Today, I am enjoying a welcomed rest day from the routine of my daily cycling activities. It is not a complete rest day as I took some time to participate in a highly engaging, informative event with fifteen participants at Lighthouse Church in Amarillo, TX. As is typical of previous rest days there was also a period of transition. Today’s transition was saying good-by to my oldest son, David who traveled with me this past week and provided wonderful, encouraging support as I rode while engaging in enjoyable conversation and personal time between the rides. I relish every moment I receive to hang with my adult children, so I consider it a wonderful blessing to have had David along for an entire week.
Another part of the transition process is welcoming a new support partner, Herman Bell. Herman and I have never met and have only communicated through email. Yet, God introduced us and brought us together for this week. I am looking forward to the blessings that will come from meeting and travelling with this brother in Christ.
As I reflect upon the events and experiences of week three, I noticed that many are affiliated with the achievement of several milestones associated with the ride:
- 1000 miles: Shortly before arriving in Tucumcari, NM, I celebrated the 1000th mile ridden on this trip. Even though I have been cautioned not to keep track of progress relative to the overall objective, I couldn’t help but feel some sense of satisfaction knowing that I have now cycled over 1,000 miles.
- Coldest plunge: Yes, the swim in the Colorado River at 72 degrees was a refreshing break from the 103 degree temperatures in the desert. However, diving into the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, with a temperature of 61 degrees brought refreshingly cold to an entirely different level. I definitely didn’t just jump in and get out; instead, I treated this plunge as an ice bath and spent at least ten minutes simply soaking in the healing benefits of the cold water on aching, aging joints.
- Fourth state: California, Arizona, New Mexico and now, Texas. Crossing state lines are a great way to measure and mark progress. With every state line I cross, I get closer to my destination. As you can see in the picture, I happily celebrated my arrival in Texas.
- Halfway to Chicago: There is a café in Adrian, TX that is considered the official halfway point of Route 66 between Chicago and Santa Monica. The Midpoint Café has quite a display highlighting this fact. It is also famous for its ugly crust pies. Needless to say, after posing for the obligatory midpoint pictures, David and I found ourselves inside the café enjoying a tasty piece of ugly crust pie.
- A fabulously engaging, interactive event: Despite the best efforts of local event organizers, not all of the planned Cycling for Recovery events go as desired or planned. Today, at Lighthouse Church, we had a well attended and highly engaging program. I am grateful to Stephanie of Young People in Recovery – Amarillo, for bringing together such a great group willing to share their experiences, concerns, and questions. It was a great change of pace from the Cycling for Recovery routine.
Yesterday, I interacted with a man from New Zealand who was riding from Chicago to Santa Monica, unsupported (alone). This will be his third cross country venture. When I talked with him about his experiences on his journey, he shared a pearl of wisdom that you will hear more from me later. However, his message was so precise I couldn’t wait to share it.
“Every day I ride. I start around 7AM, may times end around 7 at night. I simply keep moving. After a few days, I am somewhere else.”
What a great message about cycling and life. Change doesn’t happen without a constant, consistent, and focused effort. If you keep moving and stay with it, eventually you will find yourself standing in an entirely different spot. That, my friends, is the essence of 100Pedals – make a commitment to move towards your desired outcomes without stopping or interruption, even if it is in small incremental steps; when you do so, you will find yourself in a different place and your life will be changed. True change is about time, effort, persistence, and patience; it never comes easy, fast, or without effort.
Peace!
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Did you know Dave Cooke is riding his bike across the country? Cycling for Recovery is a cross country 3600 mile cycling mission to provide support and love to those who are dealing with the addiction of loved one in their lives, while providing education and awareness to others regarding the impact of substance abuse and addiction in our communities. This mission is funded solely by individual donations. Please consider making donation to Cycling for Recovery ministry. To make your personal contribution, please go http://GoFundMe.com/CyclingforRecovery. Your support is greatly appreciated.
