High Flying

That spring morning was one of those ten or so perfect days: Blue sky, light breeze, and leaves glistening after several days of rain. After my marriage failed, I needed to take care of myself. I would apply some self-care by taking a day of leave.

So, I hauled my bike down the steep, wooden staircase behind Mount Pleasant that deposited me near the Rock Creek Park Mounted Police Station on Beach Drive. Off I flew using the foot clips and inverted racing handles of my recently purchased ten-speed Trek bicycle. I zipped past wooded areas, parcours stations, and early morning joggers until I approached a cement ford covered by Rock Creek’s gushing water. By continuing at full speed surely the bike’s thin tires would slash through the stream. At least that is what flashed into my mind during that instant or two when these types of decisions are made.

If someone had videoed the arc of my bike flying upward as soon as it hit the water at full speed, flying up in what felt like slow motion with me holding tightly to the handle bars, the film would have shown a loop in the air until gravity dropped me heavily into the creek. That’s when insights occurred rapidly. I was lucky that the stream was sufficiently full to avoid dashing against the rocky bottom, I wouldn’t release my grip – “Damn it, I’ll go down before giving up the bike,” and those joggers running past won’t help because to do so would interfere with their time.

Holding the bike tightly with one hand, I used the other hand to awkwardly swim and push myself to shore. After walking the racing bike slowly back to my condo, I washed it and sprayed oil into every moving part. Only then did I shower. I spent the rest of the day feeling slightly ill from having swallowed a bunch of Rock Creek water.

“Rock Creek Water Quality: It is populated with bacteria and other microbes, degraded aquatic life, excess sediment, mercury, metals, PCBs, and toxic organic chemicals.” EPA

Apart from a tough lesson about attempting to ride through quick flowing water, I realized something else. Something about fighting fiercely for myself. I’m not talking about being obstinate in the face of reason, I am talking about holding tight to what is valued. On that glorious spring morning, it was my bicycle and my self-esteem.