Life, Mountain Biking, and a guy I did not know

Sometimes things just hit too close to home. Such is the story of Wesley Hixson .

I didn't know Wesley Hixson. From everything I have read he was a lot more experienced mountain biker than I am. He was a young man of 30 who left too soon and the story is tragic not only because he leaves behind a family and friends who love him but because it was an accident that shouldn't have happened. That's why it's an accident.

The mountain bike community is something I am pretty new to but I have always found them to be amazingly friendly and helpful. I have had my share of near misses and I have always had someone there to help fix a flat, give direction, or walk or ride me off a trail. A stranger even stayed with me when I needed medical attention until the EMS came. They are always the first people to pass me by on the trail and make sure I am okay. They don't leave riders behind. That's just who mountain bikers are.

People are looking for answers in this tragedy and there really aren't any. There are no fingers to point and nobody is to blame. My instincts tell me as a rider that we all tend to feel we are okay after a fall, even if we may not be okay. Things happen. We fall. We fall a lot. That is just part of the ride. There is kind of a saying in biking that if you don't fall you aren't doing it right. When I come in after a particularly hard ride, my friends look at my bruises and scrapes and think I got beat up. I laugh and say 'No but I had a great ride! I face planted once and hit a tree!' They think I'm nuts. Maybe I am. Remember that I am new to this sport and I don't get a chance to ride near enough right now but God, I love it.

What makes this so hard, I think, so real, for anyone who mountain bikes, is that we know, no matter how experienced a rider we may or may not be, this could be us. There is nothing special or different about this situation that any rider who has been on a mountain bike more than 20 minutes hasn't experienced. Quite simply if you love biking, this is part of the sport, part of the adventure.

So will any of us quit? I doubt it. What will happen, I am guessing is that the community will find a way, when the time is right to honor Wesley. In the meantime individuals will donate to his family fund as he left behind a wife and young kids. As for personal safety, we will all check our helmets and make sure we have our cellphones with us if we didn't already. (I did). Me personally, I doubt I will ever not think of Wesley when I am at Northshore now. I am betting he has found the ultimate ride in Heaven. May God grant peace to those he loved.

Note: I didn't change this from Mountain Bike Monday because they found Wesley yesterday.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Enjoy the Ride!

Simply,
Laura

Trail Riding and a trip to the ER

Saturday Morning I woke up so excited! I was hitting the road to Arlington with my favorite girl in tow!



It had been way too long since Skye and I had spent time together. 3 months. I felt so bad about my weight gain and how I looked. I was depressed. I couldn't face my bike shorts until Saturday. I grabbed my bike capris and a T and headed to River Legacy for a Clinic. This was a huge women's clinic with both the DORBA and FWMBA women involved plus Bicycles Inc and the City of Arlington Fire Department.

The beginning of the clinic was a skills clinic and I learned some good stuff. Later we hit the trail. It wasn't too far in when I realized something wasn't right. Probably about the 2 mile mark. I was feeling off. I had been drinking water but I was feeling tired and breathing was too hard. I thought it was probably because I hadn't ridden in a while at first then maybe my asthma although it was warm and that usually is more reactive in cold. I pulled over to stop a minute and suddenly felt dizzy. The sweep pulled over with me. Her name is Maria. I sat down. Maria stayed with me the rest of the morning.

It turns out after resting for 5 minutes I decided the best thing was to ride out and get some water and cool off and eat. Maria and I headed the 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 miles out by the bypasses and I thanked her and headed to my car. I was putting my stuff in the Jeep when I turned around and there was Maria and 2 Arlington Firemen. I told them I was fine and that I just hadn't eaten this morning. They chastised me and then asked to take my BP. I said sure. It was 130/72. I said "see...told you I was fine". They handed me water and laughed then the other fireman asked if he could get my pulse. I said sure. He grabbed my wrist and said "I can't find it". About that time I started seeing spots and leaning back on the car but didn't say anything. The last thing I remember was him grabbing my left wrist and then I heard someone say "grab her she's going out". Then I was in my bedroom and dreaming about being late for River Legacy only I was hearing voices and I couldn't figure out why Ries and Sadie were talking and were male!!




So there was an ambulance ride. A lecture from the paramedics about proper pre-Texas heat hydration starting the day before and the proper color of urine being clearer if you are hydrated.
Oh, and coffee not actually counting as either a meal or hydration. :(



One of the largest IV tubes I have ever had. It's a 16 gage. It's cruel. It hurt.


4 of these bad boys. Yay!



At least I got my swag bag thanks to Khrystal who came to the hospital not once but twice! She also checked up on me later in the night and has held off on killing me until I at least stop beating myself up for this one. She is a good friend. My friends have been sweet. Texting to see if I am ok.



