If a Tree Falls in the Forest...

Hypothetically speaking, if a tree falls across the road, missing a cyclist on her morning ride by about 2ft as she skids to a stop but said-cyclist does not have a camera/phone for photographic evidence, did it really happen?

How about if the aforementioned cyclist went back this morning and got pics of the aftermath?

the road in question
(you can see my new ride on the guardrail near the aftermath)

the tree stump

the aftermath: the cut-up tree on the other side of the road

I only had one earbud in so I heard some crackling but thought it was a car behind me. I slowed up a touch, pulled all the way to the right and suddenly grabbed the brakes hard as I saw the tree come down. I won't pretend that I didn't shout an expletive (something akin to HOLY SH*T!) as I skidded to a stop.

After I caught my breath, I started laughing. Yes, I realize this is not a normal reaction.

I was laughing because I knew I didn't have my phone so I'd have no proof (I almost grabbed it on the way out but thought - who am I going to call? Most of my friends and loved ones are at least an hour away!).

Mostly I laughed because my luck must have turned around - lets face it, there's no doubt that I would have been going two seconds faster and that tree would have taken me out if this happened a year or two ago with the luck I was having.