The "High Point" of My Ride - Friday, August 29

Friday was a day that loomed large in the future during the whole tour - especially for those of us only doing the last 2 weeks. It seems that Ed (the route chooser) had decided to save the day with the most feet of elevation to climb for this particular day - 6857 ft. up altogether as we compensated for the 7356ft. down we would also do. Sandy and I had been happy to bypass the leg of the tour that went through the Rockies and when we heard about this day, we put it to the back of our minds. We even heard rumors that the "higher ups" where attempting to change the route to make it a bit easier, but these plans where thwarted by a bridge under construction. My frantic prayers did seem to have gone unheard.

But God was just setting us up for a great day and in His omniscience, He knew the original route "was where it was at!" I tossed and turned the night before fretting about the my relatively heavy bike - Sandy and I had so far lived up to my "big talk" regarding our familiarity with hilly terrain, but I didn't want to push my luck with a route of this level. The next morning, both Mike and I (the 2 hybrid riders in our group) "dumped" as much weight as possible - no extra butt cream, no camera, smaller bag, basics only - Mike actually stooped to asking Sandy to carry some stuff for him (wish I too had thought of playing on her "nice" personality). Randy and others joked around with me in the gear truck - hoping beyond hope that with me being so close to home, I might know an alternate route and lead them like the Pied Piper around, rather than over High Point (the highest point in NJ). But no such luck. My knowledge of the area was limited.

Right out of starting gate leaving Lackawana State Park in PA, the ride was challenging. Chris even let us stop at a Dunkin Donuts at around the 17mile mark, 3 miles shy of his daily goal to ride 20 miles at least before the 1st stop. We met Claire Elgersma there whose GPS told her that we had already climbed grades that topped most of the Rocky mountain passes (of course, they had to deal with altitude sickness too) - I almost wished she had kept that info to herself as I knew the toughest portion was yet to come.

Wow, what a blast the next 40 plus miles where, zooming down winding, smooth declines at top speeds - Sandy and I both set new personal speed records of 42 and 40mph respectively - (I hope my Dad is not reading this, he is always worried about safety.) Actually, our top speeds pale in comparison to most people on the tour. Sandy and I consider ourselves "speed wimps". I With all this talk about top speeds, I almost forgot to mention the "not so top" speeds we encountered as we grinded up incline after incline at single-digit speeds. On one hill we were thinking we were making good time in our upward rhythm until we were easily passed by one of the "boys"- but our enthusiasm didn't falter.

At the first SAG stop, I borrowed some Advil for my protesting knee joints and we set out again. We ended up stopping for lunch at a deli in the middle of nowhere that was positioned smack dab in the middle of a tough hill. Chris thought we were crazy to stop on a hill, but he had set our lunch break for any time after 50 miles and it was almost 51 miles on my speedometer already - time to stop. The deli owners were delighted with our business as it was their first day of business and we sat eating our humongous sandwiches outside as we waved in more riders who where trudging up the same hill.

At around 60 miles the terrain finally flattened as we entered Milford and Matamoras, PA, crossed a bridge over the Delaware River into Port Jervis, NY and then entered New Jersey. My biking pals were all excited to enter NJ, knowing this was their last state on the tour, but I entered with trepidation - knowing the climb to High Point lay ahead. I pointed out the monument on the top of the mountain as we crossed the bridge said "We are going up THERE!" I don't remember much of a response as the reality of our situation sunk in. We read a sign "RT 23, High Point 4 miles". Doesn't sound too bad till you see the steep grade of the first 3miles of that trip. I am not embarrassed to say most of our group (except Chris) had to stop on the way up to catch our breath - the first time I have ever stopped on a hill. But the break allowed us make our way to the top - at least what I thought was the top. Actually, the top of 23 passes 1 1/2 miles below the actual monument and I actually found myself volunteering to accompany Chris into going the extra distance to the monument all the while wondering why? since I have seen High Point on numerous occasions. I'm glad that I went - the view was spectacular and we had a chance to chit chat with Johnny from the UP and Doug from Canada about the thrill of the view.

