As I said before we were able to even fit in the bikes for our camping trip over spring break. The kids had a huge area to ride their bikes around. Gabbie even got in on the action when Michelle and Jeffrey rigged up the hiking backpack thing on Jeffrey to let Gabbie experience the true freedom of having the wind blow through her precious red hair! We were tearing up just watching her screaming at the top of her lungs...yeehaw...woo hoo....look at me y'all...I'm flying! Michelle said she thinks that is the fastest that Gabbie has every gone other than in a car! I was scared to death that Jeffrey would crash, but Michelle knew that he would be careful. He is so good and caring when it comes to that precious cousin!
Michelle and the girls left on Monday evening, so we woke up Tuesday morning ready to try and head to a cool bike trail that Jeffrey found and couldn't wait for us to experience as a family! I literally thought...you know what's a little 30 minute ride gonna hurt. I can do this with a bruised tail bone and all. We started out on this nice, wide, sidewalk type trail that went through beautiful trees, etc....just enough hill to make you not have to pedal the whole time. It was really allot of fun to have all of us out together being active and being able to keep up with the kids! Well then we get to the end of the nice trail that came to a little road. As we stop and look across the road we see a dirt trail that is super small, but there is a sign that says hiking/biking trail. I'm pretty sure it was at that point that my adventurous/athletic (not) husband started hearing the theme song for Indiana Jones in his head when he chimed in with the kiddos-who were already half way up the trail-"Come on babe....let's have some adventure!" So I kicked it into the low gear as my family took off and made it up the first hill without even having to get off and push! Man what a rush, and I felt so strong and confident!
We continued on up and down the trail...hills, rocks, trees, tree roots, stairs....yes I said stairs! Jacob was leading the pack and when we heard screams of excitement we knew that meant something fun and probably super dangerous ahead. Did we stop...oh no....we kept going! We passed a family that was actually HIKING the trail...imagine that....and I overheard the little boy say to his dad...."I didn't know you could ride bikes on this trail dad?!" I tried to keep a smart look on my face as we rode past them and deeper and deeper into the woods. Every time we would go down a great hill Marv would say, you know we are gonna have to go back up that, but it will be fine! Marv's goal was to stay on his bike no matter what. He actually did pretty well...even with no ACL in his knee! It was probably at least an hour and a half into the great Jolly adventure that we found that the trail seemed to just stop.
We continued on up and down the trail...hills, rocks, trees, tree roots, stairs....yes I said stairs! Jacob was leading the pack and when we heard screams of excitement we knew that meant something fun and probably super dangerous ahead. Did we stop...oh no....we kept going! We passed a family that was actually HIKING the trail...imagine that....and I overheard the little boy say to his dad...."I didn't know you could ride bikes on this trail dad?!" I tried to keep a smart look on my face as we rode past them and deeper and deeper into the woods. Every time we would go down a great hill Marv would say, you know we are gonna have to go back up that, but it will be fine! Marv's goal was to stay on his bike no matter what. He actually did pretty well...even with no ACL in his knee! It was probably at least an hour and a half into the great Jolly adventure that we found that the trail seemed to just stop.
We could see the lake, so we knew at least that we were still in the camp ground, but no signs, no people, no nothing. It is at this point that I realized several things: 1. Marv I think we are lost! 2. We have no map. 3. We have no cell phone. 4. We have no water, or food. (Remember it was just gonna be an easy 30 minute ride on the concrete sidewalk bike trail!) 5. And no matter what Marv was telling me...we had no clue! Oh yes and there seemed to be some dark clouds starting to form in the distance!
It was at this point that we literally had to carry our bikes up and down the terrain to find some kind of thing that looked like a trail and then we see it....some signs that told us that we had just come 3 1/2 miles, and that the lodge was only 1/2 mile away that way. That meant water, bathrooms, and civilization! When we made it to the lodge looking pretty scary, we sat on a soft couch in the great room and had a treat of water and ice cream! Marv went to the front desk to ask what would be the quickest way to get back to Elephant Rock(since it looked like rain may be coming)....which ended up being back the exact way we just came, or down the state park highway...which is only about 31/2 miles of asphalt. Well after what we had just accomplished...which was really fun by the way until the last 30 minutes where we were sorta lost....we thought... we all decided we could do the easy hi-way part in no time!
