The Crash!

This 

is the day

I almost

lost Alex.

The day starts

so bright 

and 

beautiful...

We're biking

down to 

Marco Island

today...

...our first

biking day

of 2011...

We plan

to bike

100 miles 

today!

Oh-oh!

Flat tire

right before 

Lover's Key.

Luckily

Al learned how

to change a flat

outside Boise

on our 

bike ride

across America.

Now she

fixes her tire

with aplomb!

But wait!

We've never 

filled a tire

with a 

CO2 cartridge 

before!

How does 

this work?

We squeak

when the nozzle

hizzes and freezes!

But it works!

(This was

her less traumatic

flat of the day.)

Off we go

- a little nervous -

with 10 miles 

 to the bike shop...

We arrive

safe and sound

to Naples Cyclery.

They tune us up -

fresh tubes 

and cartridges -

...and we're 

on our way

again!

We talk

with 

local cyclists...

...who carry

their own 

beach chairs...

pretty clever!

But our road

to Marco

is hot and long...

The only 

shade

is a 

Walmart sign!

I'm just glad

I have Al...

...to lead 

the way

into that 

headwind!

Dangers abound!

Construction...

Cars....

Panthers!

But we arrive

safely

at Marco Island!

Time 

for a 

wholesome

snack...

...and a 

chance

to relax...

...at our

favorite

local store.

Time now

to turn around

and head back

to Ft M.

With 

a wonderful

tail wind!

Turn onto

busy

highway 41...

I shudder

when I realize

this might have been

my last picture

ever

of my daughter...

Run away car...

out 

of 

control...

...at least 55 mph

smashes

into the guardrail

just two yards 

behind 

her back tire!

I saw it coming.

I saw 

this car 

careening

across 3 lanes of traffic

heading 

straight

towards

Alex.

I screamed 

her name!

If she had stopped....

If she had 

even 

slowed
down....

Her tire

is slashed

from the debris

of the shattered

car.

Luckily

a kind couple

- from Indiana btw -

stops to help.

Steve 

helps 

repair...

Her tire

is cut so badly

he needs a dollar bill

to hold it 

together.

His wife, Margaret,

chats

with 

my shaken 

daughter.

The errant driver

looks mad.

He never walks

over to check

on my daughter

that he almost 

killed.

Back on the road...

We have to bike
to Naples
to the Cyclery...

Alex
bikes
timidly...

We have to stop

walk bikes

through
a Naples
Art Festival....

I walk ahead
admiring
the art...

talking
to the dogs...

I look back

and realize
Alex
has been crying.




-Are you
alright?
I ask...

She smiles weakly.

- I was listening
to the
beautiful
music...

and looking
at this
beautiful art...

this
beautiful
moment

and I realized
if that car
had hit me
...
....
......

- Thank goodness
it didn't, Alex!

We're on
quiet roads
now...

Pelican Bay...

We finally
cross
Vanderbilt Beach Road...

to Naples Cyclery...

And Tom....

Who's so happy
to see
his Alex
is safe.












Let's hope 2011
has happier
safer
cycling
ahead...