When I was finally ready to go home they gave me a really nice parting gift to remember them by. I do have to say the hospital staff was very nice and they managed to tell me a nice way that I need to take care of myself without the lecture. My mom just gave me that "mother" look that says you will not do this again will you because you scared me to death?

I wanted to go biking today in the worst way. I accomplished that. As good as it felt to be out there on the trail and boy did it, that trip to the hospital was a wake up call on another front. There are a lot of little things that I need to be more careful about. Water and getting breakfast in before I ride are two of them. The firemen, paramedics, and ER doctor were all cute and really nice but I would just as soon not ever have to spend a day like today again.

I have been trying so hard all week to be mindful of my eating. I can't stop on the weekends.


Finally....do these things breed?? I always find extras of these things hiding when I get home. Oh, my tests were all fine. My heart is fine...yes, I have one and it isn't even broken! Apparently, the Texas heat got me.


Simply,
Laura
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Friday Happy Hour: Therapy, Biking and Baseball

I'm not really at Happy Hour. I haven't even had a drink for 2 weeks. No, I am not suffering from some other addiction I haven't admitted to, yet. I just can't risk bringing on migraines right now with alcohol.




I started therapy this week. It is amazing how hearing something your friends and mother have been telling you (and maybe just maybe something I knew inside) for a year from a stranger who doesn't love you can really make you see reality and understand that sometimes it is ok that you tried. I finally realized this morning while driving to work I am done beating myself up for trying so hard. I had to try. I didn't try in the past and I beat myself up. I tried too hard and I beat myself up. Now, I am done beating myself up. I am glad I tried. It's ok that I tried. It's ok because there is nothing wrong with trying if you are the only one trying and it doesn't work. It's ok for a lot of reasons. Mostly it's ok because for the first time in so long I realized there really is nothing wrong with me.




I am going to blog another time about the steps I am taking to help with the bulimia. I only want to say this....I have purged one time since June 9th. That is the best I have done in a year. That is a huge baby step. I have also only binged one day in that time. (Yes the purge and binge happened the same day.) I am working really hard on making sure I eat (so everyone who is checking up on me....I am ok and I love you.) I also am working really hard on staying away from food that leads me to binges so if that means I don't eat pizza, ice cream, or chips...you are just going to have to trust me that that doesn't mean I am now not eating. I have been living with this for over 20 years and I may not have beaten it yet but I do know how to avoid some trigger foods it's the trigger feelings I have problems with.




Some of the saddest truth I had to admit to my therapist the other day was that I haven't been riding the last couple of months because I am ashamed of what I look like right now. Nobody wants to see my bratwurst legs in bike shorts. Well, I don't know what I am wearing but tomorrow I will be in Arlington on the trail with about 200 women riders and I just don't care. I miss my bike and I have to get past this mental block because biking is my favorite thing on earth and I will not wait until I like what I see in the mirror to get me some!




I just loved this and this is how I feel sometimes!




(Sharing my nephew and my mom from the game the other night!)
The Rangers are finally back on track...I hope. They are playing the hated Cardinals of St. Louis this weekend so we shall see.

TGIF everyone! Have a great weekend! Go get ya some!

Simply,
Laura
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Never, Ever, Ever plus Yuesday Tueaday!

Linking up with Neely at A complete waste of makeup  for Never, Ever, Ever.
Here is what I will Never, ever, ever say again..or do...or both:

Never, ever, ever:

*will I think Adam Levine isn't just amazing looking.
*will I pass on a beerita.
*will I cheer against a DFW team.
*will I say football is better than baseball
*will I think men on mountain bikes aren't sexy as heck.
*will I not look when I pass the Fire Department.
*will I love push-ups.
*will I turn the phone off for more then an hour.
*will I not be 99% sure manna from heaven is Chick-Fil-A nuggets.
*will you hear me tell another person they are going to Hell for anything. I don't know God's will and it is not up to me to pass judgement.
*will I turn down free Rangers, Mavs, Stars, or Cowboy tickets...in that order!
*will I chase a man again. I am worth too much and I deserve so much better.
*will I be anyone but myself. I may be difficult, stubborn, and loud but I have a heart of gold and I would die for the people I love.
*will I walk away from chips and salsa even though I should!
*will I tell myself I can't.
*will I doubt again that I was put on this earth to be a mother. I will have my children and it will happen soon.
*will I stress because I don't have a child yet. I am counting on y'all to hold me to this one.
*will I think the last man I dated is the last man I will ever date until someone puts a ring on it.
*will I confuse sex and love. Too honest? Sorry.
*will I not post a picture of me wearing a new shirt. I'm so vain!




I am really loving my new makeup.  That's for real! I think I look cute!  Words I have rarely ever said!



