"Was it a Good Ride?"

Like everyone in the group, I'm asked constantly if it was a "good ride," and I find that I'm not sure what they mean by the question. I thought it would be a good idea to wait and think and meditate on the matter before I made a post. My hope is that distance will bring perspective.

My initial response is that it was a very good ride. It was a very good ride for the reasons Ben and Dan have already mentioned in their recent posts. It was a challenging ride in great scenery. It was a chance to learn to ride efficiently with a great group of cyclists. It was a chance to challenge ourselves and thus learn about ourselves and each other. That's the physical aspect of the ride. It was good.

It was a good ride from a relational standpoint. I didn't know most of the guys before we began, and now view them as some of my fondest friends. We were all in the same foxhole, and that tends to create significant bonds. We teased and encouraged each other, and helped and served each other, and listened to each other's stories. We heard each other share with the people we met our own passion for Bible translation. That listening usually resulted in having your personal passion reinforced.

It was a good ride from the standpoint of raising awareness of Bible translation. Jamie Farr at Orlando said he thought we did more to raise awareness in six days than had been accomplished in two years due to the unusual nature of the delivery of our message (on bikes) and the idea of hanging musset bags on church doors along the route. Kudos to Beth Mersefelder for that stroke of genius!

Whether it was a good ride regarding our fundraising goal I don't know (yet), but that matter is ultimately in the hands of the One who kept us through thick and thin on the ride. No worries there!

It was a difficult ride with regard to Jon's injury and the troubles with the SAG van. We did our best planning, and occasionally had to engage in a "calf-scramble" when things surprised us. We'll learn from that, and do a better job next time, so even with the problems it was a good ride. ("No experiment is ever a total failure; it can always be used as a bad example" is a proverb from my chemistry-teacher days that comes to mind here :-))

Will I do it again? You bet! Will I do things differently? You bet! Will I get saddle-sores again after 400 miles? I hope not!!

Why Do WE Ride ?

I've been mulling over in my mind what to say about the "results" of our great experience.
It's part of our human nature to want to quantify some kind of results to know whether we have been "successful" or not, and thus justify our expenditure of time and resources. In an event such as this, the effects of our efforts are much more qualitative and the true "results" may not be known for years to come.

So why do we ride? What should I say to people who ask me "How did the ride go? Was it successful? Now why were you doing this?"

I would like to share a few conclusions from my simple mind.

Perhaps from curiosity, cycling draws people in today's world. It's a dynamic, upbeat event. We were able to use that as an entre' to present the Wycliffe opportunity. I think it's more unusual, and therfore more memorable to the people than just another Power Point or speech. Although the team God assembled I think was very well spoken, especially Doug and Ed.

We cyclists were blessed so much more than we could offer by our riding. Just think of all the prayers, the FOOD, the accomodation, the fellowship of beleivers, the scenery, the excercise.

It was good to see firsthand how God is at work in the churches, communities, and people we met. I knew a dear old saint who told me one time, "The hard part's just keeping on keeping on." Praise be to God for those who are salt and light through everyday drudgery and are willing to be keepers of the faith on our home front in the face of ever increasing secularism in the name of "political correctness". Praise for the young people who came out to see us off before school. Praise for the faithful ladies who made white bread tomato sandwiches, Kielbassa and krout stew, spaghetti, and all the other wonderful food. Praise for the opportunity to meet with pastors - and so much more. It renews my faith that we still live in a great country.

Lastly, thanks be to God for the pure joy of cycling. Tooling down a country road in a paceline, seeing Vidalia Onions in the field, horses running, live oaks and moss canopy. As a parent, and I assume as most parents, nothing gives me more pleasure than to see my children having a good time. I believe God our father delights in our joy as well.

The entre'
The fellowship
The blessings
The edfication
The joy

I feel it's proven itself to be a venue Wycliffe can use to connect with the community of faith and assist the realization of the 2025 vision. Most of all, I truly beleive God laid it on our hearts. We were all of one mind and heart in our mission. I pray that God will "enlarge our coasts" and provide the people and resources for the harvest, and let us sow some more seeds in future years.

Ride Summary - from my perspective

It is now Monday, May 18 th. I came home last night (late) and my bike should leave FL today in its box and join me later this week.

My Bike: it's worth noting that my first road bike - is what many refer to as your third road bike (meaning that it usually takes 3 purchases to figure out what you really like and what works for you and each step is usually a step up in performance and cost). Well, my used 2004 Cannondale R5000 - the bike that God allowed me to buy last fall (to replace my MTB), has served me VERY well! I had minor shifting problems but it was just a matter of making some adjustments to the cabling. It is a very responsive bike: stopping promptly, accelerating and following the path in my mind almost before it gets to my hands...no complaints. I've put over 3000 miles on it already this year. [The next dream component for my bike that should help in my on going training is a power meter. I'm watching CinQo and waiting for them to have a unit that will fit my Cannondale SI Hollowgram crankset. I've already corresponded with them with the hopes of getting a trial or lease version - who knows what will happen, but not asking is certainly a 'no' answer.]

