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Bush suffers bruises while mountain biking

President Bush fell while mountain biking on his ranch early Saturday afternoon and  suffered cuts and bruises, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.
/ Source: The Associated Press

President Bush suffered cuts and bruises early Saturday afternoon when he fell while mountain biking on his ranch, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.

Bush was on the 16th mile of a 17-mile ride when he fell, Duffy said. He was riding with a military aide, members of the Secret Service and his personal physician, Dr. Richard Tubbs.

“He had minor abrasions and scratches on his chin, upper lip, nose, right hand and both knees,” Duffy said. “Dr. Tubbs, who was with him, cleaned his scratches, said he was fine. The Secret Service offered to drive him back to the house. He declined and finished his ride.”

Bush was wearing his bike helmet and a mouth guard when the mishap occurred. Duffy said he didn’t know exactly how the accident happened.

“It’s been raining a lot and the topsoil is loose,” the spokesman said. “You know this president. He likes to go all out. Suffice it to say he wasn’t whistling show tunes.”

Duffy said Bush probably would be wearing a bandage on his chin during a party Saturday night for his daughter, Jenna, who graduated from the University of Texas earlier in the day. Bush left Crawford shortly after the bike mishap for the party in Austin.

Earlier this month, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry took a spill from his bicycle while riding with Secret Service agents through Concord, N.H., about 18 miles north of Boston. Kerry fell when his bike hit a patch of sand. He was not injured.