The Kindness of Strangers
Yesterday I decided to go for a 20 mile bike ride. I hydrated well and loaded up my iPod with a great playlist and then headed out in the hot sun with hopes to sweat off about 2000 calories. The temperature yesterday was in the mid 90's and since I don't want to have an uneven tan on my face I didn't wear a headband or sunglasses. About 3 miles into the ride I was sweating like Saddam Hussein hiding in the desert. My eyes were drenched in salty sweat and fortunately I had enough sense to wear wrist bands so that I could wipe my face. The thing about wiping your face repeatedly with salty sweat is that after a while it start to burn. The salt dries on your face and pretty soon every time you wipe you have the sensation that you are getting a micro-dermabrasin facial.
Despite the discomfort I continue to ride. I wish that I had a place to ride where there aren't any cars because I am constantly afraid that I am going to run into someone or someone is going to hit me as I ride through the suburbs of Plano. Yesterday I decided to ride so far that I would be away from the city and perhaps I would have the opportunity to ride without having to pause for so many cars. I succeeded. I rode out so far from my house that I was in between Allen and McKinney and their were more cows than there were houses. Finally I reach a dead end and I know I am about 10 miles from my house and so I turn around and head home. When I get about 9 miles from my house my chain does something funky and totally torques itself into oblivion. I pull over and investigate and at the exact time it breaks this dude rolls up and says, "Hey, is it broke?" I say, "yep". He gets out of his truck and tries to help me fix it and then he offers to take me home. On the way to my house he tells me that he started riding because he had by-pass surgery 4 years ago and the riding helped him to stay in shape. He then went on to tell me that I needed to wear a helmet and that I needed to purchase some White Lightning lubricant for my bike chain once I got it repaired. He was extremely nice and I thanked God for sending him along. If he hadn't stopped and helped I would have had to walk back 9 miles with my bike in tow and trust me - that is a long slow walk.
So a big thanks to Mr. Wilson for the ride home yesterday. I have become a bit jaded about helping people out and I am not sure I would have been so kind to someone in my situation, but now that I have been extended the hand of kindness, I won't be so hesitant to do the same.
P.S. This site design was created as a tribute to our troops. This Memorial Day weekend be sure and thank God that we live in such a great country and thank our armed forces for doing what they do.
12 Comments:
Sorry about what happened. I know that can be extremely frustrating. I have had a few problems like that before. Luckily there are good people out there to help along the way.
I used white lightening and it worked like a charm. First you have to degrease your chain with WD40 (or some other degreaser) and when you do that run it through pretty good. It will start making a grining, gritty sound. It's ok, that is normal. Some take the chain off put degreaser and the chain in a bottle and let it sit for an hour. Wipe it up with a cloth (it gets all the dirt and grime off) and then start putting the chain lube, like white lightning, on the chain. Make sure you get a good drop or two on each link. If you need advice on the how-to or want to hear the process from a other bike enthusiast on such matters then go to http://www.cyclingforums.com/t-903-15-1.html
By the way if you just go with WD40 (which i have and it seemed to work pretty good).. You still have to wipe the chain pretty good and clean it up before putting the lube on.
Come to Waco...we miss you like CRAZY!! (and your niece will be here in only 11 weeks:))
WE LOVE YA'!!
God sends people along just at the right time sometimes. And I have a feeling you were reeping what you have already sewn into someone else's life...like that girl at the gas station that you helped out, but didn't need to.
Eddo. Bike trouble - again??? Me thinks you have been in that same predicament before, no?
So glad that it all worked out for you. Happy Memorial Day!
P.S. I saw your shirts in the spare closet yesterday. You need to come by sometime and increase your wardrobe!
you've been biking without a helmet? naughty boy!
Eddie, my sis is a passionate about riding as you, it seems. She's on a 40+ mile jaunt today... lives in Sacramento, so I bet it's a beautiful ride.
God blessed you tremendously not just with someone there at the right time to help you, but also in making you think about being a kind stranger to others.
:-)
Hi Eddo,
I agree with Faith. My first thought was you helped out the girl at the gas station and God was giving you back what you gave.
Hope you get your bike fixed and are onto your next 20 mile jaunt.
WEAR A HELMET!!!
Great design, Eddo.
As for helping others, you're right, it's a sign of the times that so many of us will not stop.
And, I agree with the others. Wear a helmet!
Eddo!
Echo the others (and especially Edgy Mama, of course): wear the helmet.
I've been forced into ditches so many times on so many rides that helmets have become, for me, obligatory equipment.
And never use WD40 on your chain, for goodness' sake. It's a petroleum product and will attract dirt and grime to your chain and gears, even if you think you're wiping it clean.
The White Lightning company has a cleaning product called "Clean Streak" that comes either as a stand-alone spray or in a "trigger" package you can run your chain through. Once the chain and gears are clean, THEN go for the lubricant. Straight White Lightning is fine for general riding, but go for the "wet" version if you're doing muddy/wet offroading.
I once took a 1,000 mile adventure from mid-Missouri to Santa Fe, NM. Unsupported duet trip --- just two riders and no sag wagon. 100 miles per day, give or take, until the Rockies slowed us down. Had a bad flat in the wide-open country about 20 miles from Guymon, OK. Sunset. A huge storm blowing up out of the west. Only available shelter a locked grain silo half a mile away. No safe spot to pitch a tent due to the storm. What to do, indeed? Sincere distress aplenty.
Just at that moment a farmer drove up in a beat up pickup truck. Said "wherever you're going you're not going to get there tonight." We already had come to the same conclusion, of course. He pointed far off in the distance to a small house that we had not noticed previously and said, "you look like trustworthy sorts. Why don't you stay the night in my field house? It's empty right now because I only use it when I'm harvesting."
God does provide. He surely does.
Next day we made it to Guymon, ate a huge pancake breakfast, refilled our water bottles, then rode all the way to Clayton, NM, where we took a hotel for the night. Not two minutes after checking in, our next door neighbors knocked on our door. "We're long-distance bicyclists from Oklahoma City and saw you when you rode in. You've been riding hard, obviously, so we'd like to buy you supper tonight."
God provides again. That was one awesome supper, I promise you.
That trip renewed my faith in humanity each and every day.
I had forgotten that micro-debrasion feeling. Also the ring of white salty brine in your clothing that says "Hey! I've been working hard, haven't I?" Heavens, I love it.
Keep biking. But do wear the helmet.
JA
Asheville, NC
Wow Jatkin - that sounds really cool. If I ever get up to Asheville we need to meet in person. Thanks for all the tips everyone and next time I will wear a helmet. I normally do when I am in the woods but on the streets I rarely crash...
Very nice site! Celexa+online Interior design jobs sarasota florida Baccarat card counting Antique children27s play kitchens Gay glory holes houston texas
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home