It's Yuesday so I am rocking my #11 T and headed to the ballpark for game 1 of 3 this week....I think. Plus, I am going to get some extra free tickets tonight! Oh I love my life!!


Simply,
Laura
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Mountain Bike/Mobile Monday

Ligers!!!

If I were an animal..I would be a liger! I mean look at that hair! This animal gas a Redheaded Leo smiling! Supposedly the females can actually reproduce but they have to find their Lion. Yep, sounds like me.

Saturday: work! This is how I roll into the office on Saturday....



Waiting to hit the trail!


Challenge: photo of my room


I picked my office because it is where I spend the most time!

Odd angles thanks to panoramic.

There are basically two themes to my office:



It really is just a normal square office.


13 year old boy baseball fan & mountain bike chick.



Then it was MTB time!
Let me just say, the trail is so beautiful and so green and it smells freaking amazing!

I look forward to this old beat up monster when I ride this trail!

This is the Jeep Loop!


This is me and the old girl! I remembered what I love about Biking and will be going after work. I can't wait to get back out there. I never feel so alive as I do on the trail. I was so worried I wouldn't be able to ride but I was shocked. The skill that I have (yes, I actually do have some skill) hasn't gone away and what is more important my fearlessness is still there! I laughed a little as I saw all the stumps and didn't even think about them. I used to avoid them but now I ignore them. The little wood technical areas that give you a ride around option...nope! I want to ride them. (Okay not the teeter totter. I am not that fearless yet.)

Skye and the Jeep!  Isn't it pretty?

Yes, this is my new Camelbak and it is huge and awesome!

S*a*t*u*r*d*a*y Night and I was ready to go on very little sleep.




So were the balloons!


I had a blast Saturday night even if I was tired and I kept twisting my foot walking in my high heels. It's been a long time since I didn't have on flats (which I hate) or sneakers.


Sunday



I spent a lot of time being a responsible adult and working on the yard and house.



I made fresh salsa using this:


I have never in my life chopped jalapeños before. The coughing the burning nose and lungs....wow! Good thing the salsa was worth it!





I also made Chicken Enchilada Casserole.




It isn't a that difficult but it is good. Sometimes I use salsa verde and light sour cream and sometimes salsa rojo. This was red because I may have a ton of salsa at home. You can make this without the light sour cream and use even less cheese. I love food I can eat on for days so this is a win.

My weekend was short but I managed to pack a ton of fun into it!
Happy Monday! Go get ya some!



Simply,
Laura
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Fab Friday!! Biking, Baseball, & Burgers!

I want this LAMP!! Not sure why I am starting with this except...





I miss my bike! I miss my bike and I hope to see her this weekend. Truthfully, Skye is getting pouty about not spending time with me...or maybe I am getting that way about missing her.

So I had a really awesome date night last night. It was quiet and just wonderful. I made dinner.


Nothing fancy but it was so yummy! We had sweet potato burgers with avocado and it was amazing! Who knew a burger could be so good & so easy?

So this weekend I am working on my taxes because I don't want to leave it to the last minute!

Otherwise I have a quiet weekend planned with cleaning, baseball, and hopefully some time with Skye. Oh, for my new readers, Skye is my mountain bike. She is a Trek Skye SL disc but she likes to be called Skye and yes, I talk to her, wash her, and treat her like my 3rd child!

Happy Friday!




XOXO

Simply,
Laura
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Weekend Randoms: Baseball, Life, Love & Easter!

Thursday night I decided I was going to give up all social media for 24 hours on Good Friday and to be honest, except for working on my new blog header on Blogger (I love it!) and creating a Facebook page for Simply Me the way I see it, I managed to stay off everything else. I know, I am shocked too! No Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blogging, Instagram, Timehop, LinkedIn, not even Meet-Up. I really felt left out! I was forced to keep everything to myself or text my friends. Apparently I was texting Chance stuff he saw on Twitter 2-3 days ago. I am so lost! Crazy!




The great part about Friday is that I survived one pretty awful week. I was under the weather and under a lot of pressure. There is irony in the last thing I handled Friday afternoon. I had a situation involving a bike rider who's name is the same as someone I kind of had a personal relationship with in the past and who is a bike rider. The name is not really common so that was odd enough but in a week of near misses on costly blunders this one could have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Thankfully, I got it handled in under 40 minutes and put that baby to bed as I was running out the door.




We are officially 1 day from Easter and Opening Day! It is a double holiday! Jesus and Major League Baseball return on the same day and this makes me, simply happy!




Add to that a very real possibility this weekend will include a lot of time on my favorite bike and it is looking golden! (Obviously I wrote this before the flood last night! Boo to no trails east of Ft.Worth!) Plus I start my 30 Day Bike Challenge on Monday. Rain or shine!




