Day 62: It Is Finished!

Sea to Sea 2008 is done.  It ended in spectacular fashion.  After an easy ride of 52 miles, we gathered at a parking lot about 10 miles from the end and were escorted by police from three different departments to Liberty State Park.  The police blocked streets and shut down part of the expressway so we could ride safely to the Park.  It was quite a sight.  Appropriately enough, the route went through some of the poorer sections of Jersey City and we enjoyed the spontaneous applause of many residents.  They didn't know what was going on, and we looked wildly out of place, but were still warmly welcomed.  At Liberty State Park cheering supporters lined the route and celebrated our arrival.  I picked out two familiar faces from the crowd, John Wynbeek, and his son David-fellow members of Eastern Avenue CRC.  John yelled, "Hey Jim, we've been looking for you."  What a surprise and blessing.     

A short time later I heard something different,  "Dad, Dad, over here!"  The voice sounded familiar and seemed directed at me.  I looked along the side and there was my son David, standing there with my friend Dave Shatto.  I was speechless.  My eyes filled with moisture.  All I could do was hug him, look at him, and hug him again.  When I recovered my voice, I asked him, "David, what are you doing here?"  "I wanted to be here to support you.  I love you and love what you're doing.  I wanted to be part of it."  I was "OVERjoyed," in every sense of that word.

We gathered at the boat launch, all 190 of us, lined up as close together as possible, and said the Lord's Prayer together.  It was deeply moving.  Nobody started cheering or moving before the prayer was done; this was what really joins us together-our identity as God's children and our commitment to serve God and the poor.  After that prayer, dipping our tires in the water seemed anti-climactic.

The dipping was still fun.  I walked into the water and raised my bike over my head, then asked a bystander to hold my bike, emptied my pockets and dove into the water.  They said the water was really grubby (it being a boat launch), but I didn't care.  I wanted to do something extravagant.  The dainty act of dipping was not enough;  this accomplishment called for full immersion. I didn't notice the scum on the water.

After some conversation and pictures, I loaded my bike into the Eastern Avenue CRC van, graciously driven out to New Jersey by Don and Barb Bultman.  After a bit of meandering and a lot of frustration with their GPS device, we arrived at Eastern Christian Middle School and, along with the Quists and VanWoerkems, packed up the rest of our belongings.  We then went to the closing dinner and worship celebration.

We ate well and dragged our weary bodies into the church.  The singing at that Rally nearly blew the roof off of the sanctuary.  There were spontaneous comments about the Tour from Barb Mellema and John VanderSteen, testimonies from Christeena Nienhuis and Mark Faase, a message from an area pastor, and closing acknowledgements.  The service was long-more than 2 hours-but very meaningful.  I finished saying my goodbyes to fellow riders and drove off with Dave Shatto and son David.  

Just that suddenly, Sea to Sea was done, finished.  The words in the title for this blog come from Jesus words on the cross.  On Jesus' lips "It is finished" means that he had completed his mission; everything had been done.  I used the same words in the title because I believe that Sea to Sea is connected to Jesus' work of salvation.

For me this Tour has provided a taste of redemption. The biking I so enjoyed was made possible by Jesus' death and resurrection.  I believe that Jesus' victory over sin and death is the fountain from which the restraint of Multiple Sclerosis in my life has flowed.  One day, Jesus' victory will be complete and this disease, along with all others, will be obliterated.  But now, today, there is a sign of this victory in the slowness with which the disease has progressed.  In short, I could ride because Jesus died. 

The Tour also allowed me to participate in the work of redemption.  Jesus died and rose so that the scourge of poverty and starvation could be ended.  In raising money and awareness of poverty, and in facing my own greed, Jesus invited me to continue his work.  That has been a glorious calling.

Now, the Tour is finished.  There will be other ways to enjoy redemption and other callings to participate in it. And, hopefully, the Tour will help me be more open to both of these blessings. But the clarity with which these blessings came to me over the last 9 weeks has made Sea to Sea a miracle of grace for which I will always be grateful.

Thank...you...Je...sus... 

Day 61: Making Moosic

Today my heart, lungs, and legs sang. I rode 86 miles through some of the most beautiful countryside you could ever hope to see. The hills were magnificent! The roads were steep, which made for challenging climbs and thrilling descents. I reached 45 mph without trying. Often the road would turn suddenly, which brought added adventure.

