I Tipped

I was SO excited to finally buy a bicycle yesterday! I love the color-purple,I love the basket-bought at Walmart last September,and I love the idea of zooming around town while I burn calories. Over Spring break I found an aqua Trex bike I liked, but it cost quite a bit and the store had run out. I headed to our local shop in hopes of finding the perfect Schwinn cruiser since I’ll be without a car most days this summer.

For those of you who don’t know/remember, my Kia is back in Washington waiting for my return when school begins in the fall. Mike and I will have to share his Audi. As I write this he is stuck on I-290 and a tow truck is about to take him to the Audi dealer. (Even if he HAD a bicycle, it would be a long ride to Schaumberg from our house, so I hope they can fix the problem a.s.a.p.)

I thought the bike shop owner chose the right size bike for me…I think NOT! I couldn’t touch the ground well when I was on the seat. He assured me it was for me and helped me get it in the car. Obviously I should have tried the smaller frame and been more assertive.

As I took off this afternoon I sort of felt like a kid who just had their training wheels taken off;excited and all wobbly. For a while I was having a glorious time, but there are a lot of stop signs around our neighborhood. Each time I stopped it was an ordeal to get going again. Was this normal? I think NOT!

I imagined what would happen if I crashed since Mike was stuck far away without a working vehicle (and a dying cell phone battery). A few blocks later, my thought sort of happened. I came up upon a busy 4-way stop with lots of cars, tried to put my foot on the curb to wait my turn, lost my balance and TIPPED over into grass. Yep, I was embarrassed as several people yelled, “Are you Ok?” out their car windows. Yep, I’m going to call the bike shop and see if we might exchange mine for a smaller frame. I don’t think I scratched the beautiful purple metal, but the seat is twisted and I needed one bandage for my bleeding hand.

I will admit that I haven’t ridden in about 25 years but isn’t there a saying that you never forget how to ride a bike?

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall.” 1Corinthians 10:12

Just when things were going well, I tipped. It happens to me even when I’m not riding a bike.
Thanks to God’s grace I get do-overs.

I should have listened to that little inner voice that said, “I think this bike is too big for me!” Cross your fingers that this story has a happy ending, both for my bike and Mike’s Audi.

Do you ride a bike? Have you tipped?

In His Grip, Jane