Is it Finished or Just the Beginning?

Two days later I am finally writing about our last day of riding on the Bike Tour. What an awesome thing it was to see hundreds of people at Liberty State Park reciting the Lord's Prayer and giving praise to God who orchestrated and oversaw the entire 9 weeks. We culminated the celebration by dipping our front tires in the water of the Hudson Bay. After yielding to others who needed to "dip", Sandy and I hoisted our bikes in the air by the edge of the algae-laden, smelly water and posed for pictures of our victory stance - of course, my picture card was full and I am still waiting for friends to send me pictures of this moment. The song "This is the Time of My Life" by David Cook played through my mind images of the last 2 weeks flashed in front of me (check out the song through this link http://www.popeater.com/2008/05/22/david-cook-the-time-of-my-life-song-premiere/).

Of course, the journey to Liberty State Park this day was not without incident. Tom had decided months ago to join me in riding the last day of the Tour, a great opportunity for him and 10 others to get a feel of what riding 61 or more miles felt like. Each "day rider" also had to raise $100 for this privilege.

Here we are all ready to go from Sussex Christian School with Tom in his mountain bike garb - his spandex covered by camo hiking shorts. You can take the mountain biker off the dirt trails, but you can't make him show his tight shorts...

Little did either of us know how providential it was that Tom had 2 layers of shorts on that day. We left a bit earlier than The Troop (Chris, Mike, John, Sandy) to get a head start. 15 miles into the ride Tom hit a very bad patch of glass on the roadside while cruising down a hill and proceeded to take a spill. I didn't notice my missing husband for half a mile and was relieved when others informed me he was hurt, but not seriously as I trudged back up the hill in my search for him. Besides a roadrashed elbow dripping blood on his shirt and a mild rash on his right cheek (that's not his face, but the cheek you sit on - hence the providence of have both shorts on, both of which ripped.) Tom looked shaken, but ready to ride again.

Here Tom is fixing number 1 of 4 flats he had on his journey to Jersey City that started with this fall. He is still replaying the accident in his mind - What came first, the flat or the fall? Besides the flats and the horrible road conditions - more glass than the previous 2 weeks combined, potholes, freeze cracks, crazy Jersey drivers, narrow shoulders, we made it to the staging area in Carney, NJ. During the celebration rally we learned that there had been around 30 flats the last day on Jersey roads, a record. I felt strangely responsible as a Jersey resident.

Not surprisingly, the Troop had caught up to us early on and we were able to ride together most of the way. I was particularly proud of my husband who easily kept up with us "seasoned" road riders even with injuries. I had been concerned he had not been training on the road enough as he tends to steer his bike toward a dirt trail after even 10 miles of road riding. But Jersey trails must have been muscle-building enough. It was fun to bask in the welcome of the Goldens on Hamburg Turnpike and our Bridgeway church friends who set up a refreshment stop on Alps road. Thanks you all for showing everyone hospitality - Jersey style.

In Carney, all 200 plus riders followed a police escort through Carney, Jersey City, and Liberty State Park with Billy D and his Harley in the lead. What a sight we were in our Sea to Sea jerseys all riding in a pack. People stopped on the street, waved out of their honking cars, and came out of their businesses to encourage this Sea of riders down their city streets. Rounding the corner, we saw the Manhattan skyline and Lady Liberty herself (it was killing John not to be able to wear his statue of liberty jersey). But the best sight was the crowds of Sea to Sea supporters who lined the path at the park and cheered us to the finish line. John's wife and sister-in-law were so animated you'd have thought they were seeing Elvis reincarnated=) My friends Trish & Dan & 3 boys, Beth(ers) & Ralph, my sister, parents, and husband (he had to get a SAG ride after his last flat) and 3 children yelled and waved their "Suzie" banners as we passed. I will never forget this day and the feeling of accomplishment Sandy and I had that 2 middle-aged mothers of 3 could complete over 800 miles of bike riding and return in 1 piece.

I'm thankful that feeling is not the goal, as I know our glowing faces will fade with time. Speakers at the Celebration Rally that night reminded us that the end of the Tour only starts the real journey of our hearts changing to follow God's heart for the poor and to put our feet and hands to a new purpose of doing our own part to help end the cycle of poverty right where we live.