The Distance: My 'unofficial' number for the miles that I rode is 527. (I need to go back over my notes and distances, but that number should be close.) It is short of the total proposed riding distance due to the need to SAG (get a ride in the Support And Gear vehicle). The accident and the concerns for Jon and his care immediately came to the top of the priority list. So we stayed there until we all felt it was safe and time to go - and then we SAG'd off the island and down to a point where we could ride in to our next stop in the time remaining. Then after our last support stop (where we riders meet up with the support crew to replenish our bottles and eat something) we rode in to our stopping point for the night: riding about 56 miles on day 5. We later found out that the SAG vehicle had transmission problems and was at a shop overnight to be checked out in the morning. We can not ride (safely) very far with out a support vehicle, so while the details were worked out we lost more riding time that finial day. Eventually we were able to SAG to a point where we could finish the ride at the Headquarters by 3 PM as we were to have a part in the break time. That last day we rode ~ 30 miles. It was still the most miles I've every ridden in 6 days time and I have never before done 4 century rides back to back. And day 1 was my longest ride ever at 120 miles. Due to the pace of the group I found the distance not as taxing on my body as the time in the saddle was on my bottom. There is no replacement for 'time in the saddle'...

Relationships: this was the key part of this ride. There were relationships with us as a team - and we certainly became one before the ride was over; short touches with many people on the way through their acts of hospitality and kindness, encouragement and generosity; being able to pray for many churches and those that go there and live there as we rode past, seeing that there are many who Love God in this still Great Country where we have the freedoms given to us by our rich heritage of years past and present times as many lay down their lives for us at home. I enjoyed getting to meet and visit with many people - a couple each day. It was really neat when we came across churches that had signs up, or the ones that greeted us personally! (Those times are times of casting your bread on the waters - only God knows what comes of that.)

Nutrition: this was an area of initial concern for me. I have certain foods that I like to eat and others that I really like to avoid, so I wasn't sure how that would all shake out. I was excited to see that the Sam's trip yielded some fresh raw spinach and at the end of day one there was Soy milk available too. Cool...! I quickly picked up a few nick-names: ferret (one who likes to ride fast) and sailor man (one who eats raw spinach often) are the two that stick in my memory, but other riders also participated in adding spinach to their PB&J sandwiches (raw spinach is like #3 on the list of nutritious foods-very good for you). I packed some foods just in case, but didn't use much of it. I was expecting to loose some weight, but came home at very close to the same weight as when I left. This I attribute to eating well and not quite exercising at the level that I was expecting to (lower calorie burn).

Pledges: many have pledged support for the DRC scholarship project that we are raising funds for. The goal that I had hoped to reach has been meet and even exceeded! I'm very excited about that as I see my time, efforts and expenses as the investment and the pledges as God's return for those in the DRC. It is not to late to make a pledge if you would like to do so. You can use the link on the right side of this blog to do so online or to find out mailing information.

This has been a very neat experience and I'm very glad to have been a part. Thank you all who have been encouraging and praying for all of us.

[If something is missing that you are interested in, please ask in a comment and I'll try to answer any and all questions. :-) ]

Thank you for your prayers!

It has been a very emotional time for me over the past 48 hours. I want to express my depestest sincere gratitude for those who have prayed for me and my family and for our team. There is power in prayer and I was able to see first hand God's miraculous and gracious hand upon my life.

My wife, Angie left me a note for each day of the tour which included a Bible verse. The day of my accident, she left me Philippians 3:12-14. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. I started this tour with the goal of accomplishing 600 miles in 6 days. But the night before the accident, I felt so compeled to pray for revival in every church we passed. It wasn't about the bike ride, but about the people. I believe I stepped on Satan's toes as the country we live in needs to see the power of God unleashed and that begins with praying and being in the Word of God. May the physical pain I expereince be a reminder to continue to pray for churches.

Finishing the course

After 6 days on the road traveling 600 miles, our cycle team completed the final leg of their journey this afternoon, arriving at their destination in Orlando at 3pm to a warm reception from the Wycliffe Bible Translators USA staff.





The team will be posting the final details of the journey soon right here on the blog, but I'd like to thank you for your continued prayers for our team. They are excited and energized by their interactions on the road, and you can see photos of their final arrival here.

I'll leave the rest of the details to the cyclists, but thanks again for taking this journey with us.

God bless.

Update on Jon

Thank you all for your prayers on behalf of the cyclists, and specifically for Jon Barker. Jon is currently recovering from surgery this morning, and the doctors expect him to being a small amount of physical therapy very soon. The surgery went well and he is now resting at the hospital with his family.

Thank you again, and we will post updates soon about the team's arrival in Orlando.

God bless.

-Dustin

URGENT: Prayer update for the cycle team

Thank you for your prayers thus far for our Wycliffe and JAARS colleagues. They have been cycling from the JAARS center in Waxhaw, NC to the Wycliffe USA headquarters in Orlando to share the message of Bible translation with churches along the route.

