mac kenzie clare
with a small window of opportunity and a definite need to ride I suited up and got out on the bike today
put on some casual gear and got out on the Karate Monkey single
not sure where to go I just headed towards Beach Drive knowing it would be closed to car traffic on this Memorial Day
as this road is closed on all holidays

being a sunny and mild day it seemed that anybody and everybody was out doing "it"

more regular joes than racers and serious riders
more of a family day out on the trail
lots of roller bladers
lots of baby joggers
lots of family filled peletons; usually with helmeted children and helmetless parents

the single speed is perfect for such a ride as high speed would lead to a greater potential for danger

my broken finger was wearing its protective splint
but I had put a fingerless cycling glove underneith it
the splint and its protective nature did very little for aiding or allowing for the gripping of my handlebar
and even less comfortble for allowing me to brake with full efficiency

so my "spidey senses" were set on extra sensative
as I approached each and every trail user I ran an algorhythm of what sort of stupid maneaver each person could possibley do

from Beach Drive I linked up with the Capitol Crescent trail
rolled on the packed gravel, passed City Bikes, over on through downtown Bethesda
as I crossed Bethesda Avenue I was forced to slow to a slow walking pace
the trail was mobbed
as I got onto trail there were two grade school boys with a little table set up
thought it was a lemonade stand... but then realized that no money grubbing Bethesda business owner would allow such competition without a permit I took a closer look
as I snailed passed I heard the two boys tell a brief synopsis of what they were trying to fulfill

as it turns out these boys were trying to get passerbys to sign a card for a young girl who had been injured in a cycling accident
immediately I dismounted my rig and moved towards the table
there was a donation box
not sure where the money would go I dropped two bucks into the box
then asked the kids for the full story

these boys did not personally know the girl who had been hurt
but they knew her story
they were out there just trying to get a card signed
not sure if this was community service for some sort of "bad deed"
or if it were some sort of social studies project
but I dd find out the details of the accident and the current condition of this young girl

they told me of an accident and paralysis
there was a newspaper article and there were several cards and a multitude of colored pens
apparently this little girl is paralized from the waste down
the odds are against her
she has just begun to wiggle her toes
but still not much positive as the odds go

it was all very heavy for this father to handle
as a father of two boys who will most certainly be taking a world of risks in my future
I began to grow sad
immediately to control my emotion I focused on the card
not sure what to write I did what I do.... I just wrote and watched what came out on the page
there was something about staying postive and staying strong
there were well wishes and a closing statement of love and luck
with my blog address
not sure if my words, my writing, or my links are for the mind of a 10 year old girl
but
I put it there just the same
after my addition to the card I spoke more with the boys about this girl
withough hesitation my eyes welled with tears and my throat was blocked with that lump
I thanked them for their efforts and continued on with my ride
again overly emotional

feeling depressed... Last Letters Home... and then this

once home I sat down with my older son....
we watched Baby II while Grant napped, Lisa went to the grocery store, and I Blogged
my broken finger is once again belittled by the actual problems in the world
after some a short internet search I came up with this information on MacKenzie Clare

On April 2 the Clare family was in an auto accident on the way to a Girl Scout outing. Both the mother and father were seriously injured and hospitalized for 4 weeks. Their daughter 10 year old Mackenzie Clare was left paralyzed. Girl Scouts in Loudon County are holding bake sales on June 4 and 5th to raise money to purchase a handicapped van for the family. For bake sale locations and other ways to help, go to caringfortheclares.com
it is a sad story...
but I had thought from the children's story that the girl had been on her bicycle when the accident occured
the story is sad... but not as sad as when I had thought that the injury had happened while she was out on the bike