Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Making My Way
Well, I am gradually making my way toward the end of this adventure. It's hard to believe that Karen and Lindsay will be here to pick me up one week from tomorrow. This has been an incredible adventure and yet it's still hard to believe that I have actually ridden my bike from Oregon to here. I am so grateful for everything I have learned and I am also looking forward to spending some time in 'normal life' again.
Today's ride took us 69 miles from London, Ontario to Branton, Ontario (the hometown of hockey great Wayne Gretzky). It rained overnight and skies were still gray this morning as we left but the weather continued to improve as the day progressed and we all stayed dry.
The terrain today was relatively flat which should have made it a cake day except that we had significant headwinds once again. Lot's of corn and soybean fields again today but we also saw quite a few tobacco fields and gingseng and berry fields as well. I had no idea that they grew so much tobacco this far north.
I rode pretty much the whole day by myself. Ainslee and Joan rode with me for about 10 miles early in the day and it was fun chatting it up with them. The Turtles leap frogged me most of the day until about mile 50 when I stopped for a sandwich and they passed me for good. I tried hanging on with them for a few miles around the 40 mile mark but they're just too strong and it makes me anxious trying to keep up. I think it looks like I am going to be riding these last eight days by myself. That's ok, we will all get to the ocean at the same time anyway.
I miss the comaraderie (sp?) of the team and the funny things we would tease each other about but this development has also given me a chance to get to know some of the other riders better (like Ainslee and Joan today) so it's not without its blessings. It all works out exactly as it should.
Tomorrow we head for Niagra and our final rest day of the trip on Monday. I'm looking forward to a day off because for whatever reason, my quads have been really sore the past fews days. Hopefully, my legs can rejuvenate a bit before the final push to New Hampshire.
Keep those prayers coming and don't forget to ask for a tail wind!
PS - It's always a little harrowing coming into town by yourself. Traffic is usually quite busy and you have to closely read directions, watch for traffic and spot road hazards simultaneously by yourself. This afternoon was even more challwnging because it's a big town and the direction were a bit vague and confusing. I was in the middle of town and just starting to get a little confused and anxious when Jim (the ride mechanic) appeared out of no where on his bike from my right. He quickly caught up with me and offered to lead me to the hotel. I am constantly amazed at how God delivers the assistance I need exactly at the moment I need it. Thanks God!!!
Today's ride took us 69 miles from London, Ontario to Branton, Ontario (the hometown of hockey great Wayne Gretzky). It rained overnight and skies were still gray this morning as we left but the weather continued to improve as the day progressed and we all stayed dry.
The terrain today was relatively flat which should have made it a cake day except that we had significant headwinds once again. Lot's of corn and soybean fields again today but we also saw quite a few tobacco fields and gingseng and berry fields as well. I had no idea that they grew so much tobacco this far north.
I rode pretty much the whole day by myself. Ainslee and Joan rode with me for about 10 miles early in the day and it was fun chatting it up with them. The Turtles leap frogged me most of the day until about mile 50 when I stopped for a sandwich and they passed me for good. I tried hanging on with them for a few miles around the 40 mile mark but they're just too strong and it makes me anxious trying to keep up. I think it looks like I am going to be riding these last eight days by myself. That's ok, we will all get to the ocean at the same time anyway.
I miss the comaraderie (sp?) of the team and the funny things we would tease each other about but this development has also given me a chance to get to know some of the other riders better (like Ainslee and Joan today) so it's not without its blessings. It all works out exactly as it should.
Tomorrow we head for Niagra and our final rest day of the trip on Monday. I'm looking forward to a day off because for whatever reason, my quads have been really sore the past fews days. Hopefully, my legs can rejuvenate a bit before the final push to New Hampshire.
Keep those prayers coming and don't forget to ask for a tail wind!