Jon Barker, one of our JAARS riders, was involved in an accident this morning near Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach, Fla., and will be undergoing surgery later today to repair damage to his femur and leg. Please pray for healing for Jon and safety for the rest of the ride team as they continue making the journey to Orlando later this afternoon. Jon will be joined by his family today as they are en route to Amelia Island at this time.

We will update this blog once more details are available, but please feel free to leave comments and encouragement for Jon and the team here in the comments section of this post.

-Dustin Moody
dustin_moody@wycliffefoundation.org

Provision

This is a picture of my son, Austin and my daughter Abbi when we departed Waxhaw, NC on Saturday. It's been a very fun time riding our way to Florida. If I stop to think too hard about the miles we have put in, I might not get myself up off my air matress tomorrow morning! This has definitely been a God event and we have seen His hand of protection and provision for this team. I struggeld with a migrane the first 2 days of this event and the outpouring of prayer support has sustained me. This morning I lost a medication I take every day. One of the guys told me this morning that he was having his prayer team pray for me. God sustained me through the day until I could get my prescription refilled at a CVS just a block up from a church that we are staying at tonight. So even in my ability to loose things, God has a solution.

[Photos: not in time order

- a shot of the group riding down the road after entering FL this afternoon (taken low from handlebar level.

- one of the churches we passed today, there were three people waiting on the porch for us to pass by. So we stopped and visited and had a time of prayer together. Pastor Charles sent us off with sweet and wonderful prayer!

- one of our sag stops today showing the van and trailer and some of the bikes. The table with food is not shown. (Don't want you all to be jealous....)]



About 30 miles down the road we came across a church that had some people on the porch and we waved and greeted --- then about 20 feet down the road started thinking "Hey we need to stop and go back..." -Slow thinkers. So we went back and had a nice visit with Pastor Charles and two church members. One of them said she was older than everyone of us, and we have a couple guys in the 'experienced' ages, but sure enough she was older and we all laughed as she gives credit to God and is doing Great! We visited briefly and then prayed together. It was more fruit from the efforts of those who went before us through prayer and 'hands on' delivering the information about us being there. If you look closely at the picture you can see the sign on the door that was part of the information left the weekend before we got there. It was a great reminder that God has his people and we are not alone - even if we don't know who or where they are ... they are there.

Tonight we are at Crossroads Family Worship Center in Callahan, FL. Pastor Herb took us all out for Mexican food after we cleaned up. It's been neat to have such hospitality and to be just welcomed in - a common occurrence these last few days! I think he's running to the store to pickup some food for our breakfast tomorrow - very kind...sure enough. Breakfast stuf has been purchased and delivered, access to the washing machine, keys, ... so kind.

We haven't had our meeting yet, so I'm not sure what details lie ahead for tomorrow. It is supposed to be another 100 mile day.

We're praying for more meetings with people like we had today. It was a sweet day in that regard! It has been great to meet those who are equally commited to God

It's almost 10 - so I'm signing off for today. It was a great day in every regard!!

Retiring

Today was a disappointing day at the end. (I realize that I always seem to be grousing on this blog, and that's not really how I feel about this event) I was forced to retire by saddle-sores after 384 miles in nearly four days of riding. I feared problems with my knee. I wasn't prepared to be defeated by something as mundane as saddle-sores. That's where the 21 years since the last time I did something like this made themselves felt, I guess! :-)
I'm so proud of the guys I've ridden with. God has forged a team out of a disparate bunch of cyclists who had never ridden before. It is soooo much fun to ride with them! I'm so blessed by the church-people we've met along the way. May our effort encourage them to "Go the distance" in the field that God has placed before them for harvest. I'll help with the SAG and watch the others ride on with (the proper sort of) envy.

Tuesday's ride was just another 'ride through the countryside', 102 miles through backcountry roads from one town in southern Georgia to another in northern Florida. The terrain was virtually flat, evidenced by our GPS that showed the elevation above sea level hovering somewhere between 27' and 110' all day long. As we left Patterson, GA this morning, the town newspaper reporter came over, snapped our picture and promised us it would show up next week Wednesday in their weekly publication. Check http://www.theblacksheartimes.com/ for more info. From L to R: Doug (Florida), Ben (N.C.), Ed (Michigan), Gordon and Dan (both from Texas), Jon, Jeff, and Rollie (all from N.C.). Rollie is our SAG driver.

The scariest moment of all came when one of the many ubiquitous logging trucks simultaneously met up with yet another ubiquitous logging truck going in the opposite direction and caught us like dead ducks on the side of the narrow two lane road with very little shoulder. For the vast majority of time, drivers have been courteous and gracious but today's incident almost forced us off the road and reminds us that your continual prayers are effective and totally necessary.
Tomorrow we head to Bunnell, Fl near Palm Coast, another 112 miles. We're feeling the effects of all the many miles but we're also determined to finish what we started. Thank you for staying with us. We couldn't do this without any of you. It takes teamwork, in the same way that it takes teamwork to get God's Word to the Bibleless peoples of this world. Thanks for being part of the team.