Back down the steep road to the monument, I called Tom and found out he was waiting for me somewhere on the very long down hill side of the mountain. That's all I needed to hear as I ditched the other riders at the refreshment stop where Sandy's family was located and went flying down the mountain till I at last saw my husband grinning next to his car with a big sign cheering me on - actually, the sign said, "Way to Go Suzie, Go to room 10." as my husband was standing in front of the lodge where he had rented us a room for the night - your not getting any other info about that out of me. After a long greeting, I reminded Tom that I needed to finish the ride for the day. I whizzed down the rest of the mountain stopping only for food - a free peach offered by a boy at a local CRC owned fruit stand, and multiple almond bars at Kim's bakery where practically every biker had stopped already and I reconnected with my friends. Once at the bottom I admit my dismay as I huffed back up another steep hill to Sussex Christian School - seems the school is located on top of a hill - thanks again Ed!!!

What a great greeting to New Jersey by those from Sussex and Goshen churches. Sandy and I had wondered how those in our state would stack up to those Sea to Sea crazed Canadians, but these 2 churches outdid themselves. My good friend Anne and others were wonderful hosts and saw to the bikers' every need - a huge dinner,trips to the bike shop, last minute showers, full course breakfast, warm dry beds, etc. You all were the Bomb!

News from the last day and more pictures to come - it's after midnight - time for some shut eye.

Remembering a "Girls Day Out" - Thursday, August 28

I did not have access to a computer to blog since Thursday morning and even though I am home, I plan on reminiscing about the last few days on the tour through this venue. Thursday, I felt in a funk. I had days like this in training where the last thing I felt like doing was spending the day with my butt on a small seat and my feet set in rigid shoes clipped to metal pedals. This position gives you no choice but to start pumping your legs lest you fall over onto the concrete.

Sandy being a good and faithful friend put herself in the precarious position of riding alone with me as I hovered near the grumpy mark. But hanging out with just eachother was just what I needed to get through the day. I realized then that God had taught us to encourage one another in needed ways as we trained together. We pretended we were just on a training ride - except for the joy knowing that we didn't need to finish the ride and then still make dinner, plan for kids summer camp schedules, make 4 business return calls, feed the dog, or answer to ourselves for the dirty house we left to spend hours riding a bike.

We took it easy and laughed our way down a relatively short (57 mile) route, making frequent and long stops to blog in a library, eat lunch in a park, detour to see a scenic overlook of a very old viaduct bridge, and just to enjoy an absence of testosterone - some things cannot be adequately laughed over in the presence of men. We dragged our feet so long, at one point the final Sweep Team (2 or 3 riders whose job is to "sweep" the last riders in at the end of the day) caught up to us. This fact sent us into more laughing stitches since we had joked about this possibility along the way, crying "wolf" or "I think I see the Sweep Team coming behind us" as we rode. Of course, we did not end the day "at the end of the line" - we had to retain some dignity.

Picture Update

I finally can put some more pictures on my blog since I am home and have my usb cable for my camera - thanks for reading my blogs until now without pictures to back them up - hopefully my "naked" words have painted some pictures in your mind.

I decided this hilly day to try another type of "bike" - actually, Billy D whose in charge of our gear truck let me take a break in style. Too bad I was wearing spandex and a reflective vest instead of a cool leather jacket and boots.
A week and a half into the ride Sandy and I can put up and take down our tent with our eyes closed.
This is the camp fire where we were tortured (only allowed 1 smore). Really felt like "good" camping that night.
We ate pizza next to a bike shop with the name Shifting Gears, the same title as the Sea to Sea devotional book - too neat to pass up. Can you tell we are all holding in our stomachs from eating some very "loaded" pizza?
Watch out Niagara Falls, here we come..... - actually this picture was taken as we were leaving.
Sandy, Mike, Bill (on recumbent) as we road along the Welland Canal in Ontario, the route for boats to bypass Niagara Falls.
Our weekend hosts (billet in Canada), and Vahrmeyers. You can catch only a glimpse here of the beauty of their home surrounded by flowers and peach orchards. What a relaxing weekend.
We tried to drag Ralph out of this comfy lounge chair at a SAG stop to get going again. He reluctantly followed me and Sandy and left Rita (who is in my small group) to "chill" by herself.
Our 2nd hostess (billet), Anne DeJonge with Sandy and Jo (from NY). Us east coast girls decided to have a sleep over at Anne's house. Anne has had an interesting life as a missionary in Nigeria before moving back to Canada. We were a bit worried riding to her home as she cautioned us she was going to give us the "rules of the house." We breathed a sigh of relief when Rule Number 1 was "Make Yourself at Home!" We were waiting for the Rule Number 2, we're still waiting Anne?
Us outside a grocery store in Ontario where we had a chance to talk to several people inside the store about the goal of the Sea to Sea Bike Tour - of course, this stop was a bit longer than usual because of the glorious air conditioning inside. We came out to find John donating $10 to some local girls who were riding their bikes soon to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease. How neat to be able to encourage these young bikers.
This is heaven for me - hundreds of cupcakes (didn't matter they all had Canadian flags stuck in them) and chaos with so many welcoming Canadians as we crossed the border that no one was counting how many I ate. I'll just tell you I ate 1 for each member of my family - I won't say whether that means immediate or extended family. Also, pictured is a cup of Tim Horton's coffee named after a famous Canadian hockey player. Seems this store is like our Dunkin Donuts except they go nuts every time Tim's name is mentioned - growing up in Florida did not prepare me for hockey player hoopla. Hey, isn't dunkin a donut (Dunkin Donuts) as a sport going to be added to the Olympics in 2 years? -
The 1st day out from GR my family met me about half way on our route to Lansing at one of the SAG stops. Jimmy had a great time trying out this recumbent bike.

