As I join
the path on the bridge I am pleased my expectation of a head wind was correct
as I prefer a tail wind when returning across the bridge. I change gears and
settle in to an easy cadence and a speed a little short of 30 kph for the next
3 kilometres.
It is New Year’s
Eve and I intend to ride about 70 kilometres and in doing so, complete a
Strava/Rapha challenge to ride 500 kilometres between Christmas and New Years
Eves. Due to being away, I have had just 5 days to do the distance however in
reality, 500 kilometres is a target rather than a need and if I don’t achieve
it so be it. There are over 82000 throughout the world signed up to do the 500
k and it is fun to be a part of this world wide pop up Strava community. *
Looking
across the bay to my right, the morning is clear and bright and off in the
distance I can see my turn around point at Scarborough. While there are no
signs of the predicted storms, it is obvious it will get much hotter, quickly.
There are a
few walkers, skaters, runners and fellow cyclists on the bridge as well as two
groups with fishing equipment heading for the fishing platform. I wondered what
they will catch.
The end of
the bridge is near and I go through my mental checklist to look right as I exit
the bridge and to also ensure any cyclist coming on to the bridge from the
opposite direction are keeping left. So often they do not.
The bridge
exit is simple and I allow my bike to slow naturally as we level out before applying
gentle pressure to the pedals just to maintain momentum. I know there is a half
loop around a tree coming up and a need to break so any acceleration now is wasting
energy.
About 20
metres short of the loop, I am positioning to apex the curve and note an
ambulance. For any cyclist, the site of an ambulance strikes concern as we
always default to it being an injured cyclist. I also note a Police Car.
And almost
instantaneously I am hard on the brakes and cursing the all but transparent
police ribbon strung across and blocking the path. It is incredibly hard to
see.
Now at a complete
stop, I hear the heavy braking of another cyclist behind me and brace for the
impact. Thankfully my “brace” was not required.
There is no
obvious need for the area being surrounded by the Police ribbon and my thinking
is recent storms have caused a branch to become unstable and unsafe. I look at
the tree and can see nothing loose until………..
…………At the
foot of the tree is a person, a person who no longer draws breath. There is a sheet/towel
covering them but clearly a lifeless body is at the foot of the tree.
There is no
frantic activity within the ribboned off area and I note the writing on the Police
ribbon does not reference “crime scene”.
There is an
alternative narrow walking path heading to a toilet block that bypasses the
scene so I take that and continue.
But my mind
is on the deceased. I have no idea what their circumstances or situation is.
All I know is that someone’s Son, Daughter, Brother, Sister, Mother or Father
was alive yesterday and today is not.
Were they
out walking or running when it happened or were they sleeping out and passed
while asleep? Did they pass at their own hand?
I have to
remind myself to concentrate on my cycling as I am now on the road and there
are cars around, although at 6.30am on New Years Eve, not many cars.
The
suddenness at which life extinguishes is what strikes me. It is immediate and
it is complete.
I wonder about
how the deceased viewed their life and hope they felt at least some level of
fulfillment and satisfaction. I have no reason to think otherwise.
I also
wonder what regrets they took with them. I wonder what they wish they had done,
what adventure they let go by and of any relationships they wished they had
acted to reconcile.
I hoped
there were none.
This event
was a reminder to me, to have no regrets and to have no regrets on a daily
basis.
* I did make
the 500 kilometres and achieved a ranking of 14,714 out of 82,562 who signed
up..
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