More Michigan & Beyond

Hi All -
Thanks again to those of you who read our blogs - and for letting us know.
We realize it's not always consistent - but then again - isn't life a bit like that?
People ask - "how has the riding been?" and I ususually answer, "alot like life, some hard days, some easy, some rough patches, some smooth - but all in all I wouldn't have missed it for anything".

I've also been asked whether I'd do it again if I had the chance and to that I say, "It depends on when you ask me." I probably would if it was meant to be - but I would surely want to know that it was something God was asking of me. The level of stamina and endurance that is needed for this is significant - and I do recognize that I have made it this far - with my break - but I honestly believe that I have done what I did because God provided the opportunity and then empowered me to do it. On my own - I wouldn't have considered riding across the country on a bike. Not that I wouldn't have given it some thought - or just thought it was a neat thing to do - but in terms of what I am usually up for physically - this would not be at the top of the list. There are some riders who are athletic - some who are more casual riders and some who truly have had to deal w/physical ailments that would make anyone think twice about embarking upon this type of ride. Yet, I guess in each of our cases, God asked it of us and then empowered us to go ahead and do it.

I also truly believe that the prayers we have had prayed for us and the support and encouragment that is directed towards us all play a part in keeping us going, moving eastward and God-ward as we use this tour to do our part in ending the cycle of poverty.

For all those who have said that they are involved in only a small way - I say that each person who has chosen or been moved to participate in this tour is a necessary and vital part of the tour. Systems work together in ways that allow for good or for ill to occur and if you have taken part in this tour - either through prayer, financial support, baking goodies for us or opening your homes to us - you have been a part of this special system that has been created to address the unhealthy systems that keep people oppressed or feeling that they are doomed to spend their lives in need and want.

I will say that if the whole tour had been like the last couple of weeks, there would have been a lot less drama and angst on my part but again - life doesn't work like that either as there will be uphills, hot days or headwinds. It's all part of this package and avoiding or trying to avoid the challenges and difficulties usually doesn't work. As tough as the first 4 weeks were - and they were - I would have missed out on so much had I not taken part in it. I don't ever want to bike through a desert again - but I got to see a part of the country I had never seen before. We've been blessed in terms of weather other than that very hot days that we encountered (yes, I did miss some of them in Nebraska & Wisconsin). And the roads and environment in Michigan & Canada have been terrific. It seems to be true, in my case at least that familiarity makes for comfort. Michigan and Canada look a lot like what I am used to - green, suburbs & farms, humidity and other characteristics which in their familiarity I find comforting. It should help me to empathize more I suppose with those who find change threatening or unwelcome and I hope I will be - but I also hope that others will take the risk that change seems to represent and find out what else there is for them in life. Like many things - it doesn't have to be either/or - life can be both/and. Familiar and yet new, similar yet different, comfortable yet going beyond comfort to the next level.

As of Wednesday - we have been in Canada and I cannot say enough about how hospitable our Canadian cousins have been. Ontario is beautiful and the rides have been mostly smooth - (again - a few rough spots here and there) and the outpouring of support is phenomenol. If it is true that people express their love via food - then we have been loved as high as the clouds and as deep as the oceans. Churches and individuals have provided us with snacks and fruit and cold water and ice cream and pastries until we feel like Thanksgiving turkeys (American style) ready to be served. To see all the people awaiting our arrival in Ontario on Wednesday when we crossed on the ferry was truly overwhelming. Of course there were many family members there -looking for their riders but even we Americans felt like we were being welcomed back home. How fitting and again - how illustrative of the concept of true, biblical hospitality.

For myself, I wanted to find a place to buy a Canadian flag to "wear" on my bike. I saw a gentleman speaking w/one of the riders and asked him if he could let me know where I might get one. He didn't answer but responded by giving me the flag he held in his hand. It's bigger than the ones that most people have been putting on their bikes (Canadian or American) but I attached it as best as I could and rode on my way.