Don't fret, this is not a picture from the remake of "Children of the Corn in Spandex." Sandy is just returning from 1 of her many "walks in the corn". Actually, this scene was replayed several times a day for the first week as we rode many warm days through corn fields. We were all drinking a lot - need I say more....

B to B -- Back to Blogging

I had a stretch of bad luck in the blogging department for the last few days. Tuesday there was no Internet access and I thought it felt like a good day to take a break from the computer anyway. We went 78 miles and the hills were a'rollin. Up and down, up and down. It was fun zooming down and seeing how far you could get up the next incline before you had to pedal.

"The Troop" (including Sandy, Mike, me, Chris, John) stopped at a coffee shop and I had a great big piece of lime bundt cake - it tasted wonderful even though I had felt queasy on and off for the morning. Lunch was served by a local church at a farm on the route, what a beautiful setting - they even had Twinkies which I packed for the road. I promised my daughter Kenzie I would bring her home 1 Twinkie since she is deprived and has never had one. But the Twinkie did not have a long life in my bike bag mixing in bump after bump with sunscreen, lip balm, butt cream, camera, etc. Sandy and I had a funeral for the twinkie when we arrived in camp - don't gross out but we ate the remains=)

We ended up at a beautiful State Park on Seneca Lake, one of the finger lakes. The showers happened to be far enough away that I climbed back on my bike and rode there with towel flying and shampoo hanging on for life. With my versatile bike, I raced across the grass area to the showers, bypassing the longer route on the pave road - hey, I have to keep making up advantages my very heavy bike brings over these light road bikes, especially when we are grinding up hills.

My knees ached and groaned all night and I awoke Wednesday morning dreading the hilly day ahead. Sure enough, we dragged ourselves onto the road the next day and kept up a whopping 14-15mph - hurting puppies describes us. God had pity on me 10 miles into the ride and shot me a burst of energy just as the hills hit. These hills were not the up and down version, but the up, up, up version. My knees actually did better and did not bother me once they were warmed up. These hills I love - that was not a typo, I really do enjoy this type of hill where you find a rhythm for your pedaling and breathing and grind up the hill.

At the bottom of a fun descent, Marijo and James, along with others, were working really hard finishing up a very large waffle cone. John and I decided this cross-training maneuver looked good and we stopped too looking to work our taste buds on a grape slushy (John is such a kid) and apricot ice cream. I was surprised when I noticed John putting back on his reflective vest (the one thing we were told was mandatory and may be life-saving) after being bugged by Cheryl from Canada. I too have been forced into this "pestering John to wear his vest" role - seems he has a hard time covering up his "cool" jerseys with a tacky vest with his name written in black marker. In his defense, he must have spent a lot of Internet time searching for cool jerseys to buy - they are unique. Mary (John's wife), I gladly hand the pestering role back to you.

We ended up at a school and my parents, sister, and kids came to pick me up - they got a hotel in Binghampton. After 4 crazy hours of hearing stories from my kids, hearing the news on the TV, hearing music and sports channels in the restaurant we ate dinner, I was on sensory overload and was relieved to return to the relative quiet of camp. I can't write much about how hard it was to visit with my kids and have to leave them again - I might tear up in the library where I am sitting. i put Jimmy to bed and he kept asking me to sleep in the bed next to him and even my 12 year old cried. I better go - we still have 35 miles to ride today. Can you tell I need to do something else besides think of my kids?

