Oh the Sadness...

Well, today was a very emotionally draining day. You may be asking, "why"? I will premise this with the fact that you all may think that this is kind of silly. BUT before you do...just think back on all the posts that have involved mountain bike rides...how much I love doing it...all the good times...all the time and money spent in putting my bike together. Then maybe it won't seem so foolish.

So, here's the story...
First I'm riding my nice mountain bike around town right now because my other cheaper one got stolen. Remember the dumb story about me leaving it outside overnight at the bike shop? Yeah, that was really stupid of me. So, I've been riding around on my nice mountain bike when I don't have Jason's car.

So, this morning I thought, "Oooh, I'll go to Starbucks in the Marigold Center and have a little quiet time/do some marriage counseling homework." I got to the Starbucks at about 10:15am. I locked my bike up to the bike rack that is RIGHT THERE. The one between CVS and the Starbucks. It is in complete and plain sight. I went inside, got my coffee, and sat down. Jason called me at 10:30am. I walked outside to talk to him (I don't like talking inside where everyone can hear you). While I was talking to him I glanced at the bike rack and saw my lock hanging from the rack...and NO BIKE! I started freaking out on the phone..."Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh." I thought at first that I didn't actually shut the lock...or that it was my error and that someone had just grabbed the bike. When I walked over to the lock though...it had been cut. They CUT the lock! WHAT!??!!! Here's the thing too. There were people sitting outside right next to it. I had asked them if they saw anything. They said "No, not at all." I don't remember but I don't think that those people were sitting there when I walked into the Starbucks...

So, some how this person timed it just right. I had only been in there for 15 minutes and they managed to do it...in plain sight...sometime when I was inside but when there were no people sitting outside where they could see him (I'm assuming it's a guy...could be wrong though.)

When I told Jason on the phone he jumped into his car and rushed over to try to find the person. I guess he drove all around the area. No luck. I ended up calling the police and they came out and did a full report. I really took the whole thing hard. I was weepy when it happened and had to hold back the tears and stay composed. I was fine with the police officer but the second I saw Jason...the walls came down. I cried so hard...the kind where you don't breath and drool. Quite lovely. :-) It was just so so so sad. It's one of Jason and I's favorite things to do together, we invested a lot of money in the bike...ugh. On top of all that...you just feel so stupid, so duped, and so violated when someone steals from you. I mean the bike wasn't worth a TON of money...maybe $700-$800...which is low in the mountain bike world. It was MY bike though...I loved to ride it...and now it's gone. It's sad that Jason and I probably won't go on a mountain bike ride together again...at least not in a long, long time.

Anyways, we decided that the guy probably does this "for a living". He probably will part the thing out and make even more money. It wasn't some homeless person who just needed a bike. It's a tiny frame, it has a pink headset...it was someone who was able to recognize that it was worth money. I assume that they do this often since most people don't carry lock cutters in their back pocket. So that's my sad story. :-(

I guess the Lord is seeing this as a refining time. I guess that's good in the long run but it sure hurts while you're in the midst of it. Anyways, I can already see the Lord's hand at work in providing another bike for me to get around town on...which is so great. I opened up my drawer with my cycling jerseys and shorts in it. So strange that this phase of my life could really be over. *Sigh*. But...we can still pray that is would be recovered!!!!!