Other wonders occured on Wednesday when Johnny ("Do Something Beautiful") Pierce rode by w/John Vanderveen and somehow I managed to catch up w/them. Yes, they had to have been taking it easy but we rode from the marina to Chatham (Ontario - not NY my New York friends) together. I don't know where the energy came from - it had to have been the cupcakes and candy and boeter koeke (Dutch- see if you can guess what it means) that I had before getting back on the road. Everything went smoothly until about 7 km from Chatham where we stayed Wed. night. Earlier - John's (Pierce) rear tire & my front one clicked although we didn't go down thank goodness. But it seemed to have affected his tire because not 1 but 2 spokes broke. Suffice it to say I felt badly but Johnny was a good sport and said it was something that happens when biking - which is true. I know he would have preferred not to have to SAG into camp but as it was - he did get a ride to a bike shop where the spokes were fixed, the tires replaced and someone very generously covered the cost. Then John got a ride back out to the spot we had stopped and rode the rest of the way into camp. Given that another rider had taken a bad fall due to his frame splitting (I'll spare you the details but please keep him in prayer as he recovers) I am happy that nothing worse happened to John or myself. The best part of that ride was singing our way into camp. It's amazing I can sing and ride at the same time but it does pass the time. Which is good because there were a couple of days during that week that I wasn't sure whether or not I'd make it in to camp that day.

Tuesday was pretty tough - as it was a 95 mile day and I was dragging along. Lovely Greta got in front of me at some point and we took off. I was able to keep up w/her for most of the day but I know she was holding back as well. We spent a number of miles together and then when we got to Walter's stop I let her break free. Jake P. & I ended up doing the last 20/30 miles together and got help along the way from Tim V. Tim does work w/the CRC and is a really good rider as well. If he hadn't carried us along I would have called it quits long before getting to camp but he like so many others kept us going and we rode into camp just as dinner was being served.

Those long days are the ones that really get to me. I think I can handle up to about 60 miles and then I want to stop. There were so many places along the roadway that looked inviting enough to stop at and take a nap - a long nap. Which only works if you have all the time in the world and don't have to be any place in particular.

On Thursday - it was almost the same thing. I couldn't keep up w/my shadow it seemed and the road seemed endless and I was sure I would miss lunch that another wonderful congregation was serving but I managed to get there around 1 and there was plenty to eat and I wasn't even the last or near to the last person to get into camp. Thursday was a busy day for some riders as there was a time trial for anyone who wanted to sign up - (testing yourself against yourself) but they did ask that only riders who could do 18miles/hour or better sign up so the volunteers who were helping out didn't have to stay out all day. Suffice it to say - I didn't sign up. (Many bikers also went to the VELODROME. It's an indoor bike track that goes around in circles at some bizarre angle and riders can ride like it's some kind of amusement park thing).

I did get to London early enough to get clothes done but I missed going to the work project I had signed up for. We needed to meet before 7 but I thought we had to meet at the bus at 7 - so I missed that one. If I can get in early enough for the project in Binghamton NY - I'll do that. In London we were greeted again by a number of wonderful people who had all the different kinds of dessert in the world you can imagine -after serving us snacks and dinner and inviting us to do laundry and swim in their pools.


From London we went to Hamilton and again were greeted graciously. I may even have been on a news story that aired Friday night as a local station was videotaping riders for their story and I rode in just as they were preparing to tape the riders following their van. Everyone said to get in the group and perhaps be on t.v. - For once, getting in late didn't mean missing everything, although I did miss getting a pedicure or foot massage. I will appreciate them even more now than I ever have. I also had decided to see if I could go home w/someone as I wanted to sleep in a bed and take a shower in a home setting. There was room & I signed up to stay w/Sandy & Suzie (from NJ) and we got to stay w/Ann who was just wonderful. It was also nice spending time w/others from NJ even though neither of them grew up there like I did.
Ann got us back to Redeemer University where we had been hosted by 7 a.m. Sat. morning and we were on the road again before too long. Corinne & I rode again together today (did yesterday also) and got to St. Catherine's this afternoon around 3:30. She got into camp before I did - as she can put the pedal to the metal (so to speak) when she wants to. I got caught at a couple of lights and stopped in a bike shop for some chain lube. I ended up getting some other things & forgot the lube but hopefully will be able to borrow some before the week is over.
Now I am getting ready to go to sleep for the night at the home of another lovely couple - Mike & Engline, my hosts for the night.

I will do my best to get updated w/pictures before too long. The smoother, shorter rides have provided the opportunity to take many moreand I enjoy sharing them w/my readers.

As I reviewed this before posting - I realize I have used a number of superlatives to describe the people and experiences from the last 2 weeks. It's hard to know how to express the level of what we have experienced in words alone and writers usually advise not going overboard but it's hard not to. I hope when I get the pictures up - they will be able to convey a sense of what we are feeling and thinking but perhaps it can only fully be understood by others who are participating in some way or another. Again - this is similar to life itself. Sometimes you just have to be there.