Week 4 - en route to Denver

O God, come to our assistance. O Lord, make haste to help us.
OPENING PRAYER:
Most holy God of heaven, you who paint the shining enter of the sky with the brightness of fire, illumineour hearts, banish sordid things, release the chain of guilt, and make void our crimes. Amen.

Psalm 139:1,2,6-12
Collect:
Almighty and loving God, your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death. Breath upon us the power of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ and serve you in holiness and righteousness all our days. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ your SOn, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God forever and ever. Amen.

Tonight's Shifting Gears reflection -
QUESTIONS THAT MAKE YOU THINK:
ARE ALL THINGS INTRICATELY CONNECTED?

Reflections on this week.

The events of this past weekend were quite unexpected. As I previously wrote - Saturday was a day in which the truth of the adage that an endeavor of this sort is more or at least as much mental as physical. Of course I think these kinds of statements don't cover every situation but are a general rule of thumb. But Saturday for me was a day in which I just couldn't keep going, knowing what was to come and knowing that this week was going to present quite the challenge. The weekend went well after everyone got settled. Sunday most of the riders got to sleep in and many were able to stay w/host families. Church members and numerous family members came and volunteered their time and assistance for the riders. The park personnel also did what they could to see that things were taken care of.

Sunday people got to catch up on laundry and do get some much needed rest in. The worship service took place in the evening after an amazing dinner provided for us by the First CRC.
On top of it all - we saw not one but 2 rainbows.

Oh yeah - and I got a new bike. An anonymous angel (who shall remain nameless, nyuk, nyuk)
decided that I needed the right tool for the job. So I was taken to a local bike store (in Park City) and a bike was picked out for me to ride - for the rest of the tour. It is a true road bike - a TREK, 2.1 w/Bontrager tires, woman specific design. Red & White. Amazing. I was ready to leave the tour after the weekend given how much of a struggle it has been to keep up and get into camp at a reasonable hour. So, on Monday, I hopped on and found that life got so much easier. We went from Jordanelle to Duchesne and while there was a major incline to conquer, I managed to do so - at least most of it. The bike weighs about 18 pounds - much less than Lucy Blue - not that she has anything to worry about. She was designed for a different type of ride. She is actually on her way home. Sterling & Karen Swan very graciously offered to box her up and send her back to NY. That worked out well as space is at a premium on the tour and it would have been a bit difficult to carry her around with us.
So, when I get the next set of pictures up - you will be introduced to "Lucy Too". She rides really well. The only major problem I've had is adjusting to the new - VERY NARROW saddle. For those who don't use these things - you need to know it will take major time to adjust. Not always a good thing to have to do on a tour but the change in bikes was necessary. However, good thinking prevailed (not necessarily mine) and I kept Lucy Blue's saddle to exchange with this one if needed. It's needed. Rick did that for me tonight. The saddle from Lucy Blue is like a comfortable platonic old friend. Lucy Too is too much of a racehorse to want that heavy thing on her but we have to compromise. I am not one for experiencing un-necessary pain and those little things that they call "comfortable" - aren't - at least not for me.
So we will see how tomorrow goes. Yesterday I did manage to ride 70 out of the 90 miles. (To the town of Dinosaur - yes, that is what it's called)

Today I got about 1/2 of the 88 done. It was hard getting started today - I had to fake it until I made it as I couldn't really get myself going. I didn't want to get on the bike - big time. But I told myself we'd just go 1 mile and see what happened. Then I was able to go 2 & 3 and so on. I then promised myself I'd do just 10 and see how things went. At about 7 miles or so Ad came up and kept me company for a while until I couldn't ride anymore - just too sore. I walked for a bit and then tried to ride again. Amazingly I was ok at that point and rode through the desert for the next 6 - 7 miles. I got to the SAG wagon at 18 miles and decided I had done the best I could for the morning. I had a snack and then got into the truck and fell asleep. I actually slept for about 2 hours. I think I really needed it. I rode w/Corey for a number of miles w/a couple of other riders and then Bill (one of the Bill's) & I decided we would accompany each other in for the last 20-25 miles which included up & down hills. That was a nice ride. The wind was kind of strong but because of the cloud cover - we were cool and that helped. We got to Craig, Colorado around 4- 4:30 this afternoon. I managed to have time to clean my 2 laundry baskets out and get a shower and have dinner and make the Pelaton meeting and get some blog work done. It's a good night. Tomorrow's ride will be for tomorrow - but now it's time to get that much needed sleep.
Peace & blessings to you all.
jo
(pictures tomorrow I hope - I have a great one of a visitor we had tonight - Louie - a local dachsund who visited us w/his owner. She & her friends came to the school to see the tour as we were again written up in a local paper).