What have we learned?

We reached the thousand mile mark this past week. Gloria tried to take a picture of her odometer, while riding, and it almost became the end of our trip. We have now been bicycling for almost a month. Those that think we’re crazy for doing such a ride are likely wondering why we haven’t come home yet. Those that have done something similar, realize that we may never come home. Long distances, traveled by foot or bike, have a powerful way of emphasizing what is actually very normal and good.

The first and most obvious is the speed. Can you imagine seeing hundreds of miles of beautiful country at about 7 miles per hour? Sometimes that’s painfully slow as we see each blade of grass or roll over each individual rock . However, most of the time it’s incredible to take in so clearly and distinctly the many beauties around us. Our regular lives are on high speed and we miss so much. Slow is so much better and helps us appreciate all the good around us both the people and the places. And that is very normal and good.

The next most notable thing is our exposure. No, I’m not riding naked, but there’s no window or metal keeping us from being part of everything around us. Even if we wanted to, we typically can’t pedal fast enough to rush past the beauty around us. And often we’re so exhausted we want to stop at every amazing spot and sometimes even take lunch or maybe just lay down and nap by an incredible creek because there isn’t really a schedule. In fact, we rarely know the date much less the day and only generally the time. Our internal clocks are increasingly aligned with natures as are we and that’s normal and good.

There is also something powerfully reviving about being outdoors so much. We live a life of going from temperature controlled homes, to cars and then offices. The air isn’t even real in those places. On a bike we feel, smell, and sometimes even taste every part of the air around us. Granted, sometimes that taste is a very dusty, dirty taste but it’s real. Passing through a small valley with a mountain stream, we sense the water and feel the change in the air temperature. Then we hear the sound of water flowing over rock. I know I’m starting to sound like a very bad poet, but having all our senses appreciate the amazing creations of God is normal and good.

Being outdoors also makes us more humble. Everything is so much bigger and foreboding from the seat of a bike. I’ve been terrified seeing hundreds of bears in the woods, but then grateful realizing they are just tree stumps. Breakdown, and even a minor injury can become huge disasters as we are typically miles from civilization. We do all that we can to be safe and prepared, but we are definitely more humble as well as prayerful and that’s normal and good.

Finally, while some may enjoy riding miles alone, I personally find the best part of this journey is being with my wife. Yes, she has to wait for me at the top of the hills having zoomed up with her ebike, but mile after mile and day after day we’re together. We eat 3 meals together each day, or sometimes six or seven meals. And while eating so much isn’t so normal or good, being together and working together on the same goal is normal, wonderful and good.