PS - It's always a little harrowing coming into town by yourself. Traffic is usually quite busy and you have to closely read directions, watch for traffic and spot road hazards simultaneously by yourself. This afternoon was even more challwnging because it's a big town and the direction were a bit vague and confusing. I was in the middle of town and just starting to get a little confused and anxious when Jim (the ride mechanic) appeared out of no where on his bike from my right. He quickly caught up with me and offered to lead me to the hotel. I am constantly amazed at how God delivers the assistance I need exactly at the moment I need it. Thanks God!!!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Oh Canada...
This morning we crossed the Blue Water bridge into Canada. We gathered in the parking lot at 6:20 am and road over the bridge in a procession with the support vans in the front and rear. They closed the bridge while we crossed so it was really fun and felt a bit like being in the Tour de France.
We spent the rest of the day cycling through Ontario on our way to London which was our destination for today. I spent the first 17 miles or so in the Team Turtle paceline and then peeled off to ride my own pace. Ontarion looks a lot like Ohio so I felt pretty much at home today. I did, however, notice one thing interesting.
Today's ride was 84 miles (short by our current standards) and the terrain was flat. It should have been an easy day but once again we were plagued by a pesky head wind. Several times throughout the day, the route called for us to make a turn that would give us a cross wind and a bit of a break from the head wind. I noticed that as soon as we made the turn into the cross wind the road became really bumpy or it was uphill!
Nothing out here is easy!!!
The ride is starting to take a toll on everyone in the group. It seems like we all have a nagging ache somewhere or a muscle strain that just won't go away. I remember when we were in Oregon, the physical effort required for each day's ride was exhausting but a few hours after you showered, you felt pretty close to normal. Now we do a ride on relatively flat land and I still feel tired and sore the next morning when I get on the bike to start the next ride. I think the body is just running out of reserve and therefore can't recover between rides like it did a month ago.
I also notice that I am almost always hungry. I can eat until I am painfully full and three hours later I am hungry to the point of distraction. We have all started squirrelling away food from the SAG stops to snack on in the room at night. At the same time, most food has lost its flavor. When you have to eat so much all the time, eating becomes another chore on the 'to do' list and you get tired of it.
We passed a nice bike shop just before we arrived at our hotel and many folks stopped in and bought new bike shorts. The padding in the shorts breaks down after a thousand miles and so that just adds to the ever present butt issues.
Please continue to pray for our safety and our sanity and bless us with a tail wind. We could use a little boost!!!
PS - I had a great conversation with Lynne and Joan while doing laundry tonight. We talked about what a privilege it is to do this trip and how grateful we are for the health and resources to participate in this incredible adveture. We also talked about strategies to incorporate what we have learned on this trip into our day to day lives when we get back home.
I truly am grateful for this experience and all that it has taught me.
We spent the rest of the day cycling through Ontario on our way to London which was our destination for today. I spent the first 17 miles or so in the Team Turtle paceline and then peeled off to ride my own pace. Ontarion looks a lot like Ohio so I felt pretty much at home today. I did, however, notice one thing interesting.
Today's ride was 84 miles (short by our current standards) and the terrain was flat. It should have been an easy day but once again we were plagued by a pesky head wind. Several times throughout the day, the route called for us to make a turn that would give us a cross wind and a bit of a break from the head wind. I noticed that as soon as we made the turn into the cross wind the road became really bumpy or it was uphill!
Nothing out here is easy!!!
The ride is starting to take a toll on everyone in the group. It seems like we all have a nagging ache somewhere or a muscle strain that just won't go away. I remember when we were in Oregon, the physical effort required for each day's ride was exhausting but a few hours after you showered, you felt pretty close to normal. Now we do a ride on relatively flat land and I still feel tired and sore the next morning when I get on the bike to start the next ride. I think the body is just running out of reserve and therefore can't recover between rides like it did a month ago.
I also notice that I am almost always hungry. I can eat until I am painfully full and three hours later I am hungry to the point of distraction. We have all started squirrelling away food from the SAG stops to snack on in the room at night. At the same time, most food has lost its flavor. When you have to eat so much all the time, eating becomes another chore on the 'to do' list and you get tired of it.
