4/20/23

Today starts my ride. Excitement permeates the air for one and all. 

We leave Old St Augustine’s past the original fort and head to the ocean road. All is well, there is even a slight tail wind. 18 miles in we get a warning that there is a bad wreck ahead and a change of plans. We are on a two lane road the only one there. Up ahead I see flashing lights and our support van pointed back towards St Augustine’s. We have a choice… get in the van and back track or walk our bikes in the sand a mile around the wreck. There have been fatalities and an investigation in progress. We all choose to walk around.

Once on the other side I look back 40 yards down the road. The cars are so badly damaged …two I don’t even recognize as vehicles. I walk back and approach a young female state patrol officer and offer my help but with tears in her eyes she says they are all beyond help…4 dead. I reach out and squeeze her hand and surprised she squeeze back and thanks me for being so visible all dressed in orange.

I ride on and think what those 4 did this morning when they awoke and left their beds never to return again.

Life can be so fragile. 

For the next two to three hours I cannot get rid of  the image of the mangled piles of metal with people inside.

Angel and Flossie try to comfort me to no avail.

There are three ocean state parks ahead and I decide to leave the road and ride along the inner ocean bike paths.

About half way through the first Angel taps me on the shoulder and says slow down, besides someone wants to talk to me…up ahead an old wise one . Flossie opens my ears so I can understand. 

“ Let Her take care of it… she is One of Those in Charge”

Puzzled I ride on.

I enter a beautiful ocean forest . The path is there but each rider must avoid the sharp pitfalls that abound.

I marvel at the tangled jungle and suddenly hear 

“ I’m here…in charge…the tangled mess is all mine and not really tangled at all. Let your thoughts fade of those 4 who came home. They are mine again”.

Ahead I see soft caresses dropping from limbs and as I pass under them I feel the touch of tranquility perfuse my soul. 

Once again Mother Nature has brought me calm.

So begins the ride…

And the beauty begins to return