A week before the ride, our SAG (Support And Gear) driver along with his wife, drove the entire distance of our 635 mile ride and personally delivered a small green tote bag that contained info about Wycliffe and about our ride to every single church along the route. As we ride, we pray for these churches as we pass them but today was a special surprise. A church in southern Georgia had erected a hand made sign welcoming our group of 7 cyclists. We stopped, personally autographed the sign and had our pictures taken. Each church along the route, more than 225 of them, or, about one every 3 miles, has the God-given potential to make a difference in the global task of Bible Translation. We're extremely grateful for each and every church that is involved in God's Commission of reaching every tribe, and tongue, and language, and people.

Today's ride also represents the halfway point of our journey. We can tell we're moving south as the mercury soared to 95 F with few clouds and fewer areas to stop at that afford shade. One of our stops was an old abandoned convenience store that had no conveniences whatsoever. And the heat is starting to take its toll as well on all of us cyclists. Higher temperatures mean more stops with more ice and more cold drinks. This slows our pace but keeps us hydrated and healthy. Doug had another flat tire and had problems with his rear wheel but Rollie, our SAG driver has been magnanimous as he jumps in quickly and assists with any and every problem. We praise God for helpful hands and willing hearts. And for you as well as we start the 2nd half of our Wycliffe Southeast Cycle Chase 2009, headed for Wycliffe USA headquarters in Orlando. Tomorrow we anticipate spending the night in Callahan, Florida.

Century Two

A hundred miles into yesterdays ride and I was honestly beginning to think we had bit off a little more than we could chew. We underestimated our time in the hills, Columbia traffic, a bike shop parts run and a flat repair. We were an hour and a half late into Orangeburg. Today was a whole different story. Getting away from the worst of the traffic and major hills we were able to keep our team together in a nice paceline the entire day. It’s been great getting to know the guys and learning to function like a real team.
We had a special treat waiting for us in Statesboro (GA) tonight. A member of Grace Community Church (our host church) found out about the ride and offered to put the whole team up for the night in their hotel. Thanks again Jon (and Nathan and Grace!) and Pastor Mike. We appreciate your heart for your community and for those still waiting for Scripture in their own language.
Today was 112 miles, a beautiful ride. We have a short day tomorrow, 92 miles to Patterson, GA. Thanks for your prayers for the team. We ask you to pray for the Bible translation needs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, so many are waiting.
Lets ride!
Doug
Pictures 1) We're loving our team jerseys 2) Georgia line--229 miles south of Waxhaw

We've gotten two good days in, for a total of 230 miles. The perfect riding conditions made today's century ride (100 miles) one of the best centuries I've ever ridden. The South Carolinian hills gave way to shorter rolling hills which in turn gave way to almost flat topography as we entered Georgia. We're only about 50 miles from Savannah, Georgia in the little town of Statesboro. The elevation is less than 200 feet. It was hot and humid today, with the humidity breaking through to the 100% level. The rain was short lived and we barely got wet but it does remind us of where we actually are.
Our group of 7 riders has grown into a cohesive formation and today's ride of 112 miles was proof of that. There's good communication and no one complains when a rider needs the larger group to slow down a little bit.
Today I was informed that a Bible Study group up in Glen Arbor, Michigan which I love to attend whenever we're in Leelanau County, has agreed to sponsor the trip. I'm so grateful for all those that are committing to be a part of the larger task, to provide quality training for 45 Congolese Bible translators.
Pictures: riding the paceline; what it looks like from the back of the pack.
Second picture: You're right, I never knew there was Dover, Georgia before today either. From L to R; Ed, Dan (from Dallas) and Doug, (from Orlando; Doug is the organizer of the bike ride and the same person I rode with in the cross country ride in 2007.)

Southeast Cycle Chase on the Roll

We made it. It has been a very long day. The fellowship and BBQ chicken at Trinity Presbyterian Church was worth every mile. Thanks to Bubba, Terry, Jeff and Pastor John and the whole crew! We had a wonderful time.

The JAARS send off was great. We loaded luggage, slathered sun screen, pumped tires, took the obligatory group shot at the sign, had prayer. A half dozen locals joined our group including a motorcycle with videographer. Thanks Merle and Bob! Bob (the videographer) actually spent the whole day with the team. Next time we’ll go for some JAARS helicopter aerial footage.

Hills galore. I actually like hills. I rode more Carolina hills in the first two miles than I have seen in a year and half in Florida.

Had a chance to chat with a few Columbia Int’l students interested in Bible translation. Good to meet Allison and friends.

We did 118 miles today. 8 hours in the saddle. 112 miles tomorrow. Little tired and it’s getting late. Signing off till then.

