To my Thieving Friend

So I had an eventful end to my vacation.  We arrived home and I decided to meet up with some of the bike team for our weekly workout.  I had a flat on my road bike and instead of fixing it, I decided to ride my tri bike.  I looked and could not find it anywhere.  Long story short I determined it had been stolen.

While I would be happy to expound about how and where it was taken that is not the point of this blog.  This is more a less an open letter to the individual/individuals that decided they needed my bike more than me.

Let me tell you what you have in your posession.  You have years of hard work.  You have thousands of miles of tears, smiles, blood, and determination.  You have the hopes of a young child and happiness of a middle aged guy.  You see you did not just take a bike.  You did not just take fancy wheels.  You took a one of kind family heirloom.

When I purchased that bike I spent a year paying for it.  I spent miles getting the position just right.  I added parts and subtracted others.  I travelled the US, climbed mountains, rode the valleys, flew the along the coastline, and enjoyed the open road more than most.  I knew every clink, clunk, shift, and click.  I knew every rock chip, paint smudge, and sweat mark on that ride.  You see it took years of work, dedication, and effort to achieve and earn the right to ride a bike like that.

Not only do you have in your posession my years of hard work, you have the hopes of my sons in your hands.  I had promised to my boys that once they were able and had put in the work they would be given the bike.  They would be given the bike, not you.  Maybe you have had a rough childhood, maybe your parents did not teach you what it means to earning something, or what working for something would result in.  Well I have and will continue to teach my boys the values of honest, hard work.  Once I am able to replace what you have taken, I will once again hold my promise true to my boys.  I am sure they will also see the effort and hold our values true so that they may earn my bike once again.

My thieving friend, I hope you take care of the heirloom in your posession.  I hope you have not taken to part it out or cut it up.  I hope you enjoy it.  I hope it might motivate you to change your life.  Hopefully my bike will change your life as much as it changed mine.  You know you did not just steal a bicycle.  You did not just steal a fancy pair of wheels.  You stole my hardwork.  You stole my dedication. You stole more than I think you know.  There are a thousand eyes on you now.  Take care, ride safe, and I hope you have a helmet...