Friday March 18th

Dear Readers,
I have a chance today to get a project accomplished that has been bugging me, so please come back on Monday.  The bike ride journey is in the last week before the bike ride. 
Barbie Jo

Countdown to Triathlon – 157 Days, 22.42 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 73 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - I love this Irish Blessing:




"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rain fall softly on your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand."

Roxi and I took our walk yesterday and both of us were tired when we got home. Roxi needs the exercise as much as I do and she headed straight for the water when we arrived home.

The Journey - Installment Seventy-Three

        In preparation for the upcoming ride which was a week away, I continued my knee exercises and continued to ride.  My sweet and thoughtful husband Bob bought me a earpiece for my cell phone so that people could get in touch with me during the ride.  I made sure that all my gear was ready:

     biking shoes and Focus on the Family socks
     FOTF shirt and pants (actually I had two sets)
     my "Camel Back" water carrier (didn't actually use it on the ride; we were provide
     with all the liquidswe needed. It would have contributed to additional for me
      to carry.)                 
     biking gloves
     helmet
     took the bike to be checked; tires pumped up

Everything seemed in order.  I was really getting anxious but didn't have the overwhelming dread that had been my constant companion until that Sunday morning, the week or so before when the bird rose up to meet me.)

        In January of 2001 when I received the letter of acceptance for the bike ride from FOTF, I had figured out that if 150 people sent in $20, I would have the needed $3000 for the ride.  The money was to go to Focus on the Family.  Their mission statement is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in disseminating the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people worldwide as possible - specifically, to accomplish that objective by helping to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family. 

          At one point, I called FOTF to ask,  "What if I am not able to raise the $3000.  Does that mean I can't ride?"  They told me that the sum of money being asked for was a goal and that many people raised way more than that amount.  I was assured that I would ride no matter how much I raised.  At the time of the call, only a small amount of money had come in to FOTF in my name.  By the end of July 2002, almost $5000 had been raised - $4,785.00 to be exact.  I was truly amazed at the generosity of everyone contributing. There were several $500 dollar donations, several $200, $100 and $50 donations.  The majority of the people donated $25.  One 93 year old man from our church sent a check for $10 with a encouraging note which was barely legible because his handwriting was so shaky. He said that if I felt extra weight on the back of my bike, he'd be there riding with me.  I believe that dear Wanda, our pastor's wife told me the same thing.  As much as I would have liked the company, the idea of carrying extra weight was something I didn't even want to contemplate.  I thanked God for all the generous people who contributed to FOTF on my behalf.  So to all those people, the blessing above is for you.

Countdown to Triathlon – 158 Days, 22.71 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 72 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - (This is a repeat) - "If you haven't quit, you haven't failed!"  I haven't quit yet!!!

I'm still having terrible pain in my arm and cannot swim yet.  I'm going to walk Roxi today and try to gradually get going on the training again.  If I can't start doing some real training soon, I'll not be able to participate in the triathlon. 


The Journey - Installment Seventy-Two

        At this time, just a week or so before the ride, I was still getting physical therapy for my knees.  I was doing the exercises at home and praying that the knees would cooperate.  The physical therapist recommended that I not ride the week before and that was really worrying me because if I didn't keep riding, what would the knees do for the three-day ride?   Would they feel better and allow me to ride without so much pain because they had rested a week?  Or, would they be stiff and make riding harder to do than it already had become?  In my heart, I knew I needed to keep riding.  I continued to go the the therapist and do the exercises he recommended.  He gave me  battery-operated muscle stimulators which I would put on each knee when I began the ride.  As I think back, why didn't I get extra batteries?  The batteries only lasted one day.  I continued riding alone but chose some different routes than I normally rode.  The ride was coming up in only one week.  I couldn't believe that the time was almost upon me.  I continued to sing my song as I rode, "Change My Heart Oh Lord!" and to remember the verse my drapery customer gave me,
Proverbs 3:5:
 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him

And He will make your paths straight.”

My husband Bob said this ride was a real significant episode in our lives and was a very significant way to begin our summer.  He sees a message in this event and won’t tell me what he thinks it is until he feels that I have discovered it for myself.  He feels if we cannot understand or learn from what God is teaching us then it is better that we do not attempt the project.  I don’t agree with him that we shouldn’t attempt the project.  We all learn differently and at different rates.  Some of us are slower learners than others but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t allow God to lead us into projects.  We will learn what He wants us to learn when the time is right.  I hope that at the end of this ride I will have discovered the answer for myself.

As I rode, I also kept saying my motto of the ride over and over - "The power behind me is greater than the task ahead of me” and kept repeating "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Ephesians 6:10 .  All these reminders helped as I rode along the road outside Hughson and in the country. This all sounds like a lot of talking to myself, and it was. However, when I was riding out in the country, there wasn't a soul to hear me but the birds.  And I had not seen even one dead bird since the last one on the Sunday when I told God I didn't need any more dead birds.  Obviously, He took me at my word. 

