Now the view was spectacular but some of the joy is taken out when you realise that you are just going to have to cycle over them...but we can worry about that another day. Several people made encouraging comments as we cycled along. They are proud that I am still in for the ride. I needed to get into camp early though as I was on sweep duty for the first time.By 10am I was doing well and 1/2 way done. Today I cycled with Greg, one of the pastors on the tour, who is both an adoptive dad and foster parent. We talked a lot about my being adopted and the 28 foster children that my parents cared for over the years
Opa Ralph joined us for a break in the shade
And we found these cool windmills
I arrived at camp at 1pm which was a shock to a lot of people after yesterday's ride.Even the kitchen staff checked their watches as they thought it had to be close to dinner not lunch.
Barb Mellema and I headed downtown to enjoy some well earned ice cream and get online. Barb was shocked to see comments from my friends on her blog.
While we were serving dinner Jonathon and I decide to test our name skills and tried to call each person by name as they came pass. We got about 90% but we want to be 100% by the next serve.
19 comments:
Gayle,
Sounds like you had a better day today. Our prayers are with you and the whole C2C crew as you push on through Oregon. Enjoy the Oregon Trail and imagine riding out this way in a wagon or mostly walking all the way.
Chuck
Hey Gayle,
We're thinking of you here at home. Both our Cruiser folks will be there to greet you on the 21st! Ride safe!
Hi there Gayle, What a Blog! you are sure keeping us all connected even here in Toronto. The ride was hard for you yesterday but still it was full of humor. I sure had a laugh. To answer a question on the Blog, we lived on Dufferin street just near Richmond. The minister of the church was then Rev. de Gritter. I hope I spelled that right. Keep inspiring us Gayle. Prayers to you and everyone for safety and strength. Corrie
Gayle,
Yesterday Margaret was here for supper, and when we were reading the devotional she commented that they change the scale of the elevation graphs from page to page. So sometimes the grade change isn't as great as it first appears. I'm sure you can still feel it, considering that another cyclist blogged about being able to feel a 1% grade when the terrain looked deceptively flat. We're rooting for you!
Hi Gayle
My daughter is also on the bike tour but she doesn't get a chance to blog as often as you do. I always checked yours to see how you are doing. I love your "blow by blow" accounts of your ride - you are so real! Keep on peddling our prayers are with you.
Iowa mom
I'm glad you had a better day! I fully admit to reading your blog while at work, which ought to get me in trouble, but my boss just ends up reading it over my shoulder, so I think my job is secure!
You're doing a great job, and I'm so proud of you-I like to brag about you at the gym :)
Just take it one metre at a time-I know you'll make it!
Just wanted to let everyone know that today is "International Hug a Calvinist Day". Gayle should have no problem finding a few to hug! Let's go to it people....I think we were predestined to do this, but it's your choice!!!
Way to go, predestination jokes on the blog. Gayle, I'm so glad to hear you had a better day! In by 1 pm?? Woah! No way!!! A year ago, you would have thought "in my dreams..." and now, look, here you are! Are you making them smile in the morning with your cheery "How's about a ride today?" You're a cool kid. Keep cycling, keep cycling, keeeeeeep cycling. (And then once in a while, turn around for fun, and yell "Hey! Why are you following me??")
Nursey says be safe, and make sure to get some good juice in you, and maybe a bit of powerade/gatorade for revitamineralization. (Great word, Margaret! PS - I hear you on the bat issue! Scary as... hmm.... Go hug a Calvinist.)
Just catch'n up on your blog. Keep up the faithful work, my friend. Kelly & I are reading the devotional--and this morning it talked about this being a spiritual journey. So friend, know that God goes with you and that we continue to pray for you. You go, girlfriend!!!
~Willemina
Hey, nice shot of you and Opa Ralph. Now, if only Opa John would've been there wearing blue, it would've been complete in more ways than one. And that windmill is a real keeper!
Okay, so by now Barb M knows that your friends are a bunch of blogaholics who engage in blog-hopping at just about any time of the day or night because we don't have real lives. . . Sorry about that!