We passed a nice bike shop just before we arrived at our hotel and many folks stopped in and bought new bike shorts. The padding in the shorts breaks down after a thousand miles and so that just adds to the ever present butt issues.
Please continue to pray for our safety and our sanity and bless us with a tail wind. We could use a little boost!!!
PS - I had a great conversation with Lynne and Joan while doing laundry tonight. We talked about what a privilege it is to do this trip and how grateful we are for the health and resources to participate in this incredible adveture. We also talked about strategies to incorporate what we have learned on this trip into our day to day lives when we get back home.
I truly am grateful for this experience and all that it has taught me.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Good Bye Michigan
The past few days have been a whirlwind. Dennis, David (my dog), my dad, my brother, my siter-in-law, and my cousin came to visit yesterday. It was so strange to see people I know from home. It was a real boost to be hugged. I didn't realize how much I miss being touched. We knuckle bump and high-five each other here at bicycle boot camp but there's not a lot of hugging that goes on.
It really raised my spirits to see everyone from home and it also made it clear how close we are to the end of this incredible journey. Tomorrow we cross over the bridge into Canada and Sunday we will be in Niagra Falls for our final rest day on Monday. One week from there and we dunk the bikes in the ocean and say good-bye. Tonight at rap they began to discuss the details of the final day so that people know how to plan.
This morning we awoke to thunderstorms and lightning. They delayed our start by over an hour but that was a great call on Jeff Lazer's part because we were dry the rest of the day. We had a kicking west wind most of the day so I want to thank all you prayer warriors for dialing up that tail wind! It certainly was helpful to have such a strong tail wind on a day when we got a late start.
I rode about the first 20 miles with Team Turtle and then I dropped off by myself for the rest of the day. I had a really fun day enjoying the bike at my own pace and thinking what I want to do with my life after this adventure is over.
Our route into Port Huron took us on Lakeshore Drive qnd there were some really gorgeous homes and views of Lake Huron. It reminded me a lot of the homes on Catawba.
Time to call it a night as we have an early day tomorrow to get over the bridge (they are closing the bridge to allow us to pass) and then get through customs. I've iced my knees and cleaned and prepped the bike for tomorrow so all my chores are done.
Please don't stop praying for us just because we are close to the end. We need your prayers now because everyone is tired and at the end of their reserve. Please pray for safety, strength, and a tail wind!
Good night! See you soon!
It really raised my spirits to see everyone from home and it also made it clear how close we are to the end of this incredible journey. Tomorrow we cross over the bridge into Canada and Sunday we will be in Niagra Falls for our final rest day on Monday. One week from there and we dunk the bikes in the ocean and say good-bye. Tonight at rap they began to discuss the details of the final day so that people know how to plan.
This morning we awoke to thunderstorms and lightning. They delayed our start by over an hour but that was a great call on Jeff Lazer's part because we were dry the rest of the day. We had a kicking west wind most of the day so I want to thank all you prayer warriors for dialing up that tail wind! It certainly was helpful to have such a strong tail wind on a day when we got a late start.
I rode about the first 20 miles with Team Turtle and then I dropped off by myself for the rest of the day. I had a really fun day enjoying the bike at my own pace and thinking what I want to do with my life after this adventure is over.
Our route into Port Huron took us on Lakeshore Drive qnd there were some really gorgeous homes and views of Lake Huron. It reminded me a lot of the homes on Catawba.
Time to call it a night as we have an early day tomorrow to get over the bridge (they are closing the bridge to allow us to pass) and then get through customs. I've iced my knees and cleaned and prepped the bike for tomorrow so all my chores are done.
Please don't stop praying for us just because we are close to the end. We need your prayers now because everyone is tired and at the end of their reserve. Please pray for safety, strength, and a tail wind!
Good night! See you soon!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
A Challenging Day
Yesterday was technically a rest day but we had to take the ferry from WI to Ludington, MI. The day was filled with hurry up and wait scenarios which were pretty stressful. Combine that with the ferry leaving al oat two hours late due to difficulty loading a wind turbine and the high heat and humidity and you have the makings for a boat load of unhappy bikers!