Countdown to Triathlon – 159 Days, 22.71 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 71 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

It's Snowing.  Check out the ground.  It looks like snow and is the only "snow" we get in the central valley of California.  (It's the pedals of the flowers that drop and look like snow.)

The Journey - Installment Seventy-One

God gives me a gift-wrapped gift of enormous value!

 Early the next week, after that Sunday at church and the episode with the bird flying beside me, I continued to try to contact Lisa.  The amazing thing was that if this were the Lisa I knew what a true miracle it would be.  Of all the people who could have signed up for the northern California ride, including people from southern California and even from other states, the fact that there were only going to be twenty riders and someone I knew would be on that list was truly amazing.  I contacted another former Tupperware manager who knew Lisa well but she wouldn’t give me her number.  I wouldn’t give up the quest.  When I finally reached Lisa, several days later, I told her how excited I was that she was going to take part in the bike ride.  She said that she had signed up the same month that I had signed up, January 2001.  However, she said that she had not been riding and had not sought out any donations and was probably not going to participate.  I surprised even myself when the next words out of my mouth, “Oh yes you are, Lisa!  You are going to ride because God gave you to me as a gift, just as if He had put you in a gift box and wrapped you up with paper and a big red bow. You have to ride!”  I was absolutely sure in my heart that she would be riding.   After talking to her she said she would talk with her family and get back to me.  I had no doubt in my mind that Lisa was going to ride.  I knew God had given her to me so I wouldn’t have to ride alone. 

        She called back a few days later and said that she would ride.  I already knew in my mind and heart before she even told me.   For the first time in all of these months of training I was feeling assured and confident.   We talked and caught up on our lives since we had last seen one another, about sixteen years before.  We made arrangements to meet at her house later in the week for a bike ride together.  We did meet and it was as if that sixteen year separation never was.    We took up just where we left off all those years ago.  She showed me through her beautiful home and then we took a bike ride in the area around her house.  Lisa is about eighteen years younger than myself and not overweight like I was, but she had not been training.  We were still not on the same biking level as she had much more energy and strength than I, but we were nearer in our abilities than I would have imagined.  I cannot remember exactly, but I think it was the only time we rode together before the ride. 

Countdown to Triathlon – 160 Days, 22.85 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 70 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - "Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines."

Robert Schuller

Now, if I could figure out what the "guideline" is.  My arm is so painful that I sometimes have to take my other hand and lift my wrist of my right hand to move my arm.  I have been to the doctor and had it x-rayed but they don't what the problem could be.  I need to be better soon or the triathlon will not occur for me.  I can train the lower body, but I will for the race have to swim and cannot practice in the pool at the moment. Time is getting shorter until August 24th.

The Journey - Installment Seventy

  If God could own the cattle on a thousand hills, know every bird in the mountains and the insects (by the gazillions) are his then He could certainly cause this pitiful woman to complete the bike ride. Here is Rick's song.  I am so sorry that I couldn't figure out how to post his recording of the song.  If I find out, I will post it later.

(If you missed the posting about the cattle on a thousand hills, go back to archives, February 23rd to read it.)

The Cattle on a Thousand Hills ~ Psalm 50 

Mesa Way Tunes, Steve Blechschmidt & Rick Larson, 2002 ~ All Rights Reserved

The Mighty One, God, the Lord has spoken. 

Summoned the earth from the rising sun to it’s setting. 

Out of Zion, the perfection of God shows forth. 

Every beast of the forest is Mine, 

The cattle on a thousand hills. 

Every bird of the mountains. 

Everything that moves in the fields. 

Call upon Me in the day of trouble. 

I will rescue you, 

And you will honor Me.

Rick, thanks for sharing your song with us.

Dear Wanda posted this story in my comments sections: "I heard a wonderful true story of a man who was in need of financial help, raising support as a missionary, and reminded the Lord he owned the cattle on a thousand hills in his prayers...so he would trust Him for his support. Later that week, he received a large check from a rancher in Colorado he didn't know, and the rancher wrote that the Lord impressed him to sell one of his cows, and send the money to this struggling missionary.
Sounds like a Barbara story, doesn't it? "

Countdown to Triathlon – 165 Days, 23.57 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 69 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

CLAM CHOWDER

I promised a reader from Canada that I would post my clam chowder recipe.  It came from my Uncle Robbie who used to gather clams in Baja (Mexico) and cook the chowder right on the beach.  We have done the same from Tomales Bay on the northern California coast.  Often, after skiing at Lake Tahoe, we would come back to the cabin and I'd fix a pot of delicious clam chowder.  It is quick to make and very filling - a real comfort food.  I'd serve it with sourdough bread or French bread and we'd all go to bed warm and toasty and quite satisfied. You can also serve it with a Caesar Salad or green salad of your choice, but we just eat it with bread. It's really good in a hollowed out individual bread bowl but we usually just eat it the regular way, a bowl and spoon.  It proably serves 4-5 people depending on what else you serve with it.  I used to triple the recipe for our family of six when the kids brought friends to Lake Tahoe skiing. They ate every last spoonful and there were never leftovers.  Here is the recipe:

1/4 # bacon, diced
3-4 stalks celery, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced.
1 small onion, diced

Put the above in a dutch oven or deep pot and cook until the bacon is thoroughly cooked and the vegetables are limp.

