I decided that I would take the same approach as I had every other day. I was not going to comprise my experience to please others with different objectives. If I was last and the sweep ask to pass me, my response will be. You should do what Jesus would do. I'm going to finish my ride.
Today started with a stop and visit to the Ted Miller Dairy. It is a milk operation with 1700 head of cattle milked 3 times a day on a 50 cow carousel. It is very orderly and very different from the small dairy farm my parents operated for over 40yrs. Ted and his wife Jane had cold milk and iced water ready for us and were open to discussing many of the changes in farming and the raw milk debate.
Then we passed through the Snake River Gorge. A stunningly beautiful vista that we were able to follow into the city of Twin Falls.
The tour was hosted for lunch by the local RCA church and included iced chocolate milk and ice cream. I LOVE these folks.Just outside of town, were the Shoshone(SHOW-SHOW-NEE) Falls known as the Niagara of the west.
Although I was only 1/2 done our ride by 1:30, I am glad not to have missed these moments. It was a hot day but with a constant breeze that seemed to make it cooler. With more crops in the area and lots of irrigation and rolling hills, it felt a lot like cruising through South Western Ontario.
Two dogs also caused some concern today. While leaving Twin City, a jacked up white pick up came up beside me and a huge dog lunged out the passenger window almost catching my helmet. Also, I stopped to call my friend Margaret during a shade break and a small chiuwawa came yipping down the lawn. Soon his owner followed and scooped him up and carted him back to the house. Justin saw me and took a shade break while I finished my call then we started out to finish the day. Yes the sweep team caught up to us at the last SAG stop. But they showed much grace and didn't even ask to pass us by. We continued on and sure enough as we were flying down the last hill into town(about 45km/hr) I heard the blast of a gun shot. I ducked and looked to see if Justin was OK. He wasn't, he had blown his rear tire.
We were very grateful not to have been left behind as Justin had a spare tube but no tire or cell phone. I used my cell to call the SAG and the sweep caught up to us. We fix the tire and were on our way. Arriving at 6:30, the gang welcomed us with applause and had held dinner for us.
I had a good ride. I wasn't overly exhausted, had averaged about 19km/hrs, no achy-ness or stiffness ready to ride again tomorrow. I am thanking God for the grace of the wonderful sweep team today. May we all have such attitude when it is our turn.
8 comments:
In '05, we had the same 'sweep' option to pass the last person IF we had permission to. The intent NEVER was to leave a person by themselves because of biking ability, but rather that if a person or group wanted their own pace, to permit them too. Many times sweep teams came in at 7, 7:30, 8:00 or later, doing what Jesus would do, sharing the road and supporting until the end. I think you have misled some of your readers. 'Permission' is a key word. And you may ask them to stay with you! The purpose of the sweep team remains the same, to ensure communication is clear, and support is there until you get into camp. I hope you see this clearly that C2C continues to be a caring community. God Bless!
I'm glad you had a better day! We had our meeting here in London for the hospitality crew and we are so excited for all of the bikers to get here! And I guarantee you will see me cheering you on at some point during your London leg.
I'm happy you decided to keep doing the tour *your* way. You most likely can't imagine the effect all your crazy stops and chats have on the people you meet and talk to. I look forward to reading your blog everyday and hearing about all your adventures. Keep it up!
Gayle,
Re: taking the touristy route and what would Jesus do? It seems that you might want to apply this passage:
"Philippians 2:3 do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves"
Many people have worked hard to sponsor you and your team on the road. Although there is joy along the way, this isn't a joy ride. It's hard work for everyone involved. You are on a mission with a pointed purpose.
It is inconsiderate to purposely inconvenience the sweep team just to indulge in your own pleasure.
By the way, I am not on the sweep team or a fellow biker. My comments are meant to urge you to focus on the goal. And it's not sightseeing.
We heart Gayle. Like Erin said, we met as a hospitality crew last night. Super duper excitement for you kids to ride through town. Hopefully you will feel just as hospit.. (what's the intransitive verb form of hospitality?).. alized? Ooh.. Hopefully you won't be hospitalized.. But you know how it is. Good job to the folk that are hospitable along the way. and we're going to aim for that kind of hospitality.. sans hospitalization - we love medicare, but not enough to inflict it upon you all.