Doug

Pictures 1) BBQ with the great folks at Trinity Presbyterian in Orangeburg 2) hanging with prospective Bible translators at Columbia Int'l University 3) video--Ed's ramp assist takeoff

The JAARS Center is located in Waxhaw, NC and is the the place where Wycliffe's technical services are located, services such as computing, IT technology, aviation, shipping of materials and other forms of transportation, plus a host of other services. Our dream was to have the bike ride go from one Wycliffe Center to another, in this case, Orlando, where the home offices for Wycliffe USA are located. The picture shows the team early on Saturday morning as we were about to leave for Orangeburg, SC, a distance of 118 miles. Along the way, we stopped in Columbia, SC, and had the opportunity to pose with a Confederate soldier standing at attention at the State Capitol. He looked hot in the 85 degree temperature.

Today was a long day but we are encouraged by your prayers as we continue on our adventure down to Orlando. We are committed to see 45 nationals in the Democratic Republic of Congo get the proper Bible translation training so they can do Bible translation in their country and the bike ride in support of that. Thank you for being a part of this important work.

Day 1

I woke up with my sore throat still very much intact. I say I woke up. I didn't really sleep. I rode the first 47 miles through the worst of the hills despite feeling pretty debilitated, but then was forced to SAG to the next rest stop to refuel adequately and get enough rest to try to keep up with the other guys. I wouldn't have expected the sore throat to affect me that much, but it did. I started riding again and with some help drafting on others was able to finish. I only rode 95 miles instead of 115, but I was pleased to be able to do that much after the sore throat.
I also had a puncture, running over a staple that perforated the tire and tube pretty thoroughly. So the ride remains challenging, but we all keep soldiering on. There's a good spirit of cooperation and mutual help among the riders

Ride Begins

I (Doug) arrived in Waxhaw Thursday night, plenty of time to pick up SAG supplies. Ed wasn't far behind and was able to provide buggy support on our initial Costco run. What does it take to fuel seven cyclists on a 100 mile day? Bagels, bread, gatorade, apples, oranges, bananas, powerbars, clifbars (chocolate brownie:-), peanut butter (extra crunchy), jelly, raisins, granola bars, multigrain b-fast bars, almonds, pickles and one special order of baby spinach leaves... we're going to nickname Dan the "Sailorman".

We were thankful for Bolt Brothers bike shop in downtown Waxhaw. They had what it took to get Gordon's bike roadworthy. He had an unfortunate shipping mishap (lost tools and various bike parts) that proved to be the first glitch in the week. We lost a little time and had to forgo a group ride/shake down. Pray we get any mechanical bugs worked out early tomorrow.

We had a good orientation to get us on the same page as far as group riding dynamics, rules for the road and dealing with weather, etc. I'm thankful for the team God has put together; Ben has led multiple long-distance group rides, both regional and trans-continental. Gordon used to race and was in the bike business for 8 years. I think Jeff raced in the old days too. Lots of great experience on the team.

Thanks so much for your prayers. Our most challenging day is tomorrow, 116 miles to Trinity Presbyterian Church in Orangeburg, SC. And lots of hills. I are a flat-lander. I’ll let you know how it goes… tomorrow! Bring it on.

Pictures: 1) Ed-Costco buggy support 2) Gordon and Dan - picking up the pieces 3) destination-Trinity Pres

Friday - Assembly day

Well, we are off to an inauspicious start. I opened the box that had my work-stand and tools in it only to find out that it had no tools in it. There was a hole across one end of the box but the strapping tape was intact across the hole. Further investigation revealed the bottom seam of the box had split and apparently the two boxes of tools had escaped through that.

Okay, no tools. I opened the box with the bike in it and discovered that the small box inside that contained my pedals, computer, front quick-release and front brake caliper was also missing. Same thing. Sp;lit seam on the bottom of the box. Now the bike isn't rideable and there are no tools to fix it!

I was able to borrow pedals and a quick-release from one of the guys at JAARS. A quick trip to the bike-shop and $200 later I can ride and have a very basic toolset to work with. So now I have to go round and round with Fedex to document what they lost and what it cost. (Sigh)

Oh, yeah. I woke up with a sore throat. Swine flu, anyone? Please pray fror me. I need it! ;-)

Final Prep

My brother gave me the cycling jersey I'm wearing in this photo. I've done alot of training going on solo rides, but it's a reminder to me that this journey that we depart for tomorrow is not me going at it alone. My brother has the map of our route and he's promised to pray for me each day. Thanks for being a part of "Going the Distance"

Time is short

I miss the good old days when you could show up at the check-in counter at the airlines with a boxed bike and just check it as a piece of luggage. It used to be pretty painless to travel with a bike, but those days are long gone, alas. Soon the equipment will be in use, and that will make all the hassles of boxing worthwhile (I hope).

Hope the box of tools arrives with the rest so we can get them all put together more easily. See you jokers face-to-face soon!

