Journey of living life with joy, gratitude and adventure

August 23^rd Hyde Park to Couger NY 57 miles

I could not post the picture of Russ and Dave who are Jan and my knights in shining armor many days.

Last night we had a visit from Alida De Boer who was one of the nurses during our 2008 tour.  Her husband Marve was the kitchen truck driver who died from cancer earlier this year.  Great to see her and have her connect with so many of the people on tour. 

We also took a picture of all the ladies who are over 65 on tour,  they are Carol Rienstra, myself, Betty Bandstra, Mary McKinstry, and Jan Quist. We all felt blessed to be able to do this tour.

 

As we were waiting for supper, the kitchen team was busy making cinnamon rolls for tomorrows breakfast.  Frank Folkema wanted to learn so he can make them at home. Brenda I hope he gets to make some for you.

 

Although we could not use the pool to swim in we did make use of the pool in other ways.

This morning the kitchen crew made the best breakfast yet, oatmeat, scrambled eggs with bacon, plain scrambled eggs, homefries, fresh fruit and cinnamon rolls. Fantastic.  I packed the cinnamon roll for the ride as I could not eat it all.  Thank you ladies for a great breakfast.

Jan and I got on the road a 655 AM. It was cool at 63 degrees.  We had more hills today. We also could not leave too early this morning as the Walking Bridge over the Hudson which was a mile long bridge over the Hudson River. 

 

 

 

At our 2nd SAG at mile 31.8 miles we were told we had barely started climbing the hill.  The hill or mountain ended up being 3 miles long at 6.5-7% grade.  We had a great downhill of 4 miles.  When we got to the bottom we saw a coffee shop that had lots of bikes parked outside which is always an indication to us that it must be a great place to stop.  I got a latte and eat my cinnamon roll and a half bagel.  We felt we deserved this after the long hard climb.

We got into camp at 1PM and when I had barely set up my tent my cousin Henry Jaarsma and his wife Joyce showed up.  Ends up she graduated with Chris Vlaardingerbroek at Eastern Christian. Joyce also knew Doug MacLeod as Doug’s father was her pastor when she was younger.  Amazing how we play Dutch bingo and make connections across the country.  It was good to catch up with them, to hear stories of their family and how they are all doing.  Thanks Henry and Joyce for making the effort to come and visit. 

Tonight will be a night to say good bye to most of us as tomorrow will be busy with activities and many people will be leaving right after the celebration event. For some of us we will continue to see each other like Jane, Jan and I as we live close together, but I will miss Barb's vigorous laugh and her ball of energy and her spontaneity. It has been great to reconnect from 2008 and maybe we might do some biking together in the future. Whether it will be connected to another Sea to Sea will remain open, but I think undertaking this long of a bike ride for me will not happen again.  Three times across the continent I think is enough. I have enjoyed many parts of the tour but it also has been a more challenging one with the heat, the forest fires, flash floods, difficulties with my legs and the fracture hand added to personal challenges I did not experience in previous tours. 

We have raised over 1.8 million dollars so far for ending the cycle of poverty one person, one family, or  one community at a time.  Thanks to all who have given.  Your gifts will be well used by Partners Worldwide, World Renew and RCA Global missions.  If you have not given, know every dollar raised will make a difference in one person's life. You can make an impact even with small gifts. On behalf of the millions of people living in poverty, I give thanks for your will heart and spirit.