Crossing the Border

Today -Monday- was our final 20 miles in Canada and we had to meet near Niagara Falls in order to all cross together. We were all pre-approved with copies of our passports by Ed the tour coordinator and were hoping this crossing would be just a smooth as our Canada entry. To our surprise, they had opened a lane just for us and we cruised over the Rainbow Bridge up to the border guards and then we biked right past the border guards and were soon on in America. Ed had such a great connection with the man in charge of the border that he had authorized us to cross without even stopping - what a God thing!



We were warned to bike with at least 5 other riders as we passed through the town of Niagara Falls in New York. The neighborhood was definitely shady and the attractions tacky, a complete contrast to the Canadian side which had been beautifully landscaped and interesting. I realized neighborhoods like this are part of the reason we are biking in the first place. I am embarrassed to admit that my thoughts were of riding as fast as possible to get out of the area. I should have taken the opportunity as I had a bike tour of the town to pray for the people who are poor and needy. Many times we do not like to remain in places that make us feel uncomfortable where people or buildings may "look" different or unkept. We should be bringing the message that God does not turn His back on these people and look to "get out as soon as possible." In fact His heart is with the poor and oppressed and ours should be too.



The rest of the ride was idyllic. The weather never went past the mid 70's. Thankfully Sandy was craving pizza and we stopped for a pie -it was surprising to find out that the others with us had no idea a pizza could be called a pie. Must be a Eastern thing.



Sandy and I rode with Mike Vandenhorst (spelling?)from Canada and Bill from Illinois for the first 2 hours as we made our way to the border. Both these men have stories. Bill is riding a recumbent bike -a 3 wheeler and started in Seattle. What determination it would take to ride every day through all kinds of landscapes with a bike that is not very aerodynamic and low to the ground. Mike actually fell yesterday after hitting a very deep pothole and was riding today with a fractured collar bone. The easy pace this morning let us get to chit chat with both men as we rode along the Welland Canal - the waterway that allows boats to bypass Niagara Falls as they make their way up the Saint Lawrence River- a very necessary detour.

Riding on the New York side went much faster 17-23mph - the wind was with us somewhat and the terrain was mostly flat. What fun to fly down some of these smooth, country roads - I didn't crash as I usually do for the last 10 miles of the ride. That day of rest has really paid off.

Tonight we had a real campfire (as if there is a fake one?) and s'mores. We were allowed 1 s'more. Since my normal ration is like 4 s'mores, I was thrilled when John said he didn't want his piece of chocolate and I quickly confiscated it. We were even treated to a bluegrass band tonight - some Christians are camping in the same park and wanted to share their talents with us. As I sat writing most of this tour members are swinging each other around and doing the 2 step. Instead of joining in the dancing, I heed the cry for "One more Euchre player" - a card game I played often in college. I played with Cheryl, Peter DeHaan, and Ralph all from Canada. What a hoot we had making jokes and "taking hands". In college I mostly partnered with the most serious player in our group - I don't remember much laughing until he was sure we were winning. But tonight I laughed so hard my sides ache and I'm so wired that I can't get to sleep. In fact, I can barely find my tent because everyone else is sleeping and I did not think to bring my flashlight. Oh, there goes a yawn - maybe I will try to snooze again. By the way, each team won one set in the card game so we're all going to bed happy.

Billeting

Being billeted sounded to me like you're going to be lined up and shot at dawn. Thankfully, here in Canada, it has a wonderful meaning - taking tired bikers into your house overnight, letting them do their sweaty bike clothes laundry, and feeding them great food or even a glass of wine/beer. It is Sunday - our 1 day off of riding - and 4 of us are billeted at the wonderful house of Audrey & Ron Vahrmeyer in Vineland, Ontario. Not only is their house beautiful with perenials surrounding the perimeter and a gazebo to top off the yard, they are surrounded by fields and orchards - some of my favorite landscapes. I woke up at 7:15am this morning and was drawn to take a walk through the orchards. It brought me back to the summer days in Michigan when I worked as a wrangler at a camp and my friend Julie and I would canter the horses through the orchards off Lake Michigan Drive - sometimes at night (I was younger and braver then). I've had interesting conversations with Ron about his very loved german shepherd who died a while back and with Audrey regarding healthy eating - she shares a lot of the same healthy eating habits and even has a reverse osmosis water filter - I'm definitely filling up my water bottles here=)

So far today has been surreal - walking through orchards, sharing a great breakfast with our hosts, stretching our tired limbs, wine tasting at 1 of the surrounding wineries (this was a very restful part of our sabboth), and relaxing until the celebration rally in St. Catharines this afternoon. We are praying the forcasted rain will hold off.

