Have a Nice Trip, See You Next Fall

In Northern Lower Michigan where I live, one of the biggest events of the year is the Labor Day Bridge Walk. This involves thousands of people coming from all over the state, and beyond, to walk across the Macanac Bridge from Lower Michigan to the UP. Lately people have begun riding their bikes from downstate up to St. Ignace. I became aware of this when a cousin called to ask if we could put him up for the night. I readily agreed and asked for his itinerary.

On the day he was to arrive my wife and I got on our bikes and rode down to the main street of town, which happened to be on the preferred bike route to the bridge. It was the middle of a saturday afternoon, and as we sat on our bikes just off the main road, bikes passed us in ones and twos. After about ten minutes a large group of cyclists appeared in the distance. Since my cousin was riding up with a group from the Detroit area we assumed he would soon be with us.

I decided to ride out to meet him, but instead of smoothly peddling away, I caught my toe on the pedal. Since I was leaning forward I completely lost my balance and started to fall. I saw that I had parked myself next to what was probably the only mud puddle within the city limits. I threw out my hands and threw back my head as hard as I could, but to no avail. Although my hands absorbed most of the force I still ended up with my face in the muddy water.

I scrambled to my feet and there I stood with a muddy face, gravel encrusted hands, torn trousers, and a bloody knee as the cyclists began to pass, I saw my cousin's mortified face, and out of the corner of my eye I saw my wife discretely wave him past. He went past without acknowledging us in any way. When he rode up to our house that evening he found me laying on the couch with bandaged hands, an ice pack on my knee, and a heating pad on my wrenched neck. I waved off his apology and we sat for a few moments talking about inconsequentials. As he got up to eat the dinner my wife had prepared I said, "All things considered I think I'll skip the bridge walk this year"

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