Reflections from the Bike Ride

Home.

So good to be home.

After:

2,537 miles in five days of riding
riding through seven straight hours of rain
getting soaked through "waterproof" gear
experiencing the onset of hypothermia
riding through 100 degree desert conditions
fighting through crazy LA traffic
splitting lanes in CA - LOVED IT!!!
being delayed leaving Washington and being delayed leaving California

Home.

Along the way, I saw some incredible sights. God is an amazing God. The created world is soooo beautiful.

In Mount Shasta National Forest and met some friendly hippie people living on a bus. They are traveling up and down the coast on their hippie bus.

Was too absorbed in conversation, I failed to take a picture with them and the bus. Was thinking about it, but got lost in conversation.

The whole trip was kind of like that.

I was supposed to leave on Friday morning when the weather in the Pacific Northwest was stunningly beautiful. But I had friends who came into town so I didn't leave until Saturday.

Saturday was absolutely terrible! It rained all of Washington and most of Oregon. The first time it stopped raining was in Roseburg! Seven hours later!!! After freezing in the rain the first day, the second day was riding in torturous desert heat.

I stopped every hour to pound water and Gatorade into my body. You never realize how dehydrate you can get riding on a bike. Although I was drinking water or Gatorade every hour, I still felt thirsty.

Finally made it to LA.

I had a chance to hang out with my dad, as my mom was in Texas tending to my sister who just had my third niece. It was awesome to hang out with dad.

One day, I took the bike to Santa Monica Beach. Although it wasn't sunny, it was still beautiful.

Because I didn't get to ride down the coast as planned, I decided to leave on Thursday so that I can ride up the coast.

That was the plan anyways. But, the conference planners kept moving my presentation time. First it was 10am, then 2pm. And then 3:30pm. I didn't leave LA until 4:30pm!

I was so mad.

Again, I would not have time to ride up the coast. I would have to ride on the freeway all the way back home. Again.

But you know what? The weather was flat out gorgeous. I was on the open road. I am on my bike.

Life is good.

Helen, Kaitlin, Kailey, and Kaleb drove down to Portland where we all spent the night together. It was so good to see the family again. Missed Karis, but she is having a good time with her friends in Texas.