Sandy and I were billeted 2 other nights at George/Effy Holtrop's and Ann DeJonge's houses. Each time these people have made us feel like family and given us a break from setting up our tents. I know I told you all we were going to rough it camping (and we mostly are), but we don't want to turn our back on hospitality and the welcome break for us. I's better go and relax a bit more before the rally - it's back to the US tomorrow.

A Grueling Day=) - Saturday

With Sunday and a break coming upon us tomorrow, the Canadians thought they would give us a workout today. The workout didn't come in the form of century rides, strong headwinds, rain, or killer hills. Rather, they forced us to ride 46 miles today and to stop at least 7 times to sit in a lawn chair, eat goodies, get cold drinks and talk to them about the ride. It seemed we would just warm up our muscles and then a line of 4 yellow Sea to Sea signs would direct us to the next church or residence where people had taken a lot of effort to make us feel welcome and that the Bike Tour's mission meant a great deal to them. Then with stiff legs we would head out again only to be directed to another hospitality location. We left at 8am and did not get in until 2pm. Actually, it was very fun, but I am going to beg off sugary items for a very long time (like until tomorrow).

Sandy and I rode together today and picked up Ralph who must be at least in his 60's and still has a great Dutch accent from the Mother Country. He was a pleasure to ride with and we are definitely impressed with the strength and stamina of our elders. Like I said in one of my training blogs, I am happy to see some of them able to best me.

We rode along the Niagara Escarpment today. This is the ridge that Niagara Falls goes over, but did you know this ridge runs 300 miles along the coast of Lake Ontario and even into New York? What a view! What a windy area! We were enjoying the vineyards and farms when the road took a left turn towards the escarpment and we descended the steepest road I have ever been on. Thankfully, we had been warned about this long 12% grade hill (yes, I did say 12% - I would call it closer to a cliff) and about the stop sign right at the bottom. As Sandy and I descended at a very slow pace maybe 14-20 mph (we were pumping the breaks quite a bit) we saw a bunch of boys from the tour on the other side of the road going back up the road and looking like they were happy. By the bottom of the hill, I had the crazy notion to try a return trip up the escarpment myself. Sandy, after she felt my forehead for a delirious fever, waited for me at the bottom. Of course there was no place to get a running start and I was in my hardest gear from going down. After some gear crunching I started in almost my easiest gear and began the trudge. I found myself starting out at 5mph - I've done Skyline drive near home at 5mph which is quite long and steep and started thinking this might be doable, but when I hit the steepest part of the hill, my speed dropped to 3mph. My heart rate and wheezing, of course, did not drop. I had never heard myself breathe so loud. I truly thought about quitting if I could get my feet out of the clips before I fell over. Then the sound of more "boys" coming up behind me helped me regain my senses - my speed stayed the same, but I sucked in the wheezing so they wouldn't know I was about to die and got over the worst hump. I had to ride another 400 yards just to catch my breathe before I turned around. The ride back down was heavenly and I even let loose a little on the speed - Sandy of course was glad to see me alive.

I'm thrilled with how well my bike has been handling so far for the first week of the tour. I attribute that mostly to my husband who lovingly cleaned, lubed, and tightened everything on my bike the day before I left. I was a bit apprehensive going on a tour without an official bike mechanic with my pittance of bike repair knowledge (I had tried to encourage both my bike guy Rob at my bike shop and my chiropractor (for my back) to join me on the tour - neither took me up on the invitation). But Chris Mulder was able to tighten one of my wires today after I had a small glitch with shifting.

Overall, a great day! Off to a tour of Niagara Falls after dinner. Hey, if my family is reading this, you can feel free to post a comment so I know you are alive since I haven't been calling much from Canada. I do miss you all - the cute little blond kids at the stops make me think about my Jimmy a lot.

Day 5 - Friday - 78 miles

Can you tell from my title that I am tired at the end of today? I was on sweep - refer back to previous blog if you don't know what sweep is - and did not leave the campsite until after 8 am. I intended to ride by myself for at least part of the day (Sandy decided to get me back and ditch me this morning). I realized I have done 90 % of my training biking alone and I missed that. I started out feeling tired in my quads but still kept a good pace at 16-17mph just because I find biking too slow actually feels harder to me. The landscape is getting hilly and beautiful - lots of horses today - even pet a palomino (Tom, do you remember what color that is? - I used to quiz him on horse colors and dog breeds as we drove along so he should know the answer.) I kept a slower pace but was ready if someone passed me to pick it up when they were in sight just so it wasn't so easy. Actually, the only people I saw for the first 25 miles were hanging out at the 3 hospitality stops along the way. I have learned to eat a little at a time, only choosing what I really love because there is always more a few miles down the road.

