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."
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