It's been a long week of riding. I think we've averaged 90+ miles for five days straight (including tomorrow). That's over 450 miles in five days.
Tomorrow, we enter Michigan, Lord willing. After almost six weeks of riding, I come home for the weekend. It's the longest Mary and I have ever been apart.
Since the massive climbing in Iowa, Illinois has been much flatter, but wetter. Two days ago, we left Fulton and it rained off and on into our night's stop - Shabonna State Park. I found a nice, relatively dry spot under a large pine, but it rained all night. This morning, the rain stopped, but the mist was so thick, I needed wipers on my glasses. It finally dried up at about 10 AM.
We made remarkable time into Lansing, Ill today. Len and I rode at about a 17+ mph average. Actually, Len rode like a madman - I just drafted him as best I could. We did 100 miles in under 6 hours of riding time (not counting stops). Not too bad.
The change from rural to suburb to city happens pretty quickly. It is surprising and a bit overwhelming to see how much corn this country grows. Corn is everywhere. It's about the only scenery we've had for the past week.
We had a great welcome at Illiana Christian High School. I have fond memories of Illiana: in high school, our school choir sang down here. On the bus ride back, Mary and I shared our first kisses. Aww.
Anyway, back to today: the area churches fed us dinner and will feed us breakfast.
We also had an ice cream social where I met shirttail relatives, Jim and Shirlene Medendorp, who drove up from Indiana.
I am so looking forward to a weekend at home.
In some ways, these six weeks have flown by.
In some ways, they've been very long.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Rain, Trains, and Hills
So, we're just about done with Iowa. Hard to believe. As we look at a map, the distance starts to overwhelm. And the distance ahead is less than the distance behind.
What will we remember about Iowa?
Rain, for one. We've had several days of morning or afternoon or evening rain. We're beginning to think God is bringing the rain with us. My tent is finally dried out.
Trains is another thing we'll remember. It seems like we've been camped by tracks once too often. Did you know that trains blow two long whistles, one short, and one more long at every intersection?
Last night's trains were empty coal cars going west and full ones coming east.
Finally hills.
The south of Iowa feels as though the land was 50 miles too wide, so it was squished to fit, making wrinkles of hills. I would have never thought that we'd climb many ten percent, nine percent, and countless eight percent climbs in Iowa. Three of our top five climbing days have been in Iowa. And the frequency and steepness make them more fatiguing than the mountains.
Actually, there's one other thing. We haven't seen a large amount of people, going through numerous small towns. But almost every square foot of arable land is covered with mature corn (or soybeans). It's amazing to see that much land used for growing. God has made an incredible world that can produce as many crops as we've seen. We see His hand everywhere.
What will we remember about Iowa?
Rain, for one. We've had several days of morning or afternoon or evening rain. We're beginning to think God is bringing the rain with us. My tent is finally dried out.
Trains is another thing we'll remember. It seems like we've been camped by tracks once too often. Did you know that trains blow two long whistles, one short, and one more long at every intersection?
Last night's trains were empty coal cars going west and full ones coming east.
Finally hills.
The south of Iowa feels as though the land was 50 miles too wide, so it was squished to fit, making wrinkles of hills. I would have never thought that we'd climb many ten percent, nine percent, and countless eight percent climbs in Iowa. Three of our top five climbing days have been in Iowa. And the frequency and steepness make them more fatiguing than the mountains.
Actually, there's one other thing. We haven't seen a large amount of people, going through numerous small towns. But almost every square foot of arable land is covered with mature corn (or soybeans). It's amazing to see that much land used for growing. God has made an incredible world that can produce as many crops as we've seen. We see His hand everywhere.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Wind and rain
Those two words defined the past week.
We had rain on Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
We had wind every single day.
Monday was rainy for the first forty miles, with a stiff crosswind. As we left Colorado Springs, we never saw the mountains again. We could also tell we were out of the more bike-friendly areas, as eastern Colorado is not as considerate.
Tuesday was clear, warm, with a stiff breeze across the Plains. Anything under 25 is considered a breeze.
Wednesday and Thursday were days of wind and warm temps. However, the terrain was marked by little more than grain elevators and miles of prairie and farms.
