Week 10 1037 miles in, busy week getting ready

This week has been a very busy week with final staff meeting and Steering committee meeting, presentation to CRCNA’s synod and supper at Sysco plus final training rides.   During my devotions this morning I am reminded “to be still and in trust I will be strengthened by God.  I will need a buffer zone of silence around me in order to focus on things that are unseen.  Since God is invisible, I must not let my senses dominate my thinking. The curse of this age is over stimulation of the senses, which blocks out awareness of the unseen world and God.   I am also reminded that the tangible world still reflects God’s glory, to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.  Spending time alone with God is the best way to develop seeing eyes and hearing ears. The goal is to be aware of the unseen things even as I live out my life in the visible world.”  From devotional Jesus Calling.  

As I now sit here reflecting on the past week and get ready to leave early tomorrow morning,  I realize how busy things have been:  so much excitement and activity, that I had trouble being quiet and listening for God’s words of peace and wisdom.  I will need to work hard not to get so busy, I forget to listen and spend quiet times with God to calm my soul and to pray for friends and family in need, to be sensitive and caring  to those who are anxious and hurting.  At times I know I am can so focused on getting things done and moving on that I don’t stop to hear, feel, and see what is going on with people around me.  God please forgive me. 

As I sit here and think about all the issues and concerns that have arisen it is hard not be anxious.  This week forest fires broke out in Colorado Springs in the area we will be biking through.  How will we handle this crisis if it happens?  What about all the rain, tornadoes in the west, what if we have a severe weather alert and have tornado warnings when we are all just sleeping in tents with no protection?  What if a hurricane hits us in the east as Hurricane Sandy did last August?  Will we have lots of days with rain? What about the heat? How will we all handle 110 degree days?  As I embark on this adventure I pray I will grow deeper in my faith and trust in God.  I am reminded not to be anxious, to know God is there each step of the way with us. I need to remember all the friends and family praying for our safety and our mission.  We are all in the Lord’s hand each moment of every day.  I also know that God’s angels will show up in the most unexpected times and places and to keep my eyes and ears open to fully experience these events when they happen and to give thanks and praise to God for his faithfulness and love.

Having said all that let me summarize this week’s events and provide you with some pictures.  Did training rides on Tuesday and Friday and managed to get in 62. 5 miles this week.  On Tuesday I biked with Jan Quist, Rich and Carol Rienstra.   Jan and I pushed each other to increase our average per mile to 14.9mph which was our fastest yet this year. Thanks Jan for challenging me to push harder and faster.  I think this has made me stronger and built up good endurance for the challenge ahead.  I will look forward to riding with Jan again when Jan joins the tour in Grand Rapids August 4^th.  On Friday my last training ride, I rode with Dale Mowry my biking bud from 2008 and since, Carol and Rich Rienstra. We biked to Lowell.  On our way back and only 6 miles from home Carol hit a twig that broke her rear derailleur which flew into the wheel and spokes and shredded the tire.  The bike was totaled.  We could not believe that a small twig could do that much damage to a bike. In addition it was also a miracle that Carol did not get hurt as the bike stopped suddenly but she managed to get unclipped so she did not fall and injure herself. An angel was present for sure.  Village Bike Shop on Kalamazoo and 60^th made helping Carol a priority. The accident happened at 1130 and by 430 she had a brand new bike that fit her and had everything transferred over from the old bike to the new one so  that was ready to pack for shipment to California on Saturday.  It was rather a tense afternoon.   Carol’s new bike is very sweet and it is better and faster than her old bike.  I think she will love riding her new Specialized Ruby, carbon Fiber bike-awesome.

Dale Mowry, Carol and Rich Rienstra and myself on last training ride of 40 miles

                                         Carol on her new mauve Specialized bike.  It is a beauty.

On Wednesday I made a presentation to the Synod (ruling body) of the Christian Reformed Church to indicate what Sea to Sea was, why we were biking and how they could support us.  There were 35 other cyclists that also showed up and we surrounded the delegates.  It was good to do that.  We had the new kitchen trailer there as well which blew people away.  The new kitchen trailer can feed an army of 200 plus I am sure without difficulty.

 

 

 

Then in the evening we were served supper at Sysco which is a primary player for the tour in providing all the food and assisting us in building the new kitchen truck.  They taught the kitchen staff how to use the equipment and ensured everything was in operation. They prepared food that we will be having along the way.  We should be eating very well.  Kudos to Sysco and many thanks for their role with Sea to Sea.  Our food costs hopefully will be much lower than in 2008 when we primarily used Costco and Walmart’s service. 

 

 

 

Sysco warehouse.

On Thursday we had our final steering committee meeting before the start of the tour.  We will have a wrap up meeting in September but this meeting was to review all the final arrangements and details prior to start.  There are still lose ends to finalize, but we are very much ready to go and look forward to starting the Sea to Sea Bike tour next week Sunday. May the Lord’s presence be evident to all and may each cyclist and volunteer be a blessing to others.

Last night my son Jonathan and his family visited to say good bye till August.  My granddaughter Kiley loves hats so I gave her a few of my hats.  She looks a classy young lady, a young hat loving

 lady after my own heart.

My next post will be from California.  Till then please pray for safe travels for tour participants,  the mission and goals of the tour give glory and honor to our Lord,  the money raised can make a difference in thousands of lives around the world.  I pray that everyone reading blogs on Sea to Sea will be blessed and lives changed as we all experience God's presence and faithfulness in our lives.