Add 3-4 large potatoes, diced and enough water to cover everything in the pot.  Cover and cook until the potatoes are done.

Add 1-2 cans minced clams (depends on your taste - start with 1 can)  and heat 5 minutes at medium temperature.  Cooking clams at too high a temperature or for too long will make them tough.

Add 1 can (15 oz.) of evaporated milk.  Be sure it is evapored milk and not Eagle Brand Condensed Milk whch is sweet and you don't want that.  Heat until chowder is hot. Salt and pepper to your taste. If you don't want to use black pepper you can use white pepper and you won't have the black spots in your chowder.  I don't usually care - we just want to eat it.

Here's the secret to thikening the chowder:   Add about 1 cup of instant potatoes.  It takes a few minutes after you stir them in to begin to thicken. You may have to add more - just wait a few minutes to see how thick it gets.   If you don't finish it at one sitting, remember, after the soup is refrigerated and eaten the next day or so, it will be even thincker so you'll have to add more evapored milk or even whole milk.  We never have any left over so it's never a problem.

You can also add a can of drained corn and/or red bell pepper instead of the green.  Some of the chefs in Mendocino had added shrimp and mussels out of their shells and Sherry.  The sky's the limit.  But my family loves it just plain, the way I describe it above.   .

     Just typing the above recipe is making me hungry for clam chowder.  Unfortunately, we can no longer eat it because Bob has a heart condition and cannot eat cholesterol rich foods.  I could however, use the Smart Bacon (soy product) and use soy milk.  We won't be quite the same, but as close as we can get it.  The rest would be fine for him.  I'd have to use a little olive oil because without the bacon grease, the veggies won't cook quite the same.  But where there is a will - there is a way.  I only just thought of doing this as I was typing.  Good idea!  I think I'll try it tonight.

The Journey - Installment Sixty-Nine

Recently I wrote about the Cattle on a Thousand Hills. I am trying to figure out how to insert the mp3 of Rick singing the song of the Cattle on a Thousand Hills into blogspot. If anyone can help me, please comment below.  I googled "how to add an mp3 to blogspot".  I downloaded Open Drive but am stuck on the next step.  I have the mp3 copied into the Open Drive file but don't understand how to go from there.  HELP SOMEONE!    I'll post that tomorrow or whenever I find out how.  PEA - DO YOU KNOW HOW?

I hope you're ready to see some photos.
This is the house we rented with our friends, Shirley and Lynn.























Here's the view from the house on Friday - storm's coming in.

Saturday was the Whale Festival in Mendocino.  We started at 11:00 am with chowder tasting.  There were about 10 chefs with their chowder from various hotels, bed and breakfast places and restaurants in the area.  For $10 each, we could sample all the chowder we wanted until the supply ran out.  YUM!

Then there was wine tasting.  One of the wine tasting stops was in the Mendocino Art Center. In front were these whimsical animals made from nuts, bolts, various gears, car parts, etc.  You have to believe that someone has a very vivid immaginaton.

KITTY

ANOTHER KITTY

DOGGY

PIG

RABBIT WITH CARROT

BIRD (I GUESS) WITH IT'S OWN WINE BOTTLE

YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE - THOSE ARE OLD DOOR KNOBS FOR HANDS

A LADY OF SOME SORT!

A HORSE MADE OUT OF DRIFT WOOD

Lynn, Shirley and Bob (right) in the rain.











Bob and I

My sweetie bought me a hat!













The Village of Mendocino

These are the yellow flowers in the picture of the water above.  I just thought these were pretty photos of the ocean I shot.

I'm afraid that this is all we could see this weekend of the whales.  Look closely and you'll see their spouts way in the distance, almost like puffs of clouds.  It was stormy terribly on Saturday and today (Monday) there were so many white caps because the sea was rough that you'd never see the spouts.  In January when we were in Mendocino, you could actually see their backs.  All those dots in the foreground are part of a kelp bed. Instead of tree-like roots that extend into the earth, kelp has "anchors" called holdfasts that grip onto rocky and sandy bottoms. When you scuba dive you navigate around the stalks which is like being in a forest with tall trees where the foliage is way above your head.  Once the kelp get to the surface, it fans out with all the "foliage". 

I don't want to overwhelm everyone, so I'll continue tomorrow with the bike ride story.