Friday and Saturday were Kansas and Nebraska, with rolling hills and sudden downpours.
But we're safely into Fairbury in Nebraska for the weekend.
We're grateful for tired but healthy bodies.
And I'm appreciating that God's Spirit is a wind that can push me, pull me, nudge me, and even push against me.
I'm limited on my wifi time, so this will have to do.
Till next time.
We had rain on Monday, Friday, and Saturday.
We had wind every single day.
Monday was rainy for the first forty miles, with a stiff crosswind. As we left Colorado Springs, we never saw the mountains again. We could also tell we were out of the more bike-friendly areas, as eastern Colorado is not as considerate.
Tuesday was clear, warm, with a stiff breeze across the Plains. Anything under 25 is considered a breeze.
Wednesday and Thursday were days of wind and warm temps. However, the terrain was marked by little more than grain elevators and miles of prairie and farms.
Friday and Saturday were Kansas and Nebraska, with rolling hills and sudden downpours.
But we're safely into Fairbury in Nebraska for the weekend.
We're grateful for tired but healthy bodies.
And I'm appreciating that God's Spirit is a wind that can push me, pull me, nudge me, and even push against me.
I'm limited on my wifi time, so this will have to do.
Till next time.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Sunday
So, we've completed three weeks. We're one third done.
We've also completed our first six-day week of riding.
For the first time in a week, we don't have to get up early, hurry through breakfast, pack up our gear, pump up tires, fill water bottles, make lunches and stuff them into jersey pockets (bagels are my preference at the moment), check the map, find our riding partners, and take off down new roads.
Today is Sunday. Today we rest.
We're at the point where our muscles don't hurt in the morning anymore. But it's been a long week of hard climbing. One day we crossed the continental divide and climbed 5,900 feet. The next we climbed over a 10,000 ft. pass. We've done lots of climbing and our bodies, minds, and emotions are a bit tired.
We need today. We need a break. Church at Cragmore CRC, lunch, maybe a little siteseeing, but no riding. Our necks, bottoms, legs, and minds need the rest.
Rest is so important, God patterned it into our lives. He also uses it as a symbol of living a life in Christ (in Hebrews).
It makes me wonder if I rest enough. I don't mean taking days off. I mean real rest. Really giving the mind, soul, and body a chance to recharge. I wonder if we "play" so hard on our days off that we really don't rest. Not truly.
Today I'm going to rest.
I hope you get to also.
We've also completed our first six-day week of riding.
For the first time in a week, we don't have to get up early, hurry through breakfast, pack up our gear, pump up tires, fill water bottles, make lunches and stuff them into jersey pockets (bagels are my preference at the moment), check the map, find our riding partners, and take off down new roads.
Today is Sunday. Today we rest.
We're at the point where our muscles don't hurt in the morning anymore. But it's been a long week of hard climbing. One day we crossed the continental divide and climbed 5,900 feet. The next we climbed over a 10,000 ft. pass. We've done lots of climbing and our bodies, minds, and emotions are a bit tired.
We need today. We need a break. Church at Cragmore CRC, lunch, maybe a little siteseeing, but no riding. Our necks, bottoms, legs, and minds need the rest.
Rest is so important, God patterned it into our lives. He also uses it as a symbol of living a life in Christ (in Hebrews).
It makes me wonder if I rest enough. I don't mean taking days off. I mean real rest. Really giving the mind, soul, and body a chance to recharge. I wonder if we "play" so hard on our days off that we really don't rest. Not truly.
Today I'm going to rest.
I hope you get to also.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Hi everyone. Thanks for being patient. It seems like so long since I've been able to post. We've passed through so many small towns that had no wifi for us. The people with cellular coverage for their pads and computers have a real advantage. They can post every day. I'm a bit more restricted, sorry.
Our weeks have had real themes to them.
Week one was definitely dominated by heat.
Week two was a tour of very different Native nations. The Zuni are poor and insulated. The Navajo are more open to some western things, but still very connected to their heritage and culture. It isn't unusual to hear Navajo and English. Last Sunday's church service had traditional music, contemporary music, and Navajo songs. God calls His people from every tribe and language. Last Saturday, we rode 100 miles into Shiprock NM, seeing huge rock formations, dust devils, and lots of dust. The road had been washed out the night before in a rare but welcome downpour, but the DOT let only us cyclists through. The coolest part was the rest stops at the Navajo CRC's.
