I don't know how to begin. I have mixed feelings of helplessness, despair, worry, anger... Each day hasn't been easy, as you had half of your paycheck going towards mortgage and car loan payments, with two children, living expenses, and everything else. Pursuing hobbies felt like a distant dream.
Three years ago, when my daughters showed a keen interest in cycling, I pulled out my old 26" mountain bike from the garage, and together we started going on short trips along country roads, trails, and through forests. Of course, these outings were tailored to their ages. Despite all the expenses, last year I bought them new decent 24" and 20" bikes with front suspension (they are 9 and 7 years old), and we spent every weekend cycling in the local area. It might sound a bit amusing, but with an average monthly salary of €1200, this is quite a significant amount of money – spending €300 on one bike and €460 on the other.
This year, I managed to save up some money. Being a member of this forum for three years and enjoying reading all the discussions about building bikes with Chinese carbon frames, as well as the advice on bike assembly, and partly due to financial constraints that prevented me from buying a well-known branded bike, I finally took the step and purchased a carbon full-suspension frame, the Lexon Riot from AliExpress, while it was on sale. Over the course of several months, I gradually acquired a complete Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, Deore brakes, bought a used Rock Shox SID 120mm fork and a rear Sidluxe Select+, as well as a few other items from AliExpress (Toseek handlebars and seatpost, Ztto pedals, grips). I was still waiting for the affordable used Deore wheelset, which I was supposed to receive this week. For all of this, I spent less than €1800, and I was looking forward to assembling the bike and going on my first ride with the new setup. I was looking forward to receiving the final postal package with the Deore wheelset, but unfortunately, I got something else...
Last week, our country was hit by a catastrophe. Considering this is an American forum, you probably aren't aware, but on Friday, severe floods struck 2/3 of the Alpine region in Slovenia, where I also reside. These were unprecedented floods in history and caused extensive devastation.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-66423977https://www.independent.co.uk/news/slovenia-ap-ursula-von-der-leyen-pope-francis-ljubljana-b2390146.html?0=utm_source=ground.news&1=utm_medium=referralI too suffered consequences as we had 30cm of water inside the house. So, up until today, we've been cleaning up the mud and disposing of the ruined belongings.
The worst, however, was the fate of the shed where I had stored the bikes. On Friday morning, while I was dealing with water seeping through the window cracks (there was around 130cm or about 50 inches of water outside), I wasn't even aware of what was happening on the other side of the house, where the shed for storing the bikes stood. The force of the river literally undermined it, causing it to collapse and be swept away by the strong river current. And with it, of course, all our 4 bikes. When the water receded, my friends and I went a few kilometers through the flooded area, hoping to find the bikes somewhere, but unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side.
So instead of writing something about post-ride experiences... I can only write about post-flood experiences
I believe I've concluded my cycling plans for the future. I apologize, but I needed to clear my throat and share this with someone.
