Cycling in Riccione, Italy, was a trip filled with beauty, good rides, great food, and a few unexpected challenges. Even with all the excitement, the week did not unfold perfectly. I struggled with sleep from the moment I boarded the plane. I can’t seem to sleep on a plane and the overnight flight was no different. During the trip, I also found myself wide awake at 3:00 or 4:00 AM a few nights, unable to fall back asleep.
The physical challenges came next. I fell twice on my bike. The first fall happened on the second day of riding during a slow, sharp right turn off a ramp. My bike handling could have been better. I didn’t realize at the time that my right leg was down when it should have been up. The weight of that leg pulled me off balance, and I went down hard on my right side. I ended up with a swollen, badly bruised leg with a bone bruise and road rash.
The second fall came the very next day. My left cleat got stuck, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t unclip. I tipped over and landed on my left thigh, adding another bruise to already bruised ego. After that, I had one of the hotel’s bike mechanics swap out my pedals and adjust the cleat on my shoe. It was positioned too far to the left with no space around it, which my husband thinks is why it got stuck in the first place.
Feeling Down
Between the jet lag, the overthinking, and the physical discomfort, sleep was not easy. I felt moody at times and a little down on myself. I wasn’t alone, but there were moments when I felt like I was.
Even though I was feeling down, I feel blessed that it wasn’t worse. I wasn’t the only one who fell during our week of riding, either. And in one of the other groups, a rider had a serious accident when her tire blew out during a winding descent, and she had to be airlifted. That put my own bumps and bruises into perspective.
Prayer and Reflection
On my second sleepless night, I finally stopped trying to push the thoughts away. Upset and embarrassed, I replayed what happened, wondering what I could have done differently. I spent time in prayer and quiet reflection, acknowledging the falls and the minor injuries instead of minimizing them or pretending they didn’t bother me. I listened to a few prayers on YouTube for healing and sleeplessness, and they helped quiet my mind. Eventually, I drifted back to sleep and woke up feeling lighter, calmer, and more at peace.
This trip wasn’t perfect, but it revealed my resilience, strengthened my faith, and reminded me of God’s peace in the midst of challenge. I found comfort in prayer and am grateful that the hard moments didn’t take from the joy of my Italy trip.