This week, the theme has been climbing. Monday was a short climbing day to a winery near Turley, NM. Tuesday was a hard climbing day - almost 5,900 feet of climbing to Chama, NM. I started riding with new friends from Canada: Len and Stan, Stan's daughter Ava, and a couple others. We call ourselves "Team Weigh-more...Awesome."
From Chama, we climbed Chumbres Pass, a 10,200 foot pass into Colorado. That night we stayed in Alamosa. Yesterday, we rode a long mountain valley to Poncha Springs, CO.
Today, we rode to Canon (Canyon) City. 50 miles downhill along the Arkansas River. Amazing sights. God's world is stunningly beautiful. Along the way, we stopped (with about 20 other cyclists) at a small coffee shop. As I paid for our table's coffee, the barista wanted to know more about us. I spoke to her about our mission and purpose; I also gave her a business card with the Sea to Sea information. She asked, "will this show me where I can donate?" That happens every day. Last week a Navajo woman went to her friends and collected $1.65. She felt badly that she couldn't do more, but her generous spirit was beautiful.
Every day, we see more beauty, more evidence of man's brokenness, and more urgency for the grace and power of the Gospel.
Thanks for reading and being patient.
Thanks especially for your prayers.
Our weeks have had real themes to them.
Week one was definitely dominated by heat.
Week two was a tour of very different Native nations. The Zuni are poor and insulated. The Navajo are more open to some western things, but still very connected to their heritage and culture. It isn't unusual to hear Navajo and English. Last Sunday's church service had traditional music, contemporary music, and Navajo songs. God calls His people from every tribe and language. Last Saturday, we rode 100 miles into Shiprock NM, seeing huge rock formations, dust devils, and lots of dust. The road had been washed out the night before in a rare but welcome downpour, but the DOT let only us cyclists through. The coolest part was the rest stops at the Navajo CRC's.
This week, the theme has been climbing. Monday was a short climbing day to a winery near Turley, NM. Tuesday was a hard climbing day - almost 5,900 feet of climbing to Chama, NM. I started riding with new friends from Canada: Len and Stan, Stan's daughter Ava, and a couple others. We call ourselves "Team Weigh-more...Awesome."
From Chama, we climbed Chumbres Pass, a 10,200 foot pass into Colorado. That night we stayed in Alamosa. Yesterday, we rode a long mountain valley to Poncha Springs, CO.
Today, we rode to Canon (Canyon) City. 50 miles downhill along the Arkansas River. Amazing sights. God's world is stunningly beautiful. Along the way, we stopped (with about 20 other cyclists) at a small coffee shop. As I paid for our table's coffee, the barista wanted to know more about us. I spoke to her about our mission and purpose; I also gave her a business card with the Sea to Sea information. She asked, "will this show me where I can donate?" That happens every day. Last week a Navajo woman went to her friends and collected $1.65. She felt badly that she couldn't do more, but her generous spirit was beautiful.
Every day, we see more beauty, more evidence of man's brokenness, and more urgency for the grace and power of the Gospel.
Thanks for reading and being patient.
Thanks especially for your prayers.
Friday, July 5, 2013
From one nation to another
We rode out of the Zuni nation today - into Navajo country: Rehoboth, to be exact.
It's like two different worlds. The Zuni seem like they're trying very hard not to become like the outside. They are much smaller, more isolated, and more tied to their culture and religion. The Navajo and Gallup looks much more like small town America, with fast food, coffee shops, and the rest. Mission work among the Zuni must be so hard.
A follow up to last night. I wrote that blog after walking through the town - a walk that discouraged me because of the incredible poverty. I asked the question, "can't we do better?"
Well, we had our nightly ride meeting called "Peloton." At that meeting, six Zuni Christians spoke, shared, and sang "Amazing Grace" in Zuni.
This brave minority are the better way.
They aren't rich nor are they managing huge programs.
They are God's light, God's Kingdom outpost among their own people.
They are fighting for God with prayer, grace, and compassion. They are facing very real spiritual battles in the power of prayer and God's Spirit. The spiritual war is very close to the surface.
