Superstitious Nonsense

Drenched but Happy

I have never believed that Friday the 13th brings bad luck. Nothing terrible of any note has happened to me on that particular date. Perhaps I'm immune because I was born on Thursday the 12th. Who knows? Anyway, on this Friday the 13th I was all excited because Peddlers Bike Shop put a seat post adjuster on Terri's cruiser. This meant that I could hike up the seat and go for semi off-road bike ride.

Even though the sun was shining on my house there was a distant rumble, the sound of a low rolling storm. Looking out the front window I could see the darkening clouds in the distance. However, I was determined to go on my trail ride.

Challenging the shadows I set off at a blistering pace. The trail head was 1.5 miles away and easily reachable. Once in the woods the pure joy of the riding took over. This was my small escape from the world. Nothing beats the scent of the woods that fills your lungs as you shred through hardpack covered in pine needles. This is what I have missed over the past year. One solid year, that is how long I have been without a Mountain bike.

Don't get me wrong, I love BMX but there are big differences. A BMX track is a social place, an athletic arena where competitors come to battle. The Mountain Bike trail is a sanctuary for the soul, it is a haven where one can convene with nature at any speed.

In the woods, just past the 2 mile mark I feel the first drop of rain. As any Floridian knows, when it rains here, it rains hard. Within 30 seconds I was getting nailed by a torrential downpour. The rain drops were huge, they hit with an impact and frequency that made it difficult to see.

By the time I made it out of the woods the rain was at full force. Thunder shook the sidewalk beneath me and I could feel the electric flecks of lightning as they ripped across the sky. I stood up on the pedals and powered my way through a wall of water, across the street and down the lane towards home.

For some people being caught in a rain storm on Friday the 13th might seem like bad luck but I disagree. I was drenched but also exhilarated. My heart was beating madly and there was huge smile on face the entire time. That was a great workout. I can't wait to do it again!

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