Last Minute Details

It's just 3 days now before the BIG ride. I'm trying hard not to show my nervousness. There are always so many last minute details to think about. But the time has come to put away those many concerns, concerns such as: did I pack all the right things? what am I forgetting? will I actually be able to bike all those hundreds of miles? will I fit into the group? etc. The mind wanders aimlessly at times. But Jesus' words speak loud and clear, clearer than my own: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28a (NLT). Ahh, those are the words of real encouragement that I need. Thank you Father. We go in Your name for Your people, that all may come to know Jesus as the Christ.

Last Rides...

It's hard to believe that we are down to the last 7 days before the ride...

I have a full day tomorrow. Part of it will be a 'last ride' on my bike before I box it up and ship it out Monday morning to JAARS. I've never done that before but think I have everything that I need. Another task for tomorrow is to finish my presentation for Sunday morning at church. I'm able to have a small table up in the 'missions hallway'. It will be up for a few weeks starting this week and go for several weeks into May. I'll also get a chance to share about the ride on Sunday and after I return; and hope to be a part of raising $6,000 (only $10 / mile - and my middle daughter is going to be the first on my pledge sheet at $.01 / mile! :-)

I rode with the jersey today! It worked Great. The shot below is one that I'm going to use in my PR for this as it includes my bike and Bible (and me - but it won't be cropped due to the limits of the Blog as the one below is).


The physical phase of preparation for this ride has come to an end for me. I've had lots of encouragement, but am still a little nervous about the great physical task that it will be.

I fly out to JAARS on Thursday ... it's going to be here before I know it! Please keep praying for all who are involved in this event - I'm calling it a missions trip. It's going to be 10 days of serving God in ways that are going to challenge and stretch us. I'm certain that we will see God's hand: I'm very excited...

On today's ride, at several places, I noticed that the weeds on the side of the road were very pretty! Like I wanted to stop and take photos, but the conquer mentality wouldn't allow me to during the first notice of these 'weeds'. More beautiful weeds followed and I eventually had to stop - my conscious wouldn't let me continue. I took just one shot of a weed and it's shown here. It made me think of the scripture that talks of Solomon in all his splendor not being dressed like the grass of the field. They were just weeds, but they were striking and worth stopping to enjoy for a brief time. It was a good reminder to make time for the things going on on the sidelines.

Tomorrow should be a full day - but I'm expecting it to be nice too! Especially if I take the time to appreciate the weeds on the side of the road. Or to say the it more clearly: especially if I take the time to appreciate and notice all that God is doing around and despite my schedule. My life is more than what I do!

Another Shot @ the Midlothian Walgreens

We love it whenever there's a drug store or gas station along the way! Taking a break from the saddle is also a great way to connect with the other riders. This time was no different as Dan and I were able to unclip and take a few minutes getting to know one another. Ride on!

Sat: Not long ... but not easy.

It's been a little over a week since I first spoke with Ed on the phone - in preparation for riding together while he's here for some work related business. The hope was to get at least 1 ride in together on Saturday and we'll see what happens with the rest of the week.

Ed and I had talked about doing the 40 loop twice, but due to time and riding conditions (strong winds) we did one 46 mile loop together. It was fun being the 'host' and taking Ed on my regular route so he could experience what my route is like, what the riding conditions have been like and just to share some time together.


The ride south was into the wind: pretty tough going. We had a very brief light sprinkle, but not enough to become dangerous. We left from my house and stopped at Walgreen's at the turn around point about 1 1/2 hours later. The return trip went quicker with the aid of the wind. We saw speeds in the 20's, 30's and even 40's. There are parts of this route that have some rough road and since I'm pretty familiar with the roads it's safer for Ed to lead so he can navigate with the benefit of seeing the whole road (we also took turns leading so the other could have a rest from pulling into the wind).


It was great meeting Ed for the first time. We've communicated a couple times by email but it was nice to meet face to face, to have him in my home briefly, show him the quick family photos and head off on a ride together... both taking turns praying to our God with thanksgiving and requests.


The riding conditions were tough, but it was a Great ride!

Old Stomping Grounds

Our family went to Pennsylvania to visit family over Easter break. We left warm N.C. for 50 and 60 degree days in PA. It was a reality check for me to commit to training in cooler temps and to have peace that God had a plan for my training. It couldn't have worked out better. PTL. Here are some of the highlights. One of the highlights was a climb up King's Gap (4 miles of gradual climbing, but the view was well worth it!




A few days later, my good friend Todd and I got to ride 57 miles through some serious rolling hills of Central PA. It was really nice to have someone to share the ride.

Finally, I got my first 100 mile ride in my life. 7 hours 15 min with 30 minutes for rest stops. PTL for the energy and for friends in NC praying for me. God blessed with energy to complete the ride and to go out to dinner with my wife afterwards. Now that's a win-win!! One of the roads on this ride was Easy Rd, which was early on. After 75 miles, it really did seem easy! PTL!

Synergy

Riding with another member of the team creates great synergy. Ben drove up from North Carolina to visit family in Michigan and headed over to Holland to spend the day biking with me along the lakeshore. We had a good tailwind on the way down to South Haven (35 miles one way; actually 35.00 miles to be exact) averaging about 18 mph; we averaged about 14 on the way back but we got the 70-miler in. Temp was about 55, dropping somewhat the closer we got to that BIG body of water called Lake Michigan. We had some great views of the lake as well. To many, it looks as big as an ocean. You'll notice that we're still layered up. Ride on!

