Day 41 Grand Rapids to Laingsburg Sleepy Hollow State Park

 

I started out the day saying good bye to Hank for another 3 weeks. I had to wake him up as he was still sound asleep at 615 AM. He usually does not get up to after 7 AM so it was not unusual for him not to get up.  It was 51 degrees when I left home so I put on my arm warmers and wind jacket. 

Once I got back to camp at Calvin College there was lots of activity as people were eating breakfast, packing lunches, putting their baskets back into the gear truck.  Every morning there is a beehive of activity as people prepare for another days ride.  We could sense some of the newbies were anxious as they had never undertaken anything like this before and were not certain what to expect.  We had over 36 people join us this week.  Many for 1 week, others for 2 and then others are going with us to the end. It is interesting that the full 9 week riders are pretty comfortable with the routines and each other, while those biking shorter distances that did not start in the beginning seem still to be finding their way. 

At 7 AM we all gather at the front of the Van Noord Arena to hear Calvin College’s chaplain Mary Hulst say a few words and to pray for us as we embarked on the final 3 weeks of the tour. Thanks Mary for you wise words and your prayer for safety and blessing.

Also want to acknowledge the great hosting we had by Calvin College.  They provided dorms, meeting space for small groups and the Arena for our Celebration service. They also served supper on Saturday night and breakfast on Sunday morning.  Thank you, Calvin for your hospitality and generosity.  It is very much appreciated.

Once on the road, Jan Quist and I sailed along and managed to do the 64 miles by noon.  We should have taken some time to have coffee in Saranac or Westphalia.  the roads were good and not too many hills so we were able to clip along at about 16-17 mph for a number of miles. Once we got into camp we set up our tents and I took a 30 minute nap.  Seems after the busyness of the weekend my body just needed to relax.  We are 4 miles from town so going in on our bikes is not appealing.  Once my van came in Jane Brouwer, Barb Mellema, Jan Quist and I went into town to get gas for my vehicle, some medication for Shirley Folkerts and to buy whistles for our bikes.  We need either a whistle or bell in Canada according to the Canadians as there is an $85 fine if we do not have either one on our bikes.  Jan, Barb and I bought plastic whistles for $1.69 and will hang them on our camelbacks in case we need them.  I do have a bell but I cannot mount the one I have on my bike as my handle bars are fatter than the mount on the bell. 

One of the former 2008 cyclist came to visit our tour. Melissa Klooster rode the whole tour in 2008, but it did not work for her this year to ride.  As a physical therapist she was able to visit with Shirley Folkerts and offer her words of support and encouragement as well as do teach her some exercises she could do to get mobility back in her right leg.  Shirley hopes to start riding within the next 2 weeks so building up strength and flexibility in her knee and ankle will be critical to her success.

It is spitting in camp tonight so many of us are wearing rain gear. Rain is predicted for the night and into tomorrow. Looks like we may have another day of rain tomorrow.