forarms and shins, the raw surface plastered with greenery and tiny, pointy rocks. I limped into the railway museum nearby to use the loo for cleanup. I spent a good half an hour removing bits from various parts of my anatomy (anything I could get at with my fingers) in the tiny sink in the public washroom. Then I had to get back on my bike and ride another 20 kilimeters (downhill, luckily) back to the car.

When I got back home, I spent an unhappy hour or so with a pair of tweezers, a bottle of alcohol, some polysporin cream, and burn dressings trying to get everything else out and trying to cover up my lack of skin.

Probably still one of my most painful injuries. Fairly superficial surgery, maybe, but man, losing that much skin hurts! I'm sure that anyone else who's had road rash can agree with me!
(BlackArmadillo Avoided writing that article on, Fri 21 Jan 2011, 3:32, 2 replies)

Yay, Ontario. Where abouts in the province are you?
(Turtlenuts, Fri 21 Jan 2011, 13:46, closed)

haha
"slag bed"
( bookerina, Mon 24 Jan 2011, 22:40, closed)