The highest point of the day was in the Moosic Mountains of Pennsylvania. But the stiffest climb of the day was the 4 mile climb in New Jersey's High Point State Park. I felt so good when I finished this climb that I took a side trip to the High Point Monument, about 1 and 1/2 miles up another hill. This road had the steepest climbs of the day. I discovered that the monument was a tower, patterned after the Washington monument. I decided to climb the 291 steps to the top.
The view wasn't all that great, but the strength and energy to get there made the trip worth taking.

I knew the day would be challenging-6800 feet of climbing was 1800 feet more than any other day of the Tour. The surprise was how much fun it was. It is hard to pick a favorite ride, but this would definitely be in the running.

From High Point it was mostly downhill for 8 miles to Sussex and the CRC at which we were staying. Sussex and Goshen CRCs put on a potluck that overwhelmed us with the amount and variety of food!

Tonight I'm billeting with a member of Sussex CRC. The area around the church was hilly and I would have had to lug my tent and gear a long way to find a flat spot. It just seemed easier to go to somebody's house. I think it also shows that I'm ready to let go of the routine of staying in my tent. Contrary to what one might expect, tenting for 9 weeks has been a joy. It is a joy that I'm ready to let go. I'm also billeting tomorrow night in Jersey City.

God has answered my prayers. I'm accepting the end and giving myself fully to each of the last days. I don't know what to expect tomorrow-I suspect that I'll add some of my own salt water to the waters in which I dip my tires. Or, maybe I'll just laugh. I'll find out tomorrow.

Day 60: Filled Up in Lackawanna State Park

Contrary to what the name suggests, there was nothing lacking in this day or final destination. I'm now sitting down by the lake, gazing over calm waters and the dense forest on the other side. The temperature is perfect. I just finished a popsicle that I bought from the campground concession stand. They didn't have grape, but blue raspberry filled in nicely.

The ride was short; I complete the 56 miles by 12:30, without pushing. The route went through the most beautiful forests I've seen on this trip. The trees were incredibly dense and lush. Only one word to describe them...WOW!

I had expected a lot of climbing over the short distance, but last night Ed told us to disregard the topographical chart; he said that there weren't that many climbs. Much of the ride went gently downhill, following a stream at the base of the hills. The roads were a mixed bag-either great or terrible. Thankfully, the awful roads-with deep, wide cracks that crossed the whole road-didn't last long.

The last seven miles provided some interesting climbs-some sections had grades that must have been 12 percent. Many people walked their bikes up these sections; it beat tipping over. The climb reawakened my dormant mountain skills and got me eager for tomorrow.

There were other interesting sights along the way. We ate lunch in "Hop Bottom," a community whose name alone makes it interesting. We went under two massive cement railroad bridges, built from 1912-1915, that rose 200 feet over the valley. Some riders saw a train using one of them.

"Not lacking anything" has been true not only of the day, but of the whole Tour. The Tour has been impossibly rich and full. I have lacked nothing.

I can say the same thing as I peruse my life, the good and the bad. I can remember the empty times, the dismal times, but they have gained a peculiar fullness as God has touched them with his grace. That is obvious when I look back.

Why then, when I look ahead, do I have such a fear of emptiness? I hope that God's provision throughout this Tour will help me to more boldly proclaim and live this truth,

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing."

Day 59: A Welcome Relief

Great ride today! A welcome relief after the hard day yesterday. My legs had some zip to them. My eyes were more open to the beauty around me. And it once again felt good being on the bike. And when it started to feel bad, a generous helping of Chamois Butt'r was enough to restore my contentment. If only all my distress were so easily managed.

This was my last day on Sweep. My alarm clock wasn't working, but I still managed to wake up on my own at 5:15. I have internalized a whole new structure to my days. I wonder if I'll keep getting up early when I return home.

I began the day's ride at 8 am, after helping with breakfast and camp clean-up. I rode with Anne M., who said her legs didn't have any "jam" (must be a Canadian expression). The route was quite hilly, especially after we reached Ithaca, where a 900 foot climb greeted us. This is too big to be called a hill and too small to be called a mountain. A local person helped me find the proper term by saying we were in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The road wove in and out as much as it went up and down. The woods were, once again, stunning. We stopped for lunch in Slaterville Springs and talked at length with four road construction workers. The Tour amazed them.

The afternoon ride went even better than the morning. I don't know why; I just know that that is unusual. The miles flew by, especially the last 10, which goes completely against the norm. I think that has a lot to do with the people I rode in with. I attribute this surprising ending to the power of community.

