Sad...

Hmm. I'm a little sad. You see, my beloved commuter bike was stolen (not the expensive mountain bike). My bike is my life line. It's my main mode of transportation and I really loved it. I would be more angry and sad if it wasn't for my own stupidity. So here's what happened...

On Friday I got off of work and met Jason at CBO (bike shop). I rode over there and parked my bike along side all the new bikes that they have out in front of their store. My bike tires are too small to fit in their "public rack" and so I always park it with their new bikes. I didn't lock it because it's right in front of the door...nobody is going to take it. So, I walk in and hang out in their for a good hour with Jason. They ended up telling him that he needed to spend MORE money in order to get his bike working...it was a little distressing and sad. So, after we were done I just hopped into the truck with Jason and drove off...not even thinking or realizing that I DIDN'T ARRIVE THERE WITH HIM!!! What's worse...I didn't realize that the bike was missing until Sun. night. I didn't figure out where it was till Mon. morning. By then it was too late. Gosh, I feel so stupid. So, I called CBO in the morning and asked them if they had seen it. They said they noticed it when they closed up the shop on Fri. but didn't know who's it was. They left it outside to fend for itself. It didn't fair well because I think it got stolen that first night. I cried when I found out. Mostly because I was so mad at myself for being stupid, but also because Jason had given me the bike. I also had my helmet on the handle bars and so that's gone. I have to have that to mountain bike. Helmets aren't all that cheap either. Sooo...I'm bike-less.

I filed a police report yesterday and it's a licensed bike so it's registered under my name if they do find it. I hope and pray they do. When I'm driving around I'm scoping out every bike I see people on. Jason made me promise that I wouldn't chase them down though. :-) I have a history of that...sort of a funny story actually. Might as well tell it! Have I told this story already? hmmm.

Well, this bike was actually temporarily stolen about a year ago when I worked at Grace Church. I got off work and was on my way to school. I decided to stop off at the corner market there and grab a pop. I put the bike right in front of the doorway (without locking it) and grabbed my pop. I was in there for seriously 3 min. and when I came out the bike was gone. Ooooooh, I was mad. I did a scan of the area because I knew that they couldn't have made it far. I could see a guy on the other side of the park riding on a white bike. I figured it was mine. So, I cinched my backpack down nice and tight and sprinted across the park and chased after him. I lost sight of him for a second and then I saw that there was a group of homeless people sitting in the trees behind the senior center where you couldn't see them. I saw my bike next to them. Ooooh. Gottcha! I stormed up to them and grabbed my bike. I called them "jerks" and told them that I was calling the cops. I wish I had a camera to capture the moment. I think the guys were so shocked that they didn't say a word. They just stared at me blankly. I got my bike back though. So there! After I took it back I started to think a little more clearly and couldn't believe I did that. What can you do though? That was MY bike and I wasn't going to put up with it.

So, Jason made me promise that I wouldn't take things into my own hands if I see it. I'll try not to. I think it might be a little hard though. :-)