At lunch I met an Italian man who loves to bike but can't anymore because he is waiting 5 months to get a cat scan of his injured back and possible surgery. He told us how in Canada routine tests and even cancer biopsies can take longer than a year to happen because Canada has government run social health care. His friend is waiting a year for a test to see if a growth on his neck is cancer, his wife called him crying about it just the other day. Sure everyone gets treated if they live that long..... Good doctors and nurses flock to the U.S. to work because they have the incentive to make a good living. Those people with enough money just go to other countries anyway to get their test and surgeries. Sorry to those who think the U.S. should have universal health care is the answer but those living with it see the very big flaws and abuses of those who use it for piddly things because it is "free" (some genie in the sky pays for it, not tax dollars).

On another note, I forgot to mention that I rode yesterday with Rod Boerman from GR for a spell and was happy to chit chat with him about the pros and cons of getting a dog for his pet crazy 12 year old daughter. Myself having been in that same boat as a child, I informed him what a good age she is to have a pet and that the Yorkie kind of dog she wants is a good choice. If his daughter reading this, you have permission to use this information as ammunition in your pleas. Hopefully, this softens him to the idea, now you just have to work on your Mom.

Back to today, miles 25 -60 went great. In fact, I had so much energy I pulled the group at 18-19mph and was doing bunny hops in my seat out of glee to speed down one hill and attack the next. Unfortunately, this euphoria did not last the whole ride. The last 15 miles seemed like 30. I had used up my energy and we limped(we were all hurting - Sandy, Chris, John) into Redeemer College with me just on the fence of getting grumpy. Thankfully, when I informed Sandy of this she made a joke that sent me back over to the safe side of the fence. Better go, dinner is in 15 minutes.

5 am post

The title says it all - yes it is 5 am and I am blogging at this ungodly hour of the morning because I couldn't sleep past 4 am and have already dressed and applied my "biking cream" - yes that means butt cream and am ready to join my sweep team to set up for breakfast. They are all still sleeping, it seems.

Speaking of butt cream, you know how important it is when you find yourself having conversations with people you just met 4 days ago about the best application techniques. My church friend Shannon Foster was right 5 months ago when she told me you lose all modesty when it comes to this necessity on a long bike ride. Sandy and I have applied it behind a tree and in the gear truck when necessary.

I have found 1 drawback to traveling through Canada - my cellphone is on roaming charges. I realized that only after I had liesurely chit chatted with my family the other day. Now our calls are short and sweet. Well, better check if any of those sleepy heads are up yet. I am looking forward to visitin Niagra Falls in 2 days - they have a tour for us to go on.

Hey, before I forget, John from Holland (darn those last names I can't remember) wants me to say hi to his wife Mary. We ooh and ahh each time he pulls a little hidden "love" note from you out of whatever camping item he's using. He found the one in his travel kleenex yesterday and several before that. He admits to liking them and you too, of course.

I also want to thank you for praying for us as we continue. We feel the power and peace that comes from knowing how many words go to God regarding our safety and the success of this Bike Tour. Thanks especially to Nancy Hoffman and Pat Stinson, our prayer partners from church.

Sailing Takes Me Away - plus pictures....

These people represent only a small percentage of the welcome we have gotten in Canada. Picture this times hundreds and add some small children waving at us and clapping.
This is the light house at the Saint Claire River where we took a ferry into Canada. The border crossing went very smoothly thanks to Ed and Jen- the tour organizers. They didn't even ask us to take off our helmets.
Sandy and I met a funny man working for his wife who owns a deli. He was also the funeral director for this little town and had his hearse parked out front. Can you tell we were ready to be done with the 95 mile day on Tuesday. This was going to be our SAG wagon if we didn't make it - of course, not making it was not an option.
Tent city - this is what most days end like looking. Try walking through that tent stake maze at night to go to the bathroom....
This is us on Monday morning geared up and ready to take off from Calvin College. I feel like a twin again.
Sandy and I on Saturday afternoon after our 4 hour bike safety course in front of the gear truck that carries our tents and stuff from place to place. We carry sunscreen, camera, food for the day, and Sea to Sea business cards on our bike - the cards we give out to people who ask about what we are doing.


