Sooner or later it happens. An endo. A patch of gravel. A tired or too focused rider who gets too close to the wheel in front of him, rubs the tire and goes down. Not paying attention and hitting the end of the pavement. AND DOGS! Big dogs. Little ankle-biting dogs. Dogs that are angry and dogs that are having fun (so they think). Saturday was my time. I was riding with someone else Saturday morning and had just fixed his flat and as we climbed a hill he was telling me about his motorcycle accident that almost took his life from multiple blood clots. Suddenly from the right came not one, not two but three dogs-two big ones and one ankle biter. The Rottweiler headed straight for Duane but had to pass in front of me first. I hit him square on and that only meant one thing…no I didn’t jump the dog. I went down hard. I was fortunate that I was climbing the hill and had just crested so my speed was probably around 12 mph. I will not adorn you with all my injuries but I am in one piece-a sore one piece-but one piece nonetheless. That is not the first time that particular dog has chased me but in the past has always circled me or ran alongside. But my next visit will be to the owner and if I could I would carry a baseball bat on my next ride and get off the bike to meet the dog head on. I guarantee I won’t miss. Sorry if that upsets all you animals lovers out there but I am 56 years old and don’t need some stupid dog chasing me or running in front of me. Fortunate for the dog a bat is too bulky (but I do wish I had one that expanded like Biff’s in Back to the Future 2). I would borrow Biff’s statement though: “Batter Up!” The owner lets his dogs run loose and earlier in the season when it chased me and I was yelling at it to go home he said, “He won’t hurt you.” Yeah right! Well…enough of my “anger spout.”
Living a life that tries to follow Jesus is like that. You seem to be out cruising and having fun when something comes along and trips you up-a temptation, a trial, your own laizze faire. In spite of the fact that so many expect a Christ-follower to be perfect, they also expect them to fall and almost relish in that. The key to my riding was getting back up (after I unclipped from my right pedal), making sure everything was working and then getting back on the bike to ride some more (we rode another 14 miles or so). I have often heard that the key to riding a horse again when it has thrown you is to get right back on the horse. In the Christian life there are always consequences to taking a spill but that should not stop us from picking ourselves back up and moving on. We are not disqualified from serving Jesus-just a little bruised and battered. But one thing it should do is make us more aware of what is happening and the enemy’s tactics. Oh…and watch out for those dogs.
Your thoughts?
OUCH!
Sorry for your spill…hope you are healing nicely…
And…mace will do the trick…just a quick spray…either on the dog or its owner…that’ll save the problem!
Maybe not the lawsuit, but it will take care of the dog…
Thanks Steve. I used to carry a canister of HALT but the dog had to get close enough to use it. I may have to get one again. I used it on a dog once and dropped him like a rock. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Bill,
You quoting Biff is too funny! Sorry for your spill but not for how you are able to use it in this post.
Praying for the dog, his owner and of course you! 😉
Camey: welcome back from the mission trip. Look forward to hearing about it. Thanks for the prayers and that I gave you a chuckle. As for using the spill: I reckon a pastor tends to look for usefulness in all things. Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Bill,
I am so glad you are not hurt worse. A broken bone at your age 🙂 can be pretty bad. I know this is no consolation, but I have no problems with at least the biter dogs. My pedals are much too high. It seems to confuse them. But, unfortunately they can pass right in front of you and in that case, your going down.
Hope you are back in the saddle sooner than later. Or at least you can take heart that you weren’t doing 45 mph like those boys on the TdF.
Again, glad you are OK, at least reasonably so.
Paul
Paul: thanks. I am glad that not only was I not doing the 45 mph like those guys but that I had just crested a hill and was sitting down. I replay it several times a day in my mind wondering if I could have done something differently. Thanks for your concern but if it okay with you I will stick with my “real” bike and not a recumbent. 🙂
Those dogs must really have it in for you. Glad you are okay though. Love you
Janna: yep I think so. Wanted to sing “Who let the dogs out?” but refrained. I was either in too much pain or too mad. 🙂 Thanks for caring. I love you too.
Bill, I am so sorry to tell you this, but your blog had me cracking up. Now I wasn’t laughing because you had a bike wreck, I know that wasn’t funny and could have been serious, I was laughing at the way you wrote about it. Glad you’re doing alright though and I sure hope you find a way to keep those dogs at bay. That’s ridiculous! As usual, you can take any subject and relate it to Jesus, which is why I love reading your blogs! Take care!
Jan: thanks for stopping by. Glad I made you laugh. Thanks also for the kind words. I am doing okay except for some residual problems with my shoulder. I now carry HALT! with me. I am looking (gunning) for him now. 😉
Bill, Halt may be okay, but a tazer would be better. I don’t like dogs that come at me. That’s why I don’t go for walks anymore. If I had a tazer, I’d consider it. selahV
Tazer would be nice but no chance to even use it this time. Thanks for stopping by.