So there was this one time I got hit by a car

True story.

And since I am alive and well to tell about it, I will.

And we can laugh at me.

And my stupidity.

On Saturday night I got this brilliant idea to ride my bike to church.

Our church is approximately 35 miles from our house.  I figured I could make it in 3 hours.

What I didn't figure in is that at the time I wanted to leave (6 am) it's still dark.  I have no reflective gear or flashy lights or anything like that so I waited a little longer for the sun to come up.  I left the house about 6:30 and made my way to church on the highway.

At what I figured was my half-way mark I stopped my bike, checked my phone for the time and called Josh to let him know where I was.  I also took a drink of water.  Because I have to stop my bike to take a drink.  Hey, I dye my hair blonde and apparently me drinking water whilst riding my bike is a bit like a blonde trying to chew gum and walk at the same time.

I just can't do it.

It was 8 when I called Josh.  I knew I wouldn't make it to church on time.  We had to be there at 9 to work in the nursery.  I was mad.  Had I been able to leave at 6 I would have been on time.

So I'm pedaling.  And pedaling some more.

There's a small stretch where I had to get on the freeway (talk about intimidating) and cross a bridge that has very little shoulder.  Josh had told me I'd have bust my butt across that bridge.  I'm getting close to the bridge when Josh and the girls drove by me.

"Oh, please God, let him pull over."  I was tired.  And still had probably 6 miles or so to go.  I took the off ramp, went over another bridge and there he was, waiting at the bottom of the hill for me.

Hallelujah.

All that to get to the night I was hit by a car...

So the next day, Monday, I decided to ride to the gym.  Josh got home early and I knew I could make it to the gym before dark.

What I didn't count on is that my legs would be DEAD from my 31 mile ride the day before.

When I bike to the gym I'm usually cruising around 15 mph.  I was seeing 12 mph.  It was miserable.  My legs just weren't moving like they usually do.

I get into town and there's a stretch when I first enter Prosser that I can cruise at about 22-24 mph for a bit, it's a little downhill and I've usually gotten my second wind.  Yeah, this night?  Not so much.  I was lucky to hit 14-15 mph.  So, I'm behind schedule, and it's dark.

I look to my right to see if there's a car on the highway I'm about to cross.  I see a Suburban and realize if it pulls up to the stop sign far enough, I can glide behind it just fine and not have to stop.

I'm running late!

So the Suburban is in my mind.  I look ahead of me and see more cars, all of which I think are heading straight, and not realizing that one is actually in the left turn lane.  Suburban pulls up far enough that I can ride behind her, I'm about to cross when I realize that a small car is in the left turn and will be turning into me before I get across.

Slow motion.

Thankfully she wasn't driving very fast.  Thankfully there was no one coming from the other direction.

I knew she was going to hit me.  There was no way for me to move any faster.  And had I stopped she would have hit me much harder.

I yelled to God.  Out loud.  I can't remember exactly what I said but I'm pretty sure the word, "help!" was in there somewhere.

She came to a stop.  Against my bike.  She didn't even hit me hard enough to knock me over.  It jarred my bike and pushed me but I was able to stay on.  I clipped out of my pedals, stopped my bike and she stopped her car.  She opened the door and at the same time we asked if the other was okay.

We both were.

And we carried on.

I called Josh right away and said something like this, "Honey, I'm fine, I was just hit by a car but I'm fine."

Him:  silence.

Me:  I'm okay, just wanted to let you know.  Can you pick me up after the gym?

Him:  Um, no.  Let me come get you now.

We argued about that.  I wasn't going to let a little bump keep me from the gym.  I got there 10 minutes late for class and could not concentrate.  I finally ended up sending him a text during meditation to come get me.

My bike has a scratch.

I do not.

I'm a lucky chick.

It coulda been a whole lot worse, especially because I foolishly went without a helmet that night.

I won't be stupid like that again.

So yeah, there was this one time I got hit by a car.  Good conversation starter.  Or blog material.

The things I do for your entertainment.