Bottom line, they are facing many of the same battles we face - an adversary who does not want the Kingdom to move forward. But "greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world."
The obstacles always look bigger when our eyes aren't on God.
It's like two different worlds. The Zuni seem like they're trying very hard not to become like the outside. They are much smaller, more isolated, and more tied to their culture and religion. The Navajo and Gallup looks much more like small town America, with fast food, coffee shops, and the rest. Mission work among the Zuni must be so hard.
A follow up to last night. I wrote that blog after walking through the town - a walk that discouraged me because of the incredible poverty. I asked the question, "can't we do better?"
Well, we had our nightly ride meeting called "Peloton." At that meeting, six Zuni Christians spoke, shared, and sang "Amazing Grace" in Zuni.
This brave minority are the better way.
They aren't rich nor are they managing huge programs.
They are God's light, God's Kingdom outpost among their own people.
They are fighting for God with prayer, grace, and compassion. They are facing very real spiritual battles in the power of prayer and God's Spirit. The spiritual war is very close to the surface.
Bottom line, they are facing many of the same battles we face - an adversary who does not want the Kingdom to move forward. But "greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world."
The obstacles always look bigger when our eyes aren't on God.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
July 4
It's funny that my thoughts on Sea to Sea have so little to do with riding.
Sure, I think about water and comfort (or the absence of such things).
But most of the time, I think about other things, sometimes asking questions that have no answers.
I think about the road ahead that stretches all the way to the horizon, without a single curve.
I think about going miles and miles with no sign of human habitation. This country does have a lot of open and empty space. A whole lot.
Today, i thought about the different types of communities we've ridden through. Within a few days' ride, we've seen the gated communities of Palm Springs and the impoverished Native communities scattered through the Southwest. These small villages, filled with people trying to make ends meet has brought Sea to Sea home for me. It isn't that there is poverty - there's a lot of poverty. Here's my impossible question: can't we do better? The needs are so great and our ride will be done in a little over seven weeks. Is this the best we all can do?
On this day when we celebrate independence, it would be nice to see us do more to free people - not from the tyranny of government, but from the tyranny of poverty.
Sure, I think about water and comfort (or the absence of such things).
But most of the time, I think about other things, sometimes asking questions that have no answers.
I think about the road ahead that stretches all the way to the horizon, without a single curve.
I think about going miles and miles with no sign of human habitation. This country does have a lot of open and empty space. A whole lot.
Today, i thought about the different types of communities we've ridden through. Within a few days' ride, we've seen the gated communities of Palm Springs and the impoverished Native communities scattered through the Southwest. These small villages, filled with people trying to make ends meet has brought Sea to Sea home for me. It isn't that there is poverty - there's a lot of poverty. Here's my impossible question: can't we do better? The needs are so great and our ride will be done in a little over seven weeks. Is this the best we all can do?
On this day when we celebrate independence, it would be nice to see us do more to free people - not from the tyranny of government, but from the tyranny of poverty.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Needs and wants
I knew that being part is Sea to Sea would teach me about needs. I kind of thought it would take longer.
My life's possessions consist of bike gear, a tent bag, and two clothes baskets for clothes, etc. That's all we get. Yet it feels like I have too much stuff. I took too many shirts and overpacked some other things as well. Every night I have to carry my "world" to a site and every morning carry it all back to the truck. And I feel like I'm carrying too much.
I'm surprised I'm feeling this way so soon. My needs have become very simple: enough water, meals, and a dry place to sleep. Oh, and a well running bike.
I've become content with so little.
When I come home, why do I need so much?
And how long will it take for me to get used to all my stuff again whe I get home?
My life's possessions consist of bike gear, a tent bag, and two clothes baskets for clothes, etc. That's all we get. Yet it feels like I have too much stuff. I took too many shirts and overpacked some other things as well. Every night I have to carry my "world" to a site and every morning carry it all back to the truck. And I feel like I'm carrying too much.
I'm surprised I'm feeling this way so soon. My needs have become very simple: enough water, meals, and a dry place to sleep. Oh, and a well running bike.
I've become content with so little.
When I come home, why do I need so much?
And how long will it take for me to get used to all my stuff again whe I get home?
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