Valley CRC fed us a wonderful supper, featuring "Spiedies," an upstate New York specialty, salt potatoes, and a pasta and fruit salad which required several helpings to properly evaluate. Though not unique to New York, the almond bars they served were out of this world.

A great day ended well when the school at which we're camping opened up their dining room with wireless access and a friend loaned me his laptop so I could get caught up on my blogs.

Now it is time for bed. Tomorrow is a new day. One thing I learn over and over again is that each day is a new day with unique blessings and challenges. May God give me the grace to live one day at a time. Saturday's coming, but first I want to live Thursday and then I want to live Friday, and then I'll see about Saturday.

Day 58: Hard Beginning & Hard Ending

Hard to get going this morning. Partly because it was so cold (upper 40s) and partly because there are only five riding days left. On any ride the toughest miles are the last ones. It can be a great ride and the last few miles will still be difficult. The body's clock says it's time to be done. I think something similar is happening this week. The last days are hard days.

There was nothing wrong with this day in itself. On the contrary, the day and route were amazingly good. Once the chill was out of the air, the temperature was perfect. The skies were bright blue, which formed a beautiful backdrop for the lush vegetation and woods. This part of New York is glorious!

The landscape began to get quite hilly. Good preparation for what will be our biggest climbing day of the Tour-Friday-in which we climb 6800 feet. I rode with Jim B until our lunch stop.
Lunch was provided by the East Palmyra CRC at the 52 mile mark. Delicious food-even a grape popsicle for dessert-but I left with a stomach ache and a reluctant approach to the last 25 miles.

I plodded along until Marti came cruising by. Part of me wanted to ride alone and nurse my physical and spiritual wounds, but I decided to join her and see how things went. We rode fast. As I pushed myself, my stomach stopped hurting and my weariness lifted. I told Marti it was her healing presence.

The scenery became even more beautiful when we reached Geneva and Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. We rode around the northern edge of the lake and camped at Sampson State Park. I set up my tent overlooking the lake. I didn't get to enjoy this prime location since I was on supper duty and was asked to grill the chicken. 200 people eat a lot of chicken!

After supper it was time for Peloton. The emphasis was on preparing for the end and articulating what has been meaningful about the ride. I got crabby. After Peloton I called home and got testy ("shorts in a bunch" is my son's description, who overheard the conversation). It was Cindy's birthday today. The day ended as it began-hard.

I'm going to need a lot of grace for these last days. One of the things grace means is accepting the difficulty of this time and not adding to the burden by expecting them to be like the first days. In his book, "In the Beginning," chaim Potok writes, "All beginnings are hard." So are the endings.

Day 57: Day of Delights

Today was a delightful ride for several reasons:

1. The day began with a ride along the Niagara River through tranquil forests, beautiful gardens, and impressive views of thegorge.
2. The border crossing went well enough to be classified as a miracle. We gathered near the Rainbow Bridge and crossed in mass-nearly 200 cyclists wearing our Sea to Sea jerseys. What a sight! I think we gave the Falls a run for their money.
We had been told over and over to make sure we had our passports with us. They opened some booths for us and, to our astonishment, waved us through before we could show them our passports. I pulled over to the side and stopped to fish my passport out of my bike shirt pocket; the agent had to tell me twice, "Just keep coming." I figured the passport check would come later. Nope, that was it. Nearly 200 cyclists waved across the border because...
Perhaps because the Director of Operations, Ed Witvoet, had such trouble getting a visa to plan the Tour. After four months of waiting, it was the chief of the Rainbow Bridge Crossing who got him his visa. And it was that same chief who oversaw our easy crossing. Ed's difficult time paved the way for our easy time.
3. Once across the bridge, many of us went and looked at the Falls from the American side. Spectacular. There were two spectacles today-the creation spectacle of Niagara and the redemptive spectacle of Sea to Sea. Glory be to God!
4. We rode in groups through the city of Niagara. I rode with the Quists and VanWoerkems, 4 fellow members of Eastern Avenue CRC. At the edge of Niagara we stopped for coffee. When it was time to pay; the waitress informed us that the gentleman in booth 1 had paid the bill.
5. We rode with a TAILWIND.
6. At a stop sign, a couple pulled up and asked about the ride. They wondered why we were ending in New Jersey. I told them about the Rallies we held in areas where our denomination was strong. When they heard we were CRC they asked about Calvin College. When we finally parted they seemed eager to make a donation. A surprising connection at a stop sign in rural New York.
7. The evening was also full of blessings. When we arrived at camp there was free pop-the spaghetti dinner was amazing-we held a campfire after Peloton, made smores, and listened to country western music, played by three musicians who wanted to do something nice for us. They were even talented.