The weather here has been great for sailing with winds from the East - yes that is a headwind for us - at 6 - 16 mph. Why didn't I sign up for a regata tour. Even with the flat landscape, a heavy and constant headwind does wear on you, actually on me. Today, Sandy had sweep team which means she had to stay till all riders were gone from camp and help pack the gear truck after serving breakfast. The good friend that I am, I ditched her. Actually, that is me being a good friend cause otherwise poor Sandy would have me breathing down her neck asking, "Can you leave yet?"

Both of us had good days. I rode with a fast crowd(John from GR, Stephanie from Canada) going 18mph into the wind. It helped that the 3 of us were following a fast couple on a tandem bike - a very big wind breaker - ridden by Marijo and James (last name I do not remember). Last names would be easier if they were not all Dutch sounding - I hear one and think, "Oh, that sounds familiar and then the next one sounds familiar and on down the line." What happened to some Smiths or Jones or Rybackis?

The route took us on 76 miles today through corn fields, horse country (my favorite), a bike path through a very large park, and the city of London, Ontario. They have bike lanes here on city streets - this just adds to the welcome we bikers feel here in Canada. The hospitality and food were endless - lunch at a church part way, welcoming committee in the park with food, and people waving from there sidewalks.
Oops, gotta go for awhile - guess who is on sweep tonight and tomorrow morning - me! I will try to return if they keep open the computer room at the school here long enough. Adios for now.

I'm back and in only 10 minutes - it turns out the Canandians here in London are going to cook and serve us dinner tonight and my sweep team has nothing to do - just the way I like it. I downloaded some pictures off Sandy's camera for you to enjoy. I forgot to bring my camera cable for the computer. I hope I have enough storage space. Gotta go again - people are waiting for the computer. Love to my family.

O Canada

Hi all, I can say that with a smile back on. Today has been amazing. We took a ferry ride from the U.S. over the Saint Claire River to Canada. And what a reception we received. Crowds of people lining the road out of the ferry. Refreshments galore (cupcakes and bags of jelly candy - some of my favorite food). Now I know how celebrities feel. The best part is that all of these fans know that God is the true Star of this show and that He welcomes all of our praise.

After the ferry Sandy and I rode with a group that "kept us hoppin." I felt a little antsy to go fast today - don't ask me how I had energy for any antsiness after yesterday's marathon ride. Amazingly, I woke up refreshed by the 49 degree morning air.
We are pleased to find out that when biking from one place to another is your main goal all day, you have energy to do that every morning. No more 60 mile training rides in New Jersey squeezed into the time between lunch and the end of my 2 year old's nap after being a mother, wife, dog trainer/sitter, etc. all day.

So back to today's ride. I felt beat up, but happy - sounds ironic but this combination is probably a byproduct of my competitive nature. Strong headwinds struck us again, but the temp stayed under 80 degrees, a major plus. Besides the great reception, we notice the Canadians are very friendly people and more laid back than most Americans (especially New Jerseyians). They don't honk at the car blocking the lane while someone goes over directions and they are offering their pools, shuttle service and even real showers and whirlpool tubs in their home for us to use. Glad we are here for the rest of the week. I hear rumblings that this is just the beginning of the future Canadian hospitality. Of course, there is the normal Canadian - American patriotic banter going back in forth in camp. Seeing that the Canadians on the Tour outnumber us, I am keeping my mouth shut on this subject - amazing things do happen.

I better go, we still have to set up camp and take showers or maybe soak in the whirlpool tub, which shall I choose? I know we are supposed to be roughing it, but I wouldn't want these people to have gone through all the trouble for nothing. Love to my family - I love you and miss you.

And We're Off....

This blog may be short. I am sitting in a library in Richmond, Mi. after a 95 mile ride with strong headwinds. Dinner is in less than 30minutes and as you can imagine, I will not be missing that! Sandy and I started on our journey yesterday at 8:00am with a royal sendoff from both my family and Sandy's Mom and Uncle. Upon seeing my bike gear assembled, Jimmy, who is 2, asked if Mommy was taking a bike ride with Sandy. I said "yes". He is used to my 3-4 hour bike rides with Sandy as we trained. My girls threw in a few words about missing me despite their glee about how much fun they would have with Dad in charge (can you tell which one of us parents tows the line?) (I found out later Dad had fun being in charge - he stopped at both the Michigan store in Ann Arbor and Cabella's on the way back to New Jersey. I didn't ask how much these detours had set us back.)

