16 Rising from the Ashes: Brown Canyon

…for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again… Proverbs 24: 16 The Berean Study Bible

One of my favorite rides is Brown Canyon Trail located in the Huachuca Mountains of Cochise County, in southwestern Arizona.  The ride is fast, fun, and can be done as a leisurely afternoon spin, a double-loop for race training, or an early Saturday morning group ride.  

One particular Brown Canyon ride that comes to mind, was a Saturday afternoon group-ride.  I was pretty excited since I anticipated newcomers to join in the morning ride. Friends and I waited at the designated parking lot for everyone to arrive.  After ‘’suiting up,” we took off up Ramsey Canyon Road which is a perfect warm-up spin to the trailhead.  We sat on our bikes and waited for everyone to regroup, then we rode off making our way to the water trough at the top of the first long ‘’incline.”  I anticipated the upcoming downhill, and the fun I usually had was ‘bombing’ down each hill, through the creek, and up and over some short rock faces.  

To my surprise and dismay, I gained too much speed on a particular section and endoed (end-over-end or body-over-handlebars), landing on my belly, right arm extended over my head, face down.  My bike had followed suit and flipped, landing right on top of me.  It was a letdown after all the adrenaline I had flowing through my system, to end up face down with my bike on top of me instead of the other way around. The only thing really hurt was my pride, and the fact that after the crash, I was a little squeamish to go as fast as I had been going.  

The ride was still amazing, and I think I learned a lesson that day;  when you crash and burn, the best thing to do is rise from the ashes, get back on the bike, and finish the ride with a smile.

God, I realize it’s not my own doing that has brought me to where I am, but rather your compassion, grace, and faithfulness. I am grateful for all of the ups and downs of my experiences, and when I crash and burn, it is knowing that your grace will be there when I rise up out of the ashes. 

Challenge 16:  The next time you experience a crash-and-burn, whether it be on a ride, a relationship, or “real life,” remember to rise up out of the ashes with an attitude that surpasses the usual complaining and excuse-making. Let it be said of you,  “You really meet challenges head-on. Thank you for your inspiration!”

I need to do this challenge on a daily basis it seems! Have you ever ridden a trail that has thrown a wrench into your gears? Have you found yourself flying over the handle bars unexpectedly and been shaken from the fall? Feel free to share—and include the inspiration to get up and keep riding!