The only blemish on the day is the snorer I am presently camped beside. I've gotten to know most of the heavy snorers and their tents over the course of 8 weeks and usually pitch my tent out of range-50 feet for some, 100 feet for others, depending on their decibel level. This snorer joined the tour in G.R. and caught me off guard. I'm wearing earplugs, but they only muffle the sound. If worse comes to worse, I'll pick up my tent and move.

Day 56: "Do Something Beautiful"

I am sick of our theme song, "Do Something Beautiful". I find it difficult to sing, the tune hasn't worn well, and I still don't know the words. We sing it at every Celebration Rally, sometimes twice, and then they'll occasionally play it for a postlude. That does get me out of the area pretty quickly. Until today I was pretty sure I would never sing or willfully listen to this song again.

"Until today."

The Niagara Rally was held at a beautiful park, Queenston Heights-stately trees, historic monuments, open spaces, and expansive pavilions. We spent a lot of time in the pavilions-all 300 of us and about 50 other picnickers-because it was raining so hard. I tried to find a dry place under the trees, but even the densest leaf cover was penetrated by this downpour. So I squeezed into the pavilion and tried to stay away from the edges, where the water was running off the roof.

We occupied this space from 2-4pm. We cyclists weren't happy about the two hour "meet and greet" plan to begin with; spending it in the cramped pavilion did not improve my attitude. I managed to have some good conversations, inspite of myself. I talked to one couple about the rain and ended up listening to their stories of recovery from alcoholism (I work in addiction treatment for Pine Rest). Another person expressed appreciation for this blog, which felt really good. Still, the highlight of that time was watching two little kids play in the large puddle that formed between the two pavilions. They were having a ball. Their freedom and sense of abandon was infectious. I didn't join them in the puddle, but I did smile a lot watching them.

All this time I'm waiting for someone to announce that the Rally has been rained out. But no, the announcement comes that the Rally will be held come hell or high water (they used different words). The second option was a distinct possibility; I suppose the first was too, but that gets too heavy for this blog.

I grimaced and moved to the bandshell area. The rain had let up by 3:45. My attitude was revealed in my lateness to the gathering. I didn't think I was missing much since the band led off with "Do Something Beautiful." At least we were getting it out of the way early.

As I moved into the area I was surprised at how many people were there-some, I later learned, from a long ways away. That kind of support was moving, even if the song I was listening to was not. I moved to the side of the amphitheatre to take a couple of pictures. That gathering was indicative of the amazing support we've received throughout Canada. Taking pictures also meant I was free from any pressure to sing along.

The band was doing the chorus one final time, "Do something beautiful" they sang and the sun broke through the clouds. Apparently God was listening, maybe even singing along. The worshippers began to cheer. And I did something I hadn't done since the first time I heard that song, got choked up.

That song is now more deeply embedded in my mind, since it is indicative of the way God has provided for us throughout the Tour. We have been blessed in so many ways, on so many different levels. It is also indicative of the way God has provided for me throughout my life. There have been several rainstorms from which I've sought shelter, and each time the sun has penetrated the gloom and God has initiated a new day. Now, a song that I don't like is connected to a God whom I adore and a process that humbles and amazes me.

I think I will listen to it when the Tour is done, probably even sing along, if I can find the words.

Do you think God is laughing?

Day 55: Easing into St. Catherines

Today's ride was a leisurely jaunt of 46 miles from Redeemer University College (yes, that is the proper name-in Canadian terminology "university" identifies it as an academic institution instead of trade school and "college" describes the university as undergrad) to St. Catherines. The short distance was made even shorter by no less than 6 refreshment stops. We were served fruit, freezies, muffins, bagels, ice cream & peaches, fresh fruit cups, sandwiches, cake, and enough cookies to make the Cookie Monster say "I've had enough." In addition, there were numerous signs and cheering people to encourage us.



I'm taking a new approach to all this food, doing something I haven't done in 8 weeks, saying "no." Today I said "no" to little pecan cups. Canadian hospitality has provided so many desserts and so many baked goods that I can no longer eat anything I want. If I start saying "no" now, perhaps it won't seem quite so rude when I get home.

One of the highlights of the ride today was riding along the Niagara Escarpment-a long ridge that runs through Ontario. the views from the top were extraordinary. The ride down to the bottom was exhilarating. Tonight I'm going on my very first tour of Niagara Falls. I'm looking forward to it.