[ArtNouveau]

I fully expect to be chastized mercilessly here for sharing but I'm going to tell you all my cautionary tale. My Brian May LE arrived by Fedex on Tuesday. I am not a NATO fan so I immediately ordered a rubber strap for it. Playing around on Thursday I found that the rubber strap from one of my Turtles was a perfect fit EXCEPT the springbars were not perfect. The ones that came with the watch were skinnier and left some slop at the strap, the fat boys from the Turtle were not a tight fit to the case. It came off once while I was still mounting it so I made a mental note to take it off before doing anything active.
I don't baby any of my watches and on Saturday was at a private mountainbiking ranch and forgot to remove it. Riding with a teenage friend, six miles into the 9 mile lap I noticed it was gone! We rode backwards starting there and unfortunately did not spot it. The first four miles is singletrack in heavy woods with lots of thick undergrowth right up to the trail. Also rocky, rooty, and bumpy. We were going fast enough that it could well have bounced a few feet from the trail instead of dropping to the middle. A few people both on bikes and running went out after us but no one saw it.
I take full blame because I knew it wasn't a perfect fit but don't expect me to not wear nice watches ever again when I ride. Frankly my mtb habit is way more dear to my than me watch hobby. I feel certain it's out there still and will be found eventually. The ranch has posted a Missing Watch flyer with a $50 reward. Mountainbikers are not watch thieves so I'm sure if someone finds it they will turn it in.
It's a good life lesson for me. Material things are just that. The time I spent riding then searching with my young companion was more meaningful than just having a thing. I may go back next weekend and hike the trail looking, I'm not going to seek a replacement as I have faith this one will find its way home.
I'll leave you with a pic I took on the Turtle strap.