We didn't get to the hotel in Ludington u til around 9:00 pm and we hadn't eaten and were incredibly hot and sticky from the boat. It after 11:00 before I wound down enough to sleep and we had to get up at 5:00 am to have breakfast and start our 113 mile ride to Mt. Pleasant.
I woke up more tired than when I went to bed and I was in a terrible mood. I started texting my brother (he lives in MI) to arrange a ride to skip the 113 miles on the bike today but it didn't work out. Like a good big brother, he asked if I was sick and when I told him "No, I'm just tired." he said we'll pray for you and see you in Birch Run tomorrow as planned.
That was exactly the correct way to handle me in that moment (he's had a few yeqrs practice'at this). If he had come to Ludington and rescued me, I have to wonder if I would have rejoined the ride or just gone home.
I rode by myself because it's hard for me to keep up with Team Turtle over that amount of distance and it wasn't fair to subject another human being to my whining. It took me the better part of 70 miles to improve my mood and attitude but here's what I figured out:
1. I can't help anyone if I quit. - I want to use this ride to become a better human being and hopefully other people will be able to learn a little about themselves as well. If I quit, all that potential is lost.
2. Doing something bigger than yourself will ALWAYS involve moments of extreme discomfort but if you calm down and really notice the situation, you will see that nothing is wrong and this moment is very doable.
3. When you are faced with a task that seems overwhelmingly big, chunk it down. Today I really disciplined myself not to think about the 113 miles but instead to just ride to the next direction cue on my route sheet. When there was a hill or the wind was against me, I broke it down even more and'just rode to the next house and then the next house after that.
4. The only time today on the ride that I really suffered was when I was trying to figure out how to get out of riding. Once I decided that I was going to finish the whole thing and all there was to do now was to enjoy the scenery and ride to the next cue, I actually enjoyed myself.
5. When you grow and finish something that you didn't think you could do (like a 113 mile bike ride on 5 hrs sleep and poor food)...CELEBRATE!!!
Tomorrow will be a fun day. We get to sleep in a bit and my family is coming to visit in Birch Run. See you there!!!
We didn't get to the hotel in Ludington u til around 9:00 pm and we hadn't eaten and were incredibly hot and sticky from the boat. It after 11:00 before I wound down enough to sleep and we had to get up at 5:00 am to have breakfast and start our 113 mile ride to Mt. Pleasant.
I woke up more tired than when I went to bed and I was in a terrible mood. I started texting my brother (he lives in MI) to arrange a ride to skip the 113 miles on the bike today but it didn't work out. Like a good big brother, he asked if I was sick and when I told him "No, I'm just tired." he said we'll pray for you and see you in Birch Run tomorrow as planned.
That was exactly the correct way to handle me in that moment (he's had a few yeqrs practice'at this). If he had come to Ludington and rescued me, I have to wonder if I would have rejoined the ride or just gone home.
I rode by myself because it's hard for me to keep up with Team Turtle over that amount of distance and it wasn't fair to subject another human being to my whining. It took me the better part of 70 miles to improve my mood and attitude but here's what I figured out:
1. I can't help anyone if I quit. - I want to use this ride to become a better human being and hopefully other people will be able to learn a little about themselves as well. If I quit, all that potential is lost.
2. Doing something bigger than yourself will ALWAYS involve moments of extreme discomfort but if you calm down and really notice the situation, you will see that nothing is wrong and this moment is very doable.
3. When you are faced with a task that seems overwhelmingly big, chunk it down. Today I really disciplined myself not to think about the 113 miles but instead to just ride to the next direction cue on my route sheet. When there was a hill or the wind was against me, I broke it down even more and'just rode to the next house and then the next house after that.
4. The only time today on the ride that I really suffered was when I was trying to figure out how to get out of riding. Once I decided that I was going to finish the whole thing and all there was to do now was to enjoy the scenery and ride to the next cue, I actually enjoyed myself.