Back to our bike trip - Sandy and I had a great time ticking off 67 miles. I don't know if I should mention our wonderful tailwind and the very flat roads - we thought we were in biking heaven. We had a wonderful reception froma Calvary CRC in Lowell - lots of food and smiles. Many people in the towns we pass through ask about what we are doing and we are having fun explaining ourselves and the Bike Tour's goal of raising awareness and funds to end the cycle of poverty. In some of these little towns I wonder if we outnumber the inhabitants.

Today (Tuesday) was not quite as joyous as yesterday. After getting up at 4:45am and getting on the road at 7:15 we rode through a headwind all day. Thankfully, there were only a few steeper hills helping us reminisce about biking in New Jersey. Now tired, achy, and hungry, we have yet to take a shower, set up our tent, and attend meetings tonight. I have a better idea - a back rub and a nap!

I have to go, someone else needs the computer and I can't miss dinner, at least I don't have to cook. Love to my family and friends.

There's No Place Like Home... There's No Place Like Home...

No, I am not "home" in New Jersey. This morning I am sitting in Grand Rapids at my brother-in-law's house on the day before Sandy and I start our biking journey. But Grand Rapids does feel like a second home to me after living here for 6 years in college - when I cross the border from Ohio into Michigan I brighten up a bit. My 2 year old, on the other hand, does not share in my brightening after being 10 hours in the car. It was great last night to visit our college friends and see how their families have grown. Most of our kids must have a double dose of the tall Dutch gene; we parents are either "looking up" at our older kids or are about to be in that neck wrenching position.

Well, enough of being nostalgic about Michigan. I realize very soon - like tomorrow- I will see Michigan in a new and glorious way on the saddle of a bike. I pray my saddle will be comfortable enough that I can enjoy the new views. I did buy a tube of Chamois Butt-er, supposedly some of the best biking cream - it better be at $18 a tube.

Today is packed with registration, orientation, and the celebration rally. I am trying not to think about the fact this is the last day to see my family for 2 weeks. I am not nervous about riding, just antsy. Poor Tom has been the brunt of my antsiness at times this trip. Little problems look a little bigger right now until I put them in perspective. Unfortunately, that process usually takes some time.

Oops, I just realized I have to be at registration in less than an hour. Thanks to all of you who are praying for me on this trip and have encouraged me to get this far - only 800 something miles to go!

Reality Check

Logistically, I was planning on not leaving everything till last minute, but I left just enough to do that I my heart rate rises thinking about it. I did not realize when I signed up in January that leaving for almost 3 weeks at the end of August requires much planning. I need to prepare my girls for school before I leave which means trips to the mall and Office Depot and Target. I need to get new tires on my van so I can remove that big red REJECTED sticker on my front window from my trip to the inspection station - oh yeh, that means I need to wait in line again for another inspection too. I almost forgot to reserve a place for my dog at the kennel - yes, I am a dog sitter myself, but can't find anyone who takes dogs in their home. I will stop here because I am only at number 4 on my very long list of "things to do before I leave."

Sandy stated the next realization on our last 57 mile ride, "I think we are ready for this ride. Now we just have to keep up this level of riding for the next three weeks." I had to agree with Sandy. Even though we both take about 3-4 miles each ride to warm up, groaning up hills in those first few miles, we feel stronger even on the long rides. The hilly terrain here in Northern New Jersey has been a good training partner. We've been thrown some real hill "doozies" and have been victorious - Sandy would probably remind me that some of these victories left us wheezing for a breath and unable to speak.

Another reality is that this bike journey is not done in the safety of my own house. Several people have fallen with the result of broken bones - collare bone, rib, pelvis. I know none of these injuries were life-threatening, obviously God was was watching over the riders, but I have had my share of leg surgeries (4) for torn ligaments and bones and have spent the last few years staying away from injury prone activities. Keep praying for safety for all the riders and staff.

The last reality is that God still has a lot of work to do on my heart. I still feel sorry for myself sometimes, I still forget that any stronger muscles have all to do with God giving me time and energy to train, I still act as if the world revolves around me, I still let the day to day craziness keep me from showing love and concern to others (calling a friend I know needs encouragment, visiting elderly friends, spending time playing "name that truck" with my 2 year old son - did you other women know before you had boys that there were so many names for different trucks - to me they're all "trucks"). I pray my heart is not so hard a muscle after all this training that God has a hard time molding it to look more like His heart.