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. :-) ]