solveg

I posted this in the Clydes forum, too, but I really wanted to share this with you guys:

Today I sold a bike I had picked up that didn't fit me. I sold it for much more than I paid, and I was driving to my bicycle maintenance class tonight and realized it was a lucky day, so I stopped for a lottery ticket on the way there. Now, I used to do work for the lottery and was not allowed to play it, and I don't like the odds, but it really felt like a lucky day. I have those, sometimes. So it was very* uncharacteristic for me to do it.

So I continued to drive to my class, and a half mile in front of me, a main bridge on 35W totally collapsed into the river. I couldn't see the actual bridge where I was, but saw the smoke and the swarms of people running to the site. I decided that whatever happened, it was best for people to get out of there instead of going towards it, so I turned around, crossed the meridian and went north on the freeway.

I suppose I should have stayed to help, but I always lean towards making room for the professionals. Plus, I wasn't sure exactly* what had happened at that time. It didn't make the radio news until I was back in St. Paul.

So, the bicycle led to the lottery ticket, which postponed me just about the right amount of time to make up for 1/2 mile at 10-20 mph (rush hour traffic and Twins game).

doctor j

I'm watching coverage on tv. Whether or not the numbers on your ticket match the numbers that are drawn, you won the BIG lottery today. Glad you're OK!

Baroque

Oh my God Very happy you weren't in the middle of that disaster!!!!!
I just finished reading the "Diego" recall thread and wondered if anyone had posted anything about the bridge collapse....then I wondered if anyone here lived near Minneapolis-St Paul, and thought, nah, that would be too big a coincidence.
Then here's your post. Holy cow, I would be counting my blessings a couple hundred times after that.
I agree with Doctor J --- just stopping to buy the ticket, you won!
---Ally

Jet Travis

Wow. You are a winner.

Yen

Wow. I sometimes wonder if an unexpected delay or last-minute change in timing saved me from an accident. I'm glad you made that uncharacteristic decision!

cranky old dude

Life is just a long series of decisions and subsequent events. It can be mind boggling if
one dwells for very long on the relationship between the two. What if...what if...what if.
Thank goodness your path through life today led you away from harm.
God Bless!

CrossChain

We can only share your sense of relief. Pics all over the news. The kind of thing that supposedly only happens in 3rd World countries. Sympathy for the families of those who died. Cycling is, indeed, good for your health...unless you turn in front of a cement truck.

solveg

Now they're talking about how they've been saying for decades that our infrastructure was rotting. But I think this was made in the 60's...not that long ago. I wonder if it's all true (scary) or if they're politicizing it already. I was most worried about the school bus, which I saw on the way there... it was up ahead of me, and I saw the kids on it, wondered where they were coming from in the summer.

I guess people were stuck on pileons and there were fires burning right next to them. A kayaker went out to try to bring them to shore. Imagine that kayaker's story, having the bridge come down right on top of him.

The river crisscrosses the cities. I think it will be a long time before we cross a bridge and not think of the people hurt and dead.

Digital Gee

Just watched a lot of news coverage. Simply amazing. Glad you're okay!

Red Rider

You are one blessed cyclist. So glad you weren't hurt!

Good on you for listening to your intuition. It'll never lead you wrong.

solveg

It was just on the news that a bicycle team was riding the other way and a motorist told them what had just happened, and they turned around to help save people! Bravo, bicycle team!

maddmaxx 

On my way to work this morning I was thinking about asking on the Forum if everyone in the area was OK. I guess I had no idea how close some would be.

Glad to hear your OK. Let us know what the #s were on the ticket.

Rosie8

Glad you're okay and feel like you did win the lottery. It's incomprehensible how life changes in a blink like that. My hat is off to all the first responders. Like you, I would have headed away from the chaos to leave room for the professionals.

Floyd

Also glad you are OK...

Beverly

Glad to hear you're okay.

solveg

Not a single lottery number matched, but I'm keeping the slip as my "lucky numbers".

BSLeVan

Just read about this in the morning paper. Seven people lost their lives in this tragedy. Doesn't sound like your hanging around would have done much in the way of help, and your assessment of too many people making it harder for rescue workers to to their jobs is probably a good one. Each day we are given is truly a gift.

George

+1 for sure.

SaiKaiTai

Taoism works. Glad you're OK.

BluesDawg

That's a little too close for comfort! It really was a fortunate thing that you made the step outside your normal routine. Glad you stopped.

LynnH

You are blessed, appreciate it.