On a less institutional note, Gayle, I love your pictures of life along the way. While it isn't a sightseeing tour (trust me, I know you wouldn't cycle a sightseeing tour.. more like tour bus.. stereo system.. A/C.. that's sightseeing!), I see that you are discovering life along the way. You are showing the folk back home what you are seeing and experiencing.. sharing your moments of joy and trials along the way.. These are the experiences that, when shared, build community. I remember that as a goal of yours from the start of the process. You're meeting that goal every day. Community is being built here, for sure, but this community is being connected to communities in Washington and Oregon and Idaho. This is the kingdom of God.
So, dear friend, go forth and continue to build the kingdom.
HI, it's Thursday morning here and just checking in to see how your day went yesterday! Neat how it did in fact turn out. Good to hear. Loved the woman's comment about building the kingdom.
Prayers are coming your way for each day.......
Jeanne
Wow, can't believe that I almost forgot to tell you something I think is wonderful. (Am getting ready to go to Mn. Saturday and am rushing here to get packed, etc.) Had my hair done yesterday and the stylist asked what I'd been up to that was fun. Told her about the weekend Sea to Sea Bike Tour stop in Boise. She had seen it on the news and was all ears!
She usually takes an hour and a half to color, cut and style my hair, but we got to talking and she took 2 1/2 hours. She was amused and enthralled with you all and of course had to tell her about you, the challenge, the pig who twirls for a cookie and other now famous stories of yours. The up shot was that she shared that she was a Mormon, but for the last two years she realizes that their attitudes, their lack of openness to listen to her questions and answer them to her satisfaction, has left her searching. During the conversation, shared that I was a Christian, etc. She wants to talk more!!!! I'm so excited, as she is the type of person I can really connect with and would be thrilled if she would come to know Christ through this witness. Talk about KINGDOM building!! May God multiply and multiply through your/our/HIS witness. Praise God for this opportunity. She was impressed with the goals and sacrifice of this outreach, but our conversation came to life when I began to talk about you!
Her name is DeAnna and I think she must be about 20 or 21............ pray for her if you are led. Usually they are very busy there, but it was entirely dead. Talk about a God Sighting....
THANKS, Gayle!
Jeanne
Hey, Gayle -- It was so good to hear from you yesterday afternoon during your chihuahua-attack shade break (talk about surprised!) It was a big relief to hear that you sounded great -- at km 96 -- and especially after the difficult scenario of the day before.
It seems like more than the just the weather has been heating up over the last few days on the tour. Community is always messy -- and a giant mobile transcontinental camping trip of intergenerational Christian cyclists of varying abilities and philosophies is going to be no exception.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will move in and among you all to restore community and heal relationships that may have become strained. I pray that C2C may be characterized in all of its parts by love of God, and neighbour as self, as together you ripple through the lives and communities that God has put on your path in this daunting, difficult and altogether glorious thing that you all are doing. May grace and tender mercies be abundant among you all. "And we know that in all (messy) things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Back to yesterday's ride, just where did you acquire ducking instincts upon hearing a gunshot? And does Justin's last name happen to start with an R? For a moment I thought we were headed for a "Dallas" cliff-hanger! But of course, it was just ANOTHER notorious tire failure. What is the total C2C count so far?
And, speaking of ducking, Zipper the Duck not only thinks I'm his mother, he now thinks he's a cat. He hangs out with the kitties all day and eats cat food with them. (I've stopped feeding him chicken feed and started putting the cat food up beyond his jumping level because he has to have more incentive to scavenge bugs, shoots, seeds, and whatever else ducks eat, on his own -- i.e. hunger.)
Jonathan and his friends spend time with Zipper on the side lawn looking for crickets and he follows us down to the creek to slosh around heartily in the mud and go for a swim (the boys think they "taught" him how to swim -- they say he was just walking on the bottom until they led him to deeper water:) But he always catches on quickly when he's been abandoned or when he hears the back door open, and then comes running and squawking back to the house. See? He is a cat.
May God grant you a restful, sleepful, cool, sprinkler-free night and a new day in which to bless and be blessed.
Go Gayle.
Margaret...Albert says ducks love being squirted with a garden hose. :)
Sharon
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