I went for another klunkymountainbikeride this beautiful morning and, inspired by Holly, came up with another song that has almost infinite possibilities, sung to that delightful late-60's youth group ditty, "Give Me Oil in My Lamp".
i.e. for the first part of today's (Thurs, July 10) ride you could sing:
Give me pep in my gams
Keep me pumpin', pumpin', pumpin'
Give me pep in my gams I pray. . .
Keep me pumpin' so I make it all the way. (up)
then -- for the second part:
Give me glide in my ride
As I'm sliding down the mountains
Give me glide in my ride I pray. . .
Keep me gliding 'til I make it all the way. (to camp)
The chorus could stay the same:
Sing Hosannah (3x)
To the King of Kings (repeat)
because "Hosannah" means "Save Us!" which, under the circumstances, would be highly appropriate.
As I said, there are soooo many possibilities and you can take as much poetic license as you want, because it'll be your song.
Hope your ride was, again, swift and beautiful!
"Glide in my ride?"
Does Margaret know about the gift Albert and I sent along with Ralph for you guys? Makes me smile.
Sharon
1pm? Crazy! You are even starting to surprise yourself and us! It's amazing how much God can challenge us sometimes but we have to have faith that he will pull us through and give us brighter days, like yesterday. Keep biking along...
(No, Sharon, I couldn't even begin to guess what kind of conspirings you and Albie had planned for our dear friends. . . but I know that it's your evil smile of which you speak ;]
So, Gayle, what kind of ditch culture are you encountering out there? You know, the kind of anthropological residue that flies briefly, then comes to an abrupt rest beside the roadkill. What can you tell about the pulse of the four-wheeled journeyers who have gone hither and thither before you? Just curious.
(Oh -- maybe I should update you on my close encounter with the flying rodent of the intruding kind: My plan worked. I left if alone and it WENT AWAY! . . . which means I'm not sure where it is now. But, as long as it keeps out of sight or at least OUT OF THE AIR SPACE in my house, I'm okay with that.)
Give thanks, pray hard, eat well, sleep well and dream downhill!
Gayle,
You are amazing! Your determination and commitment are such a testament to God's strength working through you. I love reading your blog because it is both serious and funny ("But it's FUNNY").
Keep going.
Hannah
Margaret (and any other interested readers)..."Glide" is an anti-chafing kind of product that looks like a deodorant stick...possibly useful for long periods of engagement between one's own seat and one's bike seat. :) Not a product to be shared among cyclists I'd imagine. Maybe it's too early for glide to appear in the blog as a concern for Gayle.
so back to "give me glide in my ride.." still smiling.
You know, I read this as much to find out what's up with Margaret as to keep tabs on Gayle.
M - I was wondering what had transpired with the winged creature in your home, glad to hear that he's found a hiding place and seems to be staying there. Will we hear from you as often once Pieter and Jonathon are home from their respective wanderings.
G - glad Wednesday was a better day and that your arrival early into camp was heralded with joy and confusion. That must be a new sensation for you (on a general level), the being early thing I mean!!
Let John and Ralph also know that we think of them often and pray for them continually. Every time I see a cyclist on the road I am reminded to send up a popcorn prayer for the tours safety.
Off to bed and then to the Pineries for the weekend. Out of computer range and will look forward to a healthy dose of reading when I return on Sunday night. Can hardly wait to hear what adventures you will have!!
Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite (Did you know that NA has had an outbreak of bed bugs of epidemic proportion - mostly in hotels) EEEWWW!!
Hugs
Heather and Ben (newly 12 TODAY)
So Gayle -- It just occurred to me that 90% of the names sounds like a very decent score on the short-term memory front, wouldn't you say, eh? Reason to rejoice!?
[Sharon -- Does TMI mean anything to you? Although now you've got me curious. . .I've heard about the benefits of Bag Balm and Udderly SMOOth but I'm not sure if they're preventive or postventive (I just made that word up) and whether or not they're gender specific. . . :)]
(Heather and Ben -- Have a wonderful weekend camp-out, . Glad to see your relationship survived the birthday sleepover :)
Gayle - we're thinking of you every day! Keep it up ... I'm living vicariously through you and your blog.
We're with you!
sounds like you had a good day!!from Hannah
Post a Comment