Biking Blunders

Ok. So I went biking again today. I don't think I was supposed to have fun on this trip. First, part of the way there I realize I forgot my wallet. Oh, well. No big deal I guess. I get to the part in Newport News (too long of a drive) where the park on the pamphlet is located. No fee parking! Yeah! So get my bike off the rack and go to put on my headphones... someone should tell Sony that their ear buds come off too easy. No big deal. I can just listen with the one bud left.

I hit the track with enthusiasm anticipating a sweet scenic single track but met a wide sand trail with a tree fallen across the path to top it off. No big deal. I can go around it. I quickly find out the bike that I had just got tuned up and adjusted wasn't quite as adjusted as I thought. It had troubles going into the 3rd gear in the front and just plain refused to go into the 1st or 8th on the back. No big deal. I can get it fixed tomorrow. The trail progressively gets worse with more sand and eventually a gunky, muddy area I can only describe as a swamp. Now I'm starting to lose my optimism. But hey, things could be worse.

I finally get back to my car glad to have my bike out of that mess (it was sand that messed up my breaks and gears in the first place). I get all packed up and start to leave. As I leave, I see and middle aged man dressed in typical fishing gear: a vest with hooks and lures all over it and an orange hat graced with a few more lures (what is he planning on catching anyway?!). I see him start to walk back on this sweet looking wooden deck/path on the other side of the road. Then I thought to look at my directions again. "The entrance to the trail starts on the opposite side of the road from the parking lot." Ugh! What the heck was that "trail" I just wasted my last bit of sunlight on?! I'm getting a little frustrated by this point.

Well, atleast I can go home now and relax... that was until I saw my car was on "E". No big deal, I'll just get to the gas station which has a low price of $1.96, the lowest I've paid in a long time! I get there and get out of my car and reach for my wallet so I can pay for the precious gas I so desperately need... no wallet.

I get into my car with no clue what to do. I look in my cup holder and find 2 quarters, 2 nickles and 4 pennies. Even if I had the nerve to go into station and ask for $.64 of gas, there was no getting home on that. I was actually a little below the "E". Was there any break to come for me today?

Alas! There was a ray of light... coming from the compartment below my CD player in the form of 2 gift cards from Walmart I had won at work. But did they have any money left? I would have to take a chance and find out.

So, I pull up to the Walmart gas station and pull out the cards and slide the first one into the slot with a prayer. $1.36 credit. Phew! That's a good start! I gas the money out of that card and move onto the next one: $2.39 credit! I can get home! A break had finally come.

And I sit here at home thankful. Thankful that I was provided with just enough to get me back and maybe a trip to work tomorrow morning... I hope!