Bad Luck Thursdays

It felt like my pedal was moving sideways under my feet. It was. Little ball bearings scattered and rolled down the hill I was climbing. Oh my! It was a different ride back to the truck. I had planned it so well, I thought. Had lots of water bottles ready, plenty of Powergels on call, and a good breakfast under my belt. It wasn't to be. Thursdays are my long ride days. Today, I had planned a 60 miler. Last week I had planned a 60 miler on Thursday. However, helping a stranded motorist consumed the bulk of the morning and by the time, I got to riding, it was hotter and more humid than I had liquid for. The Thursday before that, on the last 20 miles, riding in a very strong wind, my bottom bracket worked loose and I could not shift the front chain ring. It was a slow go, nursing the bike back to the truck, finishing my 60 miler. The week that before that I threw a chain at 25 mph. It hung up but didn't stop the back wheel. Thank God! I gingerly finished my 60 miler. You could call these "Bad Luck Thursdays" but at the same time, I feel blessed. Stuff is going to break. Things are going to happen. "In the world ye shall have tribulations----" In an event, things can happen you don't expect. Perhaps, this is part of training, part of the process? Perhaps, I should have already replaced those old pedals that had thousands of miles on them. Perhaps I should have already had that bike tuned up so that it wouldn't be so inclined to throw a chain. Perhaps, I should have checked that bottom bracket before the ride to see if it might be coming loose? Perhaps, I should have told the stranded motorist that I was too busy and that they could find some other assistance. No, I don't think so on that one. I have been blessed in that none of these "Bad Luck Thursdays" has caused me injury, and I still get to own the experiences. And I have been blessed by the smile on that stranded motorist's face, the thank yous, and the pat on the back from God that tells me that despite all the other times I have chosen selfishly, this time I did OK.