So off we go with Daddy in the lead, baby girl next in line, then Jacob, Jeffrey, and Momma bringing up the rear (literally) and watching for cars. There wasn't much of a shoulder really so we had to stay as close to the white line as possible...unless there was a car coming in which I would scream...."CAR" and we would all slow down and head off to the grass. We were making great time and were gonna be able to make it back to the tent in no time until...we got to a part in the road where we got...no joke going downhill at around 20-30 miles an hour. From the screams of delight up ahead we knew we were about to pick up speed, and Jeffrey and I were lagging behind somewhat and saw this as an opportunity to catch up. (Did I mention that none of us had on biking helmets?...big no no! : ( This thought went through my mind as I started picking up speed, and then it happened....
It was at this point that we literally had to carry our bikes up and down the terrain to find some kind of thing that looked like a trail and then we see it....some signs that told us that we had just come 3 1/2 miles, and that the lodge was only 1/2 mile away that way. That meant water, bathrooms, and civilization! When we made it to the lodge looking pretty scary, we sat on a soft couch in the great room and had a treat of water and ice cream! Marv went to the front desk to ask what would be the quickest way to get back to Elephant Rock(since it looked like rain may be coming)....which ended up being back the exact way we just came, or down the state park highway...which is only about 31/2 miles of asphalt. Well after what we had just accomplished...which was really fun by the way until the last 30 minutes where we were sorta lost....we thought... we all decided we could do the easy hi-way part in no time!
So off we go with Daddy in the lead, baby girl next in line, then Jacob, Jeffrey, and Momma bringing up the rear (literally) and watching for cars. There wasn't much of a shoulder really so we had to stay as close to the white line as possible...unless there was a car coming in which I would scream...."CAR" and we would all slow down and head off to the grass. We were making great time and were gonna be able to make it back to the tent in no time until...we got to a part in the road where we got...no joke going downhill at around 20-30 miles an hour. From the screams of delight up ahead we knew we were about to pick up speed, and Jeffrey and I were lagging behind somewhat and saw this as an opportunity to catch up. (Did I mention that none of us had on biking helmets?...big no no! : ( This thought went through my mind as I started picking up speed, and then it happened....
All most in slow motion...and there was nothing I could do to stop it....Jeffrey's front wheel starts wobbling and then he goes flipping in the air and crashes right in the middle of the road on the asphalt! Somehow the boy was able to hang on to his handlebars while trying to use his hand brakes. He landed on his bike...which broke his fall for the most part, and landed on his stomach all sprawled out in the middle of the road. He was yelling...my legs, my legs! At that point I don't remember much, but the adrenaline kicked in this momma and I had him pulled off to the grass and then got his bike out of the road within 30-45 seconds. That's when several cars showed up...thankfully not any earlier, or it could have been really bad! The family that stopped with a first aid kit was amazingly from our town! Jeffrey only had a cut on his thumb, scraps on his shoulder, and some bruises on his legs. I was so embarrassed, thankful, and freaked out all at the same time! Needless to say...Marv rode the rest of the way to our tent...I think about a mile...to get the truck and come get us and our bikes off the side of the road.
We were so thankful to get back to our little outdoor home and have some lunch. Of course Jeffrey took some Motrin and ate his sandwich lying down in the tent. He was pretty banged up, and we watched him closely to make sure there wasn't any internal bleeding, etc... It was super scary, but fun to know that we had just survived one of the greatest mountain biking adventures. Jeffrey's back bike tire/wheel still has a gimp thing going on, and probably will have to be replaced soon! The day was not over yet....that I will save for part 3 of our camping adventures! Until then....lesson learned...always, always, ALWAYS wear your bike helmet!!!
1 comment:
I love that boy. He is dear to me. Protect his brain, please.
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