Rumblejohn

After getting a few "honey-do's", and a trip to the gym out of the way, I decided that I had enough time to beat the afternoon thunder storms for a ten miler. Boy was I wrong. As I rounded a blind corner, I found several people blocking the trail, I threw my chain downshifting and panic stopping at the same time. The reason the trail was blocked, was a 4-5ft alligator had commandeered that section of trail.
While the park ranger tried to coerce the 'gator into leaving, I got my chain back on, and ignored the lizard and went about my business. I made the turn around at the river, met the ranger, who had left the 'gator to his or her own devices. The rangers advice was just keep an eye out for him, and give him a wide berth(good advice). Just as I passed the alligator, who was still unhappy about all attention he was getting, three things happened: 1) I noticed I didn't have my cell phone. 2) My chain started to skip(must have put a kink in it when it derailed) and 3) The sky started falling. The storm came up so sudden it was frightening. Wind gusts of 50+mph, torrential rain, and the scary part; lightning, lots of lightning. The trail winds in and out of the woods, but when it's in the open, it is under main electrical transmission lines, 90,000volts. You want a good cardio workout, try sprinting 1/2 mile straight into rain being driven by gale force winds, knowing that at any second, lightning was going to hit one of cable towers, and bring enough electricity down on your head to insure a closed casket funeral.

I'm getting old and forgetfull, so remind me from time to time, not to go out in the thunderstorm on a bike!



John

partbug

I know what you mean, we must be neighbors, central fla yes I had the same weather took my computer off the bike so the rain wouldn't"mess it up.

The Weak Link

Some gator's gonna use up all your minutes.

Louis

I can see the 'gator at home:

"Ha ha ha, and that ain't all...you shoulda seen the old guy on the bike, ha ha ha, he dropped his chain, ha ha ha ha ha".

*'gators slappin' high fives*

Mojo Slim

An alligator on the trail . . . and it's not the scariest part of the ride.

BSLeVan

+1

freeranger

Ever get a "tingle" riding under those lines? Wonder how much quicker acceleration becomes knowing there's a gator close by? Lucky that chain only skipped and didn't derail a second time!

Beverly

I think I would have a difficult time ignoring an alligator on the trail

Retro Grouch 

Aren't you supposed to rub the alligator's tummy?

Beverly

I don't rub any animal's tummy My last puppy loved to have his tummy rubbed but he often peed on you when you did it