1.2 miles of crisis

I am practicing daily crisis prevention

Grand Tetons - July, 2013 canffirmations.blogspot.com

I ride a Yamaha Warrior 1700 and it is 600lbs of pure bliss.

Even though I have a tendency to ride it like I stole it, the gas mileage is efficient and still well beyond that of my 4 wheeled vehicle. I use it as my primary mode of transportation and although the mpg is excellent the tank only holds 3.5 gallons. I do not have a gas gauge so when the low fuel indicator light turns on I know it only has roughly 1/2 gallon left. 

I was heading to a meeting and was running a bit behind when I noticed my fuel light turn on. I did not have time to stop so I rode on. After the meeting was done I got back on the bike and I did not feel like stopping immediately for gas so I got on the freeway and headed for home. I was in a hurry so I skipped the first two exits with gas stations because I knew the next one was just a few miles away and had a station right off the freeway.

I didn't make it...

Just after I passed the sign indicating it was 3/4 of a mile to the exit my engine cut out. It wasn't a sputter or a gentle reminder I was about to run out, it was empty. The bike quickly coasted to a stop as I pulled into the emergency lane. I had no more rationalizations or denial left that had been spinning in my head that I wouldn't run out of gas. I considered briefly calling someone but I knew it would take at least 30mins for them to reach me and frankly I was too embarrassed to do it. 

I put the bike in neutral and started to push. I figured it couldn't be more than a half mile to the gas station and I could use the exercise? Those 600 lbs. of bliss were much more difficult to move uphill, manually, with a helmet, and in full riding leathers. I eventually made it with the assistance of a couple of cars who put hazards on and bracketed me as I rolled it through a few intersections after the freeway off-ramp. I finally arrived at the gas station exhausted, covered in sweat, out of breath, bruised and a little bloody from scraping my legs against the foot-pegs. When I went back the next day and measured the distance it was 1.2 miles.

I have a really good idea now of how far I can go once the fuel light goes on but it took a crisis to learn where that limit was. I recognize that some of the crises I experience in my life are preventable. When I ignore my own basic self care, procrastinate little things that start to pile up, or neglect emotional expression, I suddenly find myself in a variety of mini-crises that steal my time, energy, and focus.

Instead of letting things go until I am forced to deal with the situation, I will practice daily the things needed to prevent letting my life slip into crisis mode.