Last training Week 1 of 3 -- Over

Saturday started with a meet at the Dam for two loops on the 40 mile route. The plan was to do one loop and then eat something similar to a lunch, and then do another loop. That would give a feel for what it will be like to ride before and after lunch on the up coming ride.

Steve and I rode together today. Numbers: we rode for 79.4 miles and 4:59:48 time. Our average speed was just under 16 mph. Not bad considering the wind and the distance (and a few hills). My Garmin says I burned 5377 calories. (I use 1000 cal / hr as my normal estimate, so this is reasonably close.) My avg HR was 122 and my max was 170.

The intent for Saturday wasn't speed, but rather it was doing the distance. This was the longest ride for both of us this year. The distance for day one on May 9th is 112+ miles, through the hills. So it was good to finish the ride: for the distance, continuing to get used to eating while riding, getting used to being on a saddle for that long, mental accomplishment, ... it was good.

I've been eating a PowerBar each hour and that seems to be working for keeping some calories and fuel coming in. Today for 'lunch' I had a Peanutbutter and Jelly sandwich. We stopped for 30 minutes and about 10 minutes every 20 miles.

This last week was a record week for me on the bike. I spent an hour on the trainer and ~15 hours on the road: ~260 miles total this week. It's a lot. But it's crunch time: 3 weeks of training left before day one of the ride in just 4 weeks from yesterday. I rode 5 days in a row, with a rest day, then the long ride today. If all goes as planned, next week will be another record week. I'd like to ride 6 days in a row to simulate the 6 Day ride. I'm considering bumping the 40 mi loop to 50, and I'd like to see 100 next Sat instead of 80. But we'll see how it all shakes out.

As I've been putting in the extra time in doing what I can to be prepared for this ride, one thing I'm mindful of and thankful for is my equipment. [I have a photo of the 'twin' flashers that I use when riding-even in the daytime. I want to do what I can to be seen.] My bike has worked flawlessly, something I do not take for granted. When my tires needed to be replaced, I bought good quality tires (just as I did when I rode a motorcycle on the street). When you have a quarter of an inch (or less) connecting you with the road, and you are going 30+ miles an hour, with automobiles with in a few feet of you at times...you just can't risk saving a few dollars on a lesser tire (or so I think). I guess I'm trying to say that I'm doing what I can to be safe (in what I buy and how I ride) and am aware and thankful for God's help in this too.

I'm thankful for a safe record week this past week and hoping for another next week!

"Last Chance Work Outs..?!"

This week has been a transition for my training: off of the trainer and onto the road. With only 3 1/2 weeks remaining for training, before boxing up my bike and shipping it on ahead of me, I wanted to start getting some daily road miles in.

Yesterday was day 3 of my new routine involving riding during a long lunch. There is a ~40 mile route that I've been doing each day this week. Monday it took 2 1/2 hrs; Tuesday it was 10 minutes less; and yesterday it was 5 minutes less than Tuesday. It was one of those neat rides that had maybe 8-10 segments that dipped into that 30+mph range...where cycling becomes very intense and focused: there's a realization that the stakes just got higher and you have to focus in and give your full attention and effort to sustain that experience! I Love it! Anytime I can enjoy speeds over 25 on the flats...I do.

Now, in all humility, it is worth noting that the return leg had almost a true S wind which did aid in the higher speeds-no question about it. I am an amature cyclist with less than a year in this sport...but I seem to have developed a taste for and liking of higher sustained speeds.

Today my hope is to ride the 40 mile loop or maybe 50 and then take Friday off. Then ride again on Sat aiming to get a longer ride in (~80). And I think Steve and maybe Darryl will join me for all or some of it.

Next week I hope to ride 6 days in a row - to experience what that is like. I've only done that once before, but not with these distances; which are only a shadow of what is to come...soon.

[As you can see in the photos, the moon set yesterday was very nice. A good indication of the clear day we had. Sure there were winds, but it was nice to wear only a single layer, sunscreen and no backpack. It was a wonderful ride-even with the winds.]

The Parable of 600 Miles: Training

The last several blog entries have shown some of the training we have been doing. Ed started riding in sub-freezing weather just a few weeks ago. A couple have worked out on trainers. The four of us here in Texas have been riding up and down hills and into high winds. All of this to get our bodies ready for some long rides. We don't want limbs turning into pretzels after the first hundred miles.

Forty-five people in the Democratic Republic of Congo want to train to become translators. They need the training so they can go do the long job of translation. They don't want to turn words into linguistic pretzels. But they are limited by a lack of funds. Won't you consider helping to support them? For more information, see the sidebar at the right.

