Tumble - Part I, The Spill

Bike drops, overturns....Rowe rolling on the ground...Abe couldn't believe what he was seeing in his rearview mirror.  "Oh no," he gasps, a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach, "Rowe's down!"  Surreal, horrifying...he turns his bike around and heads back towards the spill...

Flashback a few hours.  Abe and Rowe are racing up the 5 Freeway, on their way to visit their brother, Charlie, in Shafter, California and check out a biker wedding.  A splendid day for a ride, twisting and turning through the Grapevine, stopping along the side of the freeway for an impromptu photo shoot.  But the two riders were on a mission.  "We gotta be there by 2pm, or we'll miss the bikes coming in!" was the thought going through their minds. 

Upon reaching the outskirts of Shafter, they ride along the countryside's backroads.  Speeding along at around 50 miles an hour, they approach some dilapidated railroad tracks.  As Abe rides over the tracks, Rowe notices that the tracks are uneven, and Abe is bouncing up off his seat.  "Oh no, I don't want to bounce that hard!" she thinks, so she suddenly squeezes her front brake.  The front tire locks up, and throws Rowe off the bike.  Her head hits the pavement and the bike tumbles twice before laying on its side...

God is so awesome.  As His Word says..."That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe."  This spill could have been much worse.  Rowe's helmet visor was damaged beyond repair.  Only her chin was bruised up.  She wasn't wearing leathers, only a hoodie and jeans, but only her left elbow and knees were bleeding and scraped.  No broken bones, no head injuries.  And the bike??  Just scratches, a minor dent, and a missing rear light cover...

"Whoa", is Rowe's first thought as she awkwardly gets up after her fall, "there's a car coming...gotta save the bike!!"  In a rush of adrenaline, Abe hurriedly lifts the bike up and pushes it out of the way.  Charlie, with his truck, arrives on the scene.  Our story momentarily ends as the trio heads off towards Charlie's place: Charlie riding Rowe's bike, Rowe driving the truck, and Abe, still sick with worry over Rowe's condition, riding in the rear.  To be continued, while the wheels are spinning...