If It's Not One Thing.....

Waking in the morning there was a buzz of excitement as we prepared for the Grand parade into Grand Rapids and Calvin College. Jim was ribbing me all morning-"I don't want to sweep you in today, Gayle." Sure you do Jim! It's your last day on the tour, what a great send off. I promised him we would be there by 12:30 for the staging and the entrance into Calvin.
Now there was that incident with my bike. Pieter and Louis proceeded to tell me that my rear wheel was flat as it had carried a goathead thorn from Denver(3 Weeks and no flat...love my tires!), missing a few spokes(hmmm not sure where that happened!! ooops!)and that it couldn't be used.

Well I have another full wheel but apparently the tire on it was torn. OK but can't we just put the good tire on the other wheel rim? They hadn't thought of that. With Rick's help we did the switch and I was on my way...well sort of. I went to get on and something wasn't right. I looked down and saw this.

Yes, we had put my wheel on without putting the chain on...like I need that challenge! Marti was close by and we reinstalled the chain. I was off-sort of. There had been a lot of changes to the route from the original map and there were also 140 additional riders joining us for the day. It was a little kaotic but workable. I got about 2kms and made the second turn when my bike started to feel really strange. I got off and realised that the back tire had some serious bulges causing a nasty wobble. I quickly called back to the gear truck to have my spare tire retrieved and brought to me. Marti was still there and she got it and quickly sent her husband Coby to my rescue. I said that I would continue on the route as far as the tire would take me. Just as I finished my call, a familiar voice called out"Hey!" Low and behold, it was Tim and Fred Nydham(son and father both with great spirits)from my home church there to bike for the day. Fantastic! They decided to ride with me so off we went...for a few feet. The wobble was getting out of control and just as I was coasting down a small hill, Tim, behind me said "Gayle, I think you have met your max speed" BOOM. He was right..the tire had blown...my first!They stayed with me as we waited for the SAG.

And waited and waited....hmmm where could they be? And why hadn't the sweep been by yet? A few phone calls later and a search by Billy on his motorcycle found that we had made a wrong turn and had been just out of view of the SAG and sweep. Coby did find us and I quickly switched out the tires again. My first tire repair with no assistance and in record time.
Speaking of record time, it was now 10:30am and we had only 2 hrs to do the full distance into Grand Rapids to make the staging. It seemed impossible but Tim and Fred knew the area and we decided to high tail it along the highway and bypass the route to see if we could make it. God was certainly on our side with smooth flat roads, a tail wind and determined spirits. As we paced along Fred mentioned that he had never biked this fast before...what a coincidence, Fred, neither had I! Tim and I noticed that you could actually hear the buzz of his tires along the road where my bike was almost stealth! "Feel free to hum along!" Tim quipped. The Nydhams got a real taste of the feel of SeaToSea and with their guidance and support we flew into Grand Rapids in record time JUST making it to the staging area in time to join the parade! Average speed 28.7kms/hour in 2hrs and 15mins! SO many people were shocked to see me make it...many more so proud...no one more than me!

Thanks to Tim and Fred, my support and pit crew from home. You gave me one of my most memorable rides!
Riding into Calvin was overwhelming as tears came to my eyes.

It was amazing to see some familiar faces, Fred and Trish Wassink, Art Mulder and Blog supporters calling out my name as we passed. Very touching. Waiting for me was my "Fairy godmother" Jan and her husband Gary, ready to whisk me to their home and my bike to a shop. We dropped the bike off and at their home this lovely gift package was waiting for me.

So much! You gotta love that she gave me a whole tray of choclate caramel brownies and only one fork...I'll be back into my old jeans in no time! Jan and Gary just wanted me to feel welcomed and care for. A good job well done. We went back to get my bike. Wheel trued, gears corrected, new water bottle holder, new chain and new Canadian socks(yeah we don't get many people looking for those, I'll give you a discount!) I asked if he had many SeaToSea people in that day. He said there was one guy who had asked the same thing from the Detroit area. He had told him that they were working on a bike but didn't know the name off the top. The cyclist said he probably wouldn't recognise a bike. The store guy said "Oh, you'd recognise this one!" The cyclist looked and said. "Yeah that would be Gayle!" Just want to say....Hi Josh, you found me!
So week 7 is completed! and another milestone and personal accomplishment was reached fore me. The first week of no SAG rides. That's right...all week....every fabulous inch...not on my own but surrounded and supported by friends. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!