It will be an Adventure I Tell Ya...

Those of you out there who have ever followed Johnny on any type of adventure know that more likely than not, you will have a good story to tell when in it is over (if you survive that is). I mean, it all seems innocent enough--walking/hiking, biking, boating, going to the park...but somehow, more often than not, it turns into adventures in which your brain begins to wonder if you will even be able to make it through.

This morning's adventure seemed innocent enough. Jackson is receiving royalty treatment at an overnight stay at Granny's, so it seemed like the perfect time for the three of us to get some miles in on the bikes.

I cherish the beautiful scene of a daddy and his son as I look ahead to where our dead end county road meets County Road 197.  I figured we would be in for about ten miles and our my biggest challenge-not passing out before we reached the top a few of the hills. 

We were about 3 miles into our ride, and it happened. I saw Johnny do this little funny hand motion. I thought, surely he doesn't mean we are going to ride down there. I hesitated because the little hand motion then made perfect sense. It meant-just hang out here a minute while I just check this out a minute. I'll be back in just a few seconds. Once I realized I had misinterpreted the little hand motion I decided I probably should snap a picture and get moving because they were way ahead at this point. Honestly, my second thought was, "I should probably just turn back and head home." BUT, I didn't. The scene was just too compelling. Honestly, I have never seen fields look so beautiful. Nature had captivated me--screaming for me to cherish and honor the Creator of such scenery. After a few cycles I realized this wasn't going to be so bad. I could find firm places to ride to avoid getting bogged down into the mud.

John Gannon saw these stumps that he decided he wanted his picture taken on. Little did I know at the time that I was also taking the picture of something else.

 John was initially scared to get on the top stump. But, he pushed through and did it (you know his safety stuff kicked in--it was a long way down on the other side). 

Now, on to the other thing in the picture. Do you see those power lines? Well, as we pedal off from the stop a few minute later I hear Johnny scream this sound that I interpreted as something painful just happened. "What's wrong with you?" I yelled. I am pretty sure as soon as my voice became silent, I felt it. This electrocution feeling on the inside of my thigh. I am so taken back, I scream too, as it happens 2 more times! At this point, Johnny is explaining we need to be standing up--not touching the metal when we ride under these things. He says he forgot about that. I normally wouldn't let him off the hook that easy with the "I forgot" but being that his electrocution occurred in a little more sensitive area on the left than a thigh, I figured I'd let him slide. So, as I pedal on, I am sure if someone were behind me they could physically see little electric bolts leaving my inner upper thighs as I kept pedaling. This continued for minutes and then subsided. So much for those smiling moments we had just a few minutes before :)

Speaking of minutes, our path continued to change from hardened earth, to sand as we navigated the field roads. Bikes and sand = workout! After many minutes, Johnny then decides to break the news. "Ok. I think this is where they end, we need to turn around". John Gannon and I are baffled. "Huh? What do you mean turn around?" Johnny is just as baffled, "Did ya'll think this was somehow going to get us home?" John Gannon and I quickly explained that if you go THIS far through this kind of terrain, YES-it is suppose to loop around and end at that field over there by our house.

Well, to offer us some hope I suppose, he points in some random direction and explained if we would just ride through that field it would lead to the creek over by our house and we could get on the gravel road and head home. Again, we followed him. This time, through the worst terrain yet. A field (not a field road) that had been recently cultivated. All that were left were the broken stalks of what were once plants yielding soy beans. I finally figured that one was bound to puncture my tire and I would have a pass. At that point, Johnny would have to ride home, get the truck and just come pick me and John up. To my dismay, that didn't happen. John Gannon and I finally found this 3 or 4 inch wide groove that some piece of equipment trenched that we followed and gave us a little relief. He was ready to stop and push the bike. I said, "NOPE. We've made it this far, we aren't giving up. We have some grit." I kept my real thoughts to myself! We eventually make it to a lovely site--the creek. So, across the creek, up the hill and onto the gravel road we go. Did I mention we were just going to take a family ride along the roads around our house?

We climb the hill from the creek and then have to pedal through grass/weeds as high as my bike. I was pretty sure this was the end of me. But I kept turning the pedals. I wasn't going to stop...that is until I saw Johnny get off and start pushing. At that point, I mentally shouted "Hallelujah" and gleefully hopped off the seat. I am glad he was in front and didn't see the uncontainable, huge smile that swept onto my face. We walked a few more feet, crossed over the barbed wire fences with our person and our bikes, through the ditch onto the gravel road. 

While I thought this was relief, much to my dismay someone had replaced the once small, normal sized gravel with these large fist-sized rocks. I am pretty sure I was near death as I took this picture. I was weaving, feeling unbalanced. The nerve endings in my neck were going crazy from the adrenaline. My rational self said "You need to just put the camera up." But no...I had made it this far and by golly, I was taking the picture.

After the boulder road, we followed the field road that eventually led to the field behind our house, which eventually led to our quaint dead end road, which let to our scenic driveway, which led to our peaceful home.

There you have it...our family bike ride on the road, through the mud and fields, death sand, electrocution, creek, barbed wire, thick-jungle like grass, boulder road, and how can I forget--An adventure with a great story to tell. I love my husband. My life would be so boring without him.

Live a Meaningful Life!