Noah's Bike: DO NOT DRIVE CARS(or ride bikes) INTO FLOODED AREAS.

Now that we are back to the normal work week, I have been very excited about being able to ride my bike to work (especially w/ gas prices as they are) however it seems like it has been raining for 40 days and 40 nights so I haven't been able to ride to work.

Today was the glorious day. The rains have stopped, the clouds have gone away, the sun is shining, but the river is still rising. I start my work trek as I always do. Down Barnett, around the lake to our beautiful bike trail and our giant mound of dirt(still haven't figured that out! No topography we'll just make our own). I'm riding and all of a sudden the lake is part of the trail or maybe the trail is part of the lake not sure which one but nonetheless the trail and lake have merged. So being a good roadie (can't stand the Mountain Bike) I jump off take my bike so it doesn't get wet or muddy(just washed it you know) and I go around the water only to get back on ride a little ways to find more water. [take a breath this story is long] So I jump off again go around the water again and get back on my bike only to come to another body of water. So I know you're saying it this point turn around go back home and drive to work. But no no I am the original glass is half full guy(comment for you Jeff). So instead of getting off and going around again this time I say to hell with the bike being clean and I go through it. Its only about an inch to an inch and a half deep not too bad. So here we go again off and away only to come upon what I can only describe as a swamp. The only thing missing was alligators and some toothless wonder saying squeal like a pig. So I stop and ponder(not leslee or scott just the normal kind) and decide I can't go around it, can't go over it, can't go under it got to go through it. Well first the trail is completely submerged so I can't actually see the trail, I know its a curve but I don't know how sharp it is, I don't know how deep the water is and I can't see where the trail comes back up out of the water. So my little voice kicks in and I remember the weatherman saying DO NOT DRIVE CARS INTO FLOODED AREAS. REMEMBER...IT TAKES ONLY TWO FEET OF WATER TO FLOAT MOST AUTOMOBILES...INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN. He did say cars not bike and really how deep could it be. So I back up so I can get a running start at this jump on my bike and hurl myself into the water. Now remember I'm on a bike with my feet clipped into my pedals (much like ski bindings) going into the water and as I turn the pedals around my feet are completely submerged about four inches above my ankle. At any point I could plunge off the edge of the trail locked into my bicycle plunging into the lake and drowning. So I make it through the swamp relatively unscathed and inventing a new work out "fluid resistance training". I go across the dam to the spill way only to watch two feet of water plunging over into a giant foaming river that is raging under the state hospital road like the Colorado river. I arrive safely at work to shower and get dressed and I'm behind the desk at 7:45. What did you do for breakfast this morning? Me, well I rode my bike to work.

P.S. The HHH mountain bike time trial trail is under between 8 and 12 feet of water right now. Yes feet not inches.