Time

Jon,

Time is always a problem. You might not want to try this for serious training, but one solution to the family is to get them on bikes. We have one family that rides with the Bee Team who has a triple bike, pulling a seatpost trailer. Yep, that's all four. Looks like a train going by. Dad on the front, kid in the middle (raised the crank up so she can reach it), Mom on the third, and Kid on the trailer (which has a crank also).
These days, time impacts my job more than family - Christian often rides with me.
Spiritually, Satan will use other distractions as well to discourage us.

Ben

In 2007, Doug got to ride about 50 miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The Trace runs from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN, a distance of 444 miles, all of it bike friendly. But this past week, I finally got my chance at this asphalt ribbon that runs north & south. Recruitment Ministries has asked Linda (my wife) and me to make a 2-week fact-finding trip to both Nashville, TN and Birmingham, AL to determine whether or not WBT needs to put a recruiter in the Bible Belt. As we were getting ready to leave Nashville for Alabama, we spent Saturday on the Trace biking south from its northern terminus. What a ride that was! No commercial traffic, no billboards, no noise, just biking in an almost perfect setting. We got 50 miles in and declared it a winner. The 70 degree temps didn't hurt either. Meanwhile, we're getting snow in Michigan again, so it will be a challenge to get the remainder of my 1000 training miles in during the next 33 days. Just 500 miles to go! Ride on!

Balance

Training to the 2005 Tour de France

Something that I wrestle with is balancing time with family and the desire to be in shape for the ride. My family is very supportive and encouraging, but I think about the extra work my wife does to take care of (Austin (10) and Abbi (7)) while I'm out training. I took the day off training on Tuesday just to play catch with Abbi in the back yard, and then we hit practice golf balls around with Austin too! It definitely keeps things in perspective, that yes, I am a missionary, but more importantly, I am the husband of my wife and father of my children.

I wanted to hear how you guys are managing your family time vs training. What has worked for you?

Mental Training

Today was my last day (of 5) out of town and as I write this I'm in my own chair at my own desk in my own house with my family!  Ahhh...it's so nice to be home again!

This morning started at a leisurely 7:30 ish AM. There was nothing on the agenda for today except exercise, pack and get to the airport for the flight home. I wanted to have a 'good'work out this morning, so not having access to my bike I was aiming for up to an hour on the treadmill. The actual time was just over an hour and a little over 7 miles covered. That includes walking speed up to 12 mph. No HRM data.

Mental Training

I will typically walk for a 1/4 to half mile and then start running. I like to build as I progress so I'll usually start around an 8 minute/mil pace and then bump the pace up by a half minute after each 1/2 to a full mile. So after doing this for 4 miles, including a brief time at full speed, I stopped running for a recovery walk. I then start back up again but usually go straight to 6 min/mi and a short time at 5 then recover again and repeat--those are my intervals on the treadmill. 

But today was different after that initial work up and recovery. As I was running hard and planning on pushing a little harder for a very short time before recovering, I had the thought of "NO: don't go out in a flash of light, slow down and persevere--No stopping!" I wasn't sure when to stop; I like to have goals of "two more minutes" or "another 1/4 mile", but this thought was "just keep going". I was thinking of the upcoming ride and the perseverance that will be required for it. So, rather than stopping when I was ready to rest, I bumped the pace down and kept going, then bumped it down some more and kept going...no stopping; not sure when to stop.

To my mind came the story where Elisha told the king to strike the ground with the arrows and he only struck the ground 3 times. Elisha was angry with him for not striking the ground five or six times (2 Kings 13:14-25). What did that story have to do with me? And why right now? As I glanced down I saw the calories on the treadmill turn to 667..hmmm, did I just cross the line where when my physical work is having Spiritual implications? Did I just strike the ground once and God is seeing how many times I will strike it for those in the DRC? 

It's a very difficult thought to wrestle with. So I continued to wrestle with it while I continued to press on, backing down the pace if I needed to, so I could keep going. Praying for those in theDRC; praying for the other riders; praying for myself that this would be about God's strength because I want to stop. Passing 777.7 calories and asking for a stopping point but still feeling like I need to keep going. More praying.

At the one hour mark, I felt peace about stopping the running and starting the recovery walking. I felt like I honored what God was speaking to me: that this ride (and my life too) is not a short flash of bright light, but it is about a call for perseverance and self sacrifice; for us the riders, those that give, those that support, and those in the DRC that risk the great physical cost of all that they are and have physically. This upcoming ride is much bigger than just a cool challenging bike ride. It's my belief that what we and others are doing here physically is an answer to a spiritual call. As a rider I expect this ride to be more than I am able to do on my own (in my own strength). So to is the physical and spiritual training for it.

It is a great honor to be in relationship with the Living God!

Those arrow strikes by king Jehoash had meaning and consequence that he didn't appreciate-so too does more in our lives than we imagine. Pray that we all would be more sensitive to the work of Gods Spirit.

[Don't forget to leave your thoughts for the rest of us to read. Photos: two shots out of the plane window today and some sleep (that looks like glass) removed from my eye during the flight.]