Where were you?

The Expert and I were set to be married the following month.  I was in Savannah, recently graduated college, living with my parents for the short time before being handed off in marriage. I had just finished taking the LSAT (the law school admissions test) the week prior.  
I was sacked out in my childhood bedroom when my mom woke me up:  A plane hit the World Trade Center. Wake up, time to get up anyway.  

Oh, I said. Groggy…not thinking anything other than a prop plane, a careless pilot, that sucks.  I fell back to sleep.  A ridiculously short time later, my mom was back:  Get up, Meredith. This is serious.  A second plane hit the other tower. 

I shot out of bed.  My dad called from work, We don’t know what’s going on, I told him.  
I had an appointment shortly after, to go with my mom to take my wedding dress for altering.   She and I scrambled to get ready, clicking through the radio stations on the short drive over.   
I pulled on my wedding dress and walked out of the dressing room.  The television was on overhead.
The Pentagon…another plane in Pennsylvania. 
The Expert was in Athens.  He called me while I was standing on the pedestal, in my wedding dress (which ah-hem, would not zip up… awesome).  Are you seeing all this? he asked.  Yes, I said. I don’t understand.
He was living at the apartment where I would move the next month, after our wedding.  His friend was there, and the two of them had been getting ready to go for a bike ride when the plane hit.  
Standing in my wedding dress, half-zipped up…. he was sitting in his cycling bib….200 miles apart, watching the same channel. And our time was standing still. 
* * * * *
Around Mile 38 this morning, the Expert looked at me, looked at his watch, and shouted from his bike, The second tower fell about now, ten years ago.

We rode along in silence for awhile.
Ten years.  The 9/11 anniversary coincides year after year with our wedding anniversary. Makes us think about how long we’ve been together, how far we’ve gone and come in that time. 
Today, I am grateful. I am quiet (if you can believe it).  And I am reminded at how short life can be. 

* * * * *
Here’s a few goofy photos from today’s ride.  We tackled the 70.3 bike distance – 56 miles at Silver Comet.

Took right around 3:30:00, with a few breaks, so not too shabby, considering the bike cut-off will be 4:00:00 at the race.

I had a flat at the outset.  The Expert insisted on changing it.  He may drive me up and down every wall in town, but ten years later… I am 89% sure that I’d marry him all over again.  Really, I’m pretty sure he just didn’t want to watch me curse, spit and declare that my triathlon days were over as I attempted to change the tube.
Testing out the G2T kit today.  Love love loved it.  I look a bit like a sausage, but that’s not the kit’s fault. That would be my fault. It was very comfy, and awesome, and I felt fast.  Zoooom!
Chilly today!  Dusted off the arm warmers.  Fall is definitely on its way.  Only a few more weeks of morning rides, I’m sure. 



Ummm… look how skinny this one is looking.  Men. 🙂

6 Responses

  1. Oh, the sausage was best in display when SEATED on said bike. Sausage is less sausage-y standing up. 🙂

    Thanks, Patrick… 🙂

  2. I was riding on the Silver Comet this Sunday too! I was visiting a friend in Atlanta this weekend and had never been there before. Did an 8 mi run on Saturday and a 31mi bike on Sunday both on the Silver Comet. We probably passed each other at some point. I love that trail, wish we had something like that where I live!

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