May 6th on....

Have not written in a few days. Some of what has happened has been on FB.

Birthday...

Celebrations...

Planning...

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I started my ride to Spokane on the 6th.

It was a beautiful morning even if cold. Hooded sweatshirt, gloves, long pants. Kept them on the whole day.

Not that it did not get warm.

The wind.

Seems like it was coming from every direction.

Even tried pedaling backwards.

No help!

Just past Wilson Creek as I climbed and crested the hill, I looked back and saw some incredibly ominous looking clouds.

Black.

Sheets of rain coming down.

A wide arc of this allthe way around me.

Yet in front there was blue sky.

A beautiful contrast to our former life in the world and our present life in Christ.

I was goint to try and make it all the way to Davenport, but did not even make it to Harrington.

Ten miles from the town.

Pulled off onto a side road with a farm in view about a mile down the road.

The sunset was full of striking colors showing off so much of God's creativity.

Slept very sound after eighty mikes.

A lesson learned.

It took all my stamina to go that distance.

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The seventh, the second day of this shakedown ride, I woke to a beautiful sunrise and cold.

Put on my hooded sweatshirt and my bright yellow "can you see me now" rain jacket. And my gloves as well.

Quickly packed up the tent and sleeping gear, had a roll with PB on it, and a banana, of course, and started out.

I reached Harrington, ten miles away, yet I still was not warming up, so stopped at a fuel station.

I was munching on some cookies, I know, eating again, but it really helps, believe me, when a farmer engaged me in conversation.

He was relating a story of another recumbent rider, hit by a driver.

No flags.

Nothing bright.

Even at the end of our short conversation, before he got in his work vehicle and left, he said, "Get flags!"

So in honor of this unknown man, I have done just that.

I stopped in Davenport for another break. Powering this recumbent by a two legged creature definitely takes some fuel.

There are some long climbs out of many of these small rural towns.

Not necessarily steep.

Just long.

The views are tuly wonderful to see and experience.

The most exciting part of this day was getting over the bridge on hwy 2 at Deep Creek.

I was going quite slow, waitting for the appropriate time, glancing back to see how much traffic was behind me.

Then I took my chance.

Stuck the bike into high gear and pedaled furiously.

Got across the bridge, pulled over onto the shoulder, gave a sigh of relief, and thanks in prayer.

As I was approaching one of my turn offs, I spot David A., in histruck coming towards me.

He made a quick turn around, I got off the bike, and it was a quick and wild conversation, sharing what the Lord had been doing in our lives the last week.

God's timing is certainly never wasted.

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If a bicycle can have a limp, mine did.

I just want to say, that Spokane, for all its beautiful parks, flower gardens and surrounding mountains,  for all its attractions, it is not a nice place to try and bike.

No more than two miles from my lodging for the night with my friends, I got a flat.

No big deal.

I havechanged quite a number of flats before.

Patched them on the side of the road.

Been there. Done that.

Got the proverbial t-shirt.

I was tired.

Got out my trusty pump.

It did not work.

Thought I could pump up the tire enough and just keep going the last short distance.

A person could have walked faster than I wa pedaling.

Every turn of the back tire.

Thump, thump.

If I did not know better, I would have thought it was hhe bike's heartbeat.

Saying, "yep, we are still going strong."

So Imlimped into Danny and Paula's place. Jeff and Anna are living here while he is studying aviation at Moody in Spokane.

It was great to get here.

And to have Anna offer me a delicious meal of rice and vegies.

I do not recall much except I got a shower, as I am sure I did not have a pleasant aroma about yself after a couple days, 140 miles of pedaling.

After, I slept.

Hard.

Woke up. It was quarter of ten.

Guess I needed that sleep!

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Today is the 8th May. Third day of this shakedown ride.

Had some raisin bran. Did