Wauconda

40 miles!

Wauconda and back.

Cold and windy.

Each corner, I thought to myself, "This must be the corner where I'll see the store."

But no.

Well, let me back up a ways first.

I always drive down to the mail boxes which is where I begin my rides.

Today I headed toward the highway.

Again.

Seems to be the common direction I head.

When I got to the intersection of the two roads, I was at a dilemna.

I could turn left towards T, which I constantly travel to for supplies, and use of the free internet...

A little break here to say a bit about Two Rebels

They are incredibly gracious as I sit here, researching, and catching up with emails, etc.

If you are in the area, it is a great little computer store.

Layton definitely knows his way around computers and has helped more than once when I had troubles.

Trina, his wife, knows a lot about page layout and editing.

And they are also helping to get the ministry website up and going.

... or I could turn right, going uphill towards Wauconda and R.

I chose to go right.

Uphill.

All the way.

Even when I thought the road was not going uphill, it still was.

It was only a deception.

What looked like nice undulating rises and falls was still...

Uphill.

Cold.

Windy.

When I got to the store cafe at Wauconda, I was hoping to get a shake or something to keep up the energy for the return leg.

They were closed for the day.

And to add to the situation, it began to snow.

What a joy!

So I pulled out my two tangerines and my peanut butter sandwich from the pannier.

Seems like I fought the wind both going and returning.

Had to pedal to make it downhill.

If not, the wind would just stop me.

Period.

Was the ride worth it.

You bet.

It was a beautiful and challenging ride.

The sights were magnificent.

Creeping along at four or five miles an hour uphill gives one plenty of time to look...

deer on the hills...

different insects and small furry creatures trying to scurry across the road without getting run over by a crazy bicyclist. Or a car.

And going slow, one also has the joy of the flies and other assorted swarming creatures to contend with.

It is amazing to live in God's creation.

It took me five hours to go those forty miles.

I would not trade one inch of it.

And, yes, I will be riding this route again :)

A spectacular time with the Lord!

And with every crank of the pedals, I got closer to where I was headed.

It also reminded me of this truth.

Life...

It is not about the destination.

It is about the journey to the destination.

My journey is with Christ.

Who is yours with?

Continuing to joy in the journey,

D.