By the way, I spoke with my uncle Thursday night and he is doing very well. He is finally home and while he will be off work for a time with that head injury he is upbeat! I thank every one of my friends and all of the perfect strangers who prayed for him.




I absolutely believe this is true for me and everyone who has ever felt they lost something or someone they really thought they wanted. Someone who just seemed to get you. Someone told me recently your soulmate isn't the one perfect person for you it is the one person you end up with who turns into the perfect person for you. I love this because for a long time I thought maybe my soulmate was killed in a tragic piano accident or maybe he screwed up and let me get away. Turns out I was wrong. My soulmate is not someone who I lost. My soulmate is someone who will never get lost, never go away, never abandon me. God has a plan and at some point I just decided to give in to His plan, be happy, and trust God. If He wants me to be with a guy trapped under a piano he will raise him. If He wants me to be with someone who tossed me aside, He will toss me right back. If He wants me to be with someone else, He will let me run into someone else on a bike at Northshore, Horseshoe, Erwin, RCP, LBH or River Legacy. Something like that.
Be happy people! Life is a joyous adventure and a gift! Live the present and as always




I am! Lent is over and my antibiotics are done! I get to drink and tweet again (lookout!!) plus watch baseball ride my bike and love! Life is amazing!
Simply,
Laura
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Enjoy the Ride!

Simply,
Laura

Blog Hopping; Wild Card/ What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Linking up with Samantha, Rebekah, and Marquis




Linking up today with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday.

I'm Loving:

*God
He has a way of making me calm when I am worried and I am a worrier! Yesterday I got a message that my uncle was being rushed to the ER in Indianapolis after hitting his head in a fall. There was bleeding on the brain and they weren't sure if there would be brain surgery. Meanwhile, I am in Dallas 900 miles away and I am panicked. The only family I have left in Indiana is my Dad's and if you followed me for a time, y'all know how important my Dad was to me. (My Mom is too, don't get me wrong.)
Thankfully, my cousins sent me a message that the neurologist did not think brain surgery was needed and they were keeping him for observation.

*My Facebook and Twitter families who reached out to pray and comfort me while I was freaking out. I am blessed to have so many awesome friends who have been there for me all year and who are just a little over protective at times. (it is sweet that they offer to beat people up for me, really...but I am fully capable of handling myself.)

*My Mom who was also praying for her brother-in-law. Even though she has remarried, they consider her family and she considers them family.



*#4 (or #3 if you are reading this after 1:05 central time)


The number of days until It's Baseball Time in Texas! I am so ready!

*Hummus Chips




I kind of stumbled upon these and I LOVE them! I am going to look for them and take them to all my games at Rangers Ballpark this summer because they are not high in calories and I love that they are made from Chick-peas!



*Organix Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner




I bought this Shampoo and Conditioner looking for something to give my hair strength because, as I am always dieting my hair becomes kind of brittle and breaks. I also have super fine hair.




Seriously, my hair is so shiny! I really love this stuff! It highlights & strengthens the fiery red. Hello! (That's the real color which shows up differently in different light).



*My crockpot


I'm thinking of using my crockpot to actually cook healthier meals. Crazy! I know!!



*My furkids:


My sweet girls who have been by my side for days while I was sick!
*my Twitterless Lent which I did break Tuesday because I needed to ask for prayers for my uncle, is almost over. Now I can drive everyone crazy and not just Chance, Khrystal and Rachel who have been good sports about keeping me entertained without Twitter.



*These shoes:




Ok, I would never wear these Christian Louboutin's but I know just the girl who would and when I sent them to her via text I could hear her squeal! They aren't me, but they are awesome!


*George Clooney/Jesus/God?




This photo off Facebook. Did you know that George Clooney was the spitting image of Jesus? I had no clue. Good job putting one over on me! You don't suppose George Clooney actually, nah....?

*The 30 day bike challenge I start on April 1! I am a lot nervous but all I have to do is ride daily. (I have never done more than 4 days straight). I can iron out time to ride even if the weather is bad on pavement. I am committed to this and I am super excited! I really want to get super fit. I have a goal that I hope to reach by next winter to compete. Yes it is crazy but so am I! If you want to accept the challenge you can sign up here: 30 Days of Biking Challenge
Just click on Pledge and fill out the form.  That's it! Oh, and ride!

*The Voice:
Wow is this season awesome! I always have loved Blake-Adam, Adam-Blake but Usher and Shakira are completely awesome! Love it! So much fun!

*That it has been one year since I wrote this Blog: Boys are Stupid and Girls are Crazy
This is one of my most visited and one of my personal favorite blogs.

*Bloglovin': You can follow me here: Simply Me the way I see it




What are you loving this week?
Hit me up and let me know!



----Enjoy the ride!


Simply,
Laura
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone