THOUGHT FOR THE DAY – I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton
The Journey - Installment Eighty-Nine
With darkness approaching and having reached the bottom of the last hill, we rode like the wind. I looked at my speedometer and we were going 20 mph. I had never ridden that fast on the flat land, ever! This was after riding all day and just finishing four steep hills. As we rode toward the hotel, Tom would call periodically to the FOTF team up ahead who were waiting for us at the hotel to let them know where we were. It was almost dark. To our left were the Marin Hills that we would have to cross on Sunday to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. That thought of that crossing never entered my mind. I was solely concentrating on getting to the hotel before dark. As I looked to my left (that would have been west), I saw the sun go down behind the last hill. Soon it would be dark. I remember that I had my left hand up in the air, like a traffic cop, and I was crying and begging the Lord to “hold back the dark, please, hold back the dark.” We were riding on the side of a busy highway. With my arm outstretched and my hand raised, with fingers spread out crying out to the Lord, any motorist riding on that highway passing us must have thought I was a nutcase. I begged and pleaded with the Lord to let us finish the day’s ride before it got dark otherwise we would have had to get into Bob’s pickup. At one of the stop lights, we turned on our bike lights. After about 20 minutes of riding as fast as we could we reached the hotel. As we pulled into the driveway of the hotel, many riders from the team were there to greet us and cheer. Just as we drove into the driveway, the curtain dropped. It was dark. NO KIDDING! God held off the dark until we arrived. It gives me goose bumps now, just thinking of it. We had just completed 92 miles of riding.
Some thoughtful people had set aside some dinner for us. We were too late to get our clothes washed, but fortunately Terri and I each had a spare suit. We went to our rooms, ate dinner and I stripped down to take a shower. I put some cleansing cream on my face and was totally shocked because my face was caked with grit from the wind. I could actually scrape it off. I don’t think I have ever been that dirty. Bob and I went to bed and slept very soundly after a very long day of riding. Just think – we had started the ride at 7 AM from the hotel in Sacramento and when we rode into the hotel parking lot in Napa, it was 9:15 PM - Fourteen and one quarter hours on a bike (minus 2 break stops, lunch and time to fix a tire.) Who would have ever thought I could stay on a bike that many hours? I certainly never did. That was the end of day one of the bike ride and I was a very grateful rider, thanking God as I fell asleep..
The Journey - Installment Eighty-Nine
With darkness approaching and having reached the bottom of the last hill, we rode like the wind. I looked at my speedometer and we were going 20 mph. I had never ridden that fast on the flat land, ever! This was after riding all day and just finishing four steep hills. As we rode toward the hotel, Tom would call periodically to the FOTF team up ahead who were waiting for us at the hotel to let them know where we were. It was almost dark. To our left were the Marin Hills that we would have to cross on Sunday to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. That thought of that crossing never entered my mind. I was solely concentrating on getting to the hotel before dark. As I looked to my left (that would have been west), I saw the sun go down behind the last hill. Soon it would be dark. I remember that I had my left hand up in the air, like a traffic cop, and I was crying and begging the Lord to “hold back the dark, please, hold back the dark.” We were riding on the side of a busy highway. With my arm outstretched and my hand raised, with fingers spread out crying out to the Lord, any motorist riding on that highway passing us must have thought I was a nutcase. I begged and pleaded with the Lord to let us finish the day’s ride before it got dark otherwise we would have had to get into Bob’s pickup. At one of the stop lights, we turned on our bike lights. After about 20 minutes of riding as fast as we could we reached the hotel. As we pulled into the driveway of the hotel, many riders from the team were there to greet us and cheer. Just as we drove into the driveway, the curtain dropped. It was dark. NO KIDDING! God held off the dark until we arrived. It gives me goose bumps now, just thinking of it. We had just completed 92 miles of riding.
Some thoughtful people had set aside some dinner for us. We were too late to get our clothes washed, but fortunately Terri and I each had a spare suit. We went to our rooms, ate dinner and I stripped down to take a shower. I put some cleansing cream on my face and was totally shocked because my face was caked with grit from the wind. I could actually scrape it off. I don’t think I have ever been that dirty. Bob and I went to bed and slept very soundly after a very long day of riding. Just think – we had started the ride at 7 AM from the hotel in Sacramento and when we rode into the hotel parking lot in Napa, it was 9:15 PM - Fourteen and one quarter hours on a bike (minus 2 break stops, lunch and time to fix a tire.) Who would have ever thought I could stay on a bike that many hours? I certainly never did. That was the end of day one of the bike ride and I was a very grateful rider, thanking God as I fell asleep..
Oh my goodness, what a crueling first day!!! Barbara, with each installment, my love and admiration for you grows..
ReplyDeleteMay I just say it again...You are a remarkable women. Blessing on top of blessing for you this Holy Week.