Today’s stats
Distance 67.90
Time in Saddle 4.17 hours
Ascent 1517 feet
Current elevation 819
Average 15.8 miles per hour
This morning Hank and I got up at 550 AM. It was great spending the weekend in our own bed. We quickly got dressed and made a breakfast of soft boiled eggs, toast, yogurt, blueberries, orange juice, coffee cake and good coffee. Marti and Kobie joined us at 620.
We left for Calvin at 7 AM. We had a brief reception at Calvin with Mel Hugen giving thanks to Calvin and all the host families for providing for us and Pastor Dale Cooper reciting Psalm 121 and giving us a prayer for the road.
Mel saying thanks to Calvin and the Grand Rapids community for their hospitality
Dale Cooper gave us a send off.
Friends Dennie and Jennie Hoekstra and Sylvia Hugen seeing Hank, Mel and I off.
Josh Krabbe with his strap. He feel on Saturday and we thought he may have seriously injured himself, but he is able to rided with some pain.I started riding with Jan and Phil Quist. We managed to get out on the road at 8AM. Hank rode with Mel today. We rode down Ada Drive and had to make a sharp right turn at the bottom of the hill, which a lot of people missed and ended up missing the covered bridge.
We biked over the covered bridge in Ada a quaint place just outside of Grand Rapids.
Jerry and Linda Dystra and Marion and Marlene Betten at Ada bridge on their tandems. They are two of the three tandems riding this leg of the tour.The ride today was just great. We had the wind on our backs the whole way so we could cruise at 19-20 miles an hour with little effort. Even the hills on the road were easy as the gentle wind pushed us along. It felt just so great sailing along. Jan and Phil commented that today they were setting their fastest speed yet.
We had a great refreshment stop at Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Lowell. They had fresh fruit, egg casseroles, muffins, chocolate milk, juice, and coffee. My sister Nellie was there. The church had made up signs welcoming Hank, Johnny Pierce and myself as we both had sisters attending that church. Thanks to the members of the church for their great reception. It was much appreciated by the cyclists.
Hank and Mel kept catching up to Phil, Jan and I at every SAG stop. All of us were making very time. We got into camp 141 PM. Hank and Mel arrived about 230. The gear truck was already here so I set up our tent right away. When I finished my shower I was very tired, I decided to take a nap. Hank also took a nap after he had a shower. I felt much better after the nap and was ready to do some blogging. As the Internet is not currently up, I am typing this onto my computer and saving it in a word document so that when the Internet is available I can just upload the pictures and the word document.
There were only 6 showers for all the cyclists and support staff so we had to wait in line for showers. The campground and beach here appears very nice. The campsites are very spacious and private. However as cyclists we have three or more tents on each site as we do not want to be too far from the gear truck, bathrooms and kitchen. It is really important to consider all these factors when putting up our tent. Getting up in the middle of the night and walking a long distance to the restroom is not desirable especially in the dark.
All the new cyclists seem to have really enjoyed their first day on the road. It has gone very well for them. Tomorrow we will be riding 95 miles although riding out of the campground will be an extra 2 miles as Ed’s map starts just outside the gate of the park. The weather report indicates we will be having a Northeasterly headwinds the whole way. We are not looking forward to this as fighting headwinds for 95 miles will be very tiring. The only thing helping us will be the cooler temperatures of 75 degrees.
At the Peleton meeting Rich and Carol Rienstra shared a letter from their son Troy who had written the devotion for tomorrow. Fellow prisoners Keith, Anthony, Byron and Troy made crosses for all cyclists and support staff.
Greetings from the church at Chippewa Correctional Facility. As we thought of a way to encourage you to endure unto the end of your journey from sea to sea, we could find no greater source than the memorial of the cross. By the cross, we’ve been healed, forgiven, redeemed and renewed. We pray these crosses will serve as constant reminder of this Scripture. Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
This was a very touching thing for the prisoners to do for us cyclists. Please pray for people in prison as there are many people who are finding the Lord and trying to live a life in prison that God’s wants them to live. It is not easy as evil and destructive forces surround people who are trying to make right their lives. Pray that God uses people in prison to bring more people to acknowledge God as Lord of their lives and to learn to walk closer with Him. Troy is conducting Bible studies in prison and needs our prayers and support to carry on each day.
Ed also announced that we will be crossing into Canada on Wednesday and that we cannot have tobacco, alcohol, firearms on the gear truck. We are also not to use the porta-pottie as it would not be allowed across if we did. He reminded us that we would all need to carry our passports on us as we cross into Canada.
Many of the Canadians are excited about entering Canada and riding in their home country for a few days. We expect we will see lots of people along the route.
No comments:
Post a Comment