5. When you grow and finish something that you didn't think you could do (like a 113 mile bike ride on 5 hrs sleep and poor food)...CELEBRATE!!!
Tomorrow will be a fun day. We get to sleep in a bit and my family is coming to visit in Birch Run. See you there!!!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
A Nearly Perfect Day
Today was a great ride for me. It started with a great night's sleep. I went to sleep at 8 pm last night and didn't get up until 6:15 this morning! We had a late breakfast and late load time today due to the short mileage (only 57 miles) so I treated myself to a cup of coffee while I said the rosary. Between the extra sleep, the coffee, and the quiet time in prayer I felt like a million bucks by the time we started our ride.
I rode the first 31 miles with Team Turtle and got some more excellent cycling coaching from Sam. The pace through those 31 miles was pretty good so I felt like I got my workout for the day (thanks Crist!). The SAG stop was at a McDonalds at 31 miles and Diane and I got pineapple mango smoothies. I can't describe how fantastic it tasted! The best part of doing an endurance sport is that all your senses are intensified, food is an explosion of flavor, taking a shower is sublimely sensual, and just sitting down in a good chair feels divine. I have never felt so "in my body".
After the SAG stop, the Team split up and I rode the last 26 miles by myself. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go at my own pace and enjoy the scenery. The weather and the rolling farmland were just beautiful.
I say it was a "nearly perfect day" beacuse 10 miles from the finish, I came upon six of our riders who had just had an accident. They had been riding in a paceline and had a miscommunication when changing out the lead rider and the other five following behind the lead crashed into each other. They were going about 22 mph when it happened. Everyone in the group has various degrees of road rash and one guy's bike is pretty busted but other than that, they are all ok (thanks be to God). Margie had a piece of Jim's handlebars stuck in her helmet, that's how much force was involved.
The situation was well under control by the time I came upon it so I continued on. I've had a couple of close calls following the wheel of my fellow Turtles so I understand how quickly and easily this kind of thing can happen. When there is a significant headwind of desolate terrain, travelling in a group is really important but neither of those conditions existed today. The whole thing made me really glad I decided to ride alone this afternoon and has me thinking about my strategy for the 113 mile ride on Tuesday.
Sm's wife Mary visited again this afternoon and had dinner ith us. She is absolutely delightful and has been a real boost to our moral.
I rode the first 31 miles with Team Turtle and got some more excellent cycling coaching from Sam. The pace through those 31 miles was pretty good so I felt like I got my workout for the day (thanks Crist!). The SAG stop was at a McDonalds at 31 miles and Diane and I got pineapple mango smoothies. I can't describe how fantastic it tasted! The best part of doing an endurance sport is that all your senses are intensified, food is an explosion of flavor, taking a shower is sublimely sensual, and just sitting down in a good chair feels divine. I have never felt so "in my body".
After the SAG stop, the Team split up and I rode the last 26 miles by myself. I really enjoyed the opportunity to go at my own pace and enjoy the scenery. The weather and the rolling farmland were just beautiful.
I say it was a "nearly perfect day" beacuse 10 miles from the finish, I came upon six of our riders who had just had an accident. They had been riding in a paceline and had a miscommunication when changing out the lead rider and the other five following behind the lead crashed into each other. They were going about 22 mph when it happened. Everyone in the group has various degrees of road rash and one guy's bike is pretty busted but other than that, they are all ok (thanks be to God). Margie had a piece of Jim's handlebars stuck in her helmet, that's how much force was involved.
The situation was well under control by the time I came upon it so I continued on. I've had a couple of close calls following the wheel of my fellow Turtles so I understand how quickly and easily this kind of thing can happen. When there is a significant headwind of desolate terrain, travelling in a group is really important but neither of those conditions existed today. The whole thing made me really glad I decided to ride alone this afternoon and has me thinking about my strategy for the 113 mile ride on Tuesday.
Sm's wife Mary visited again this afternoon and had dinner ith us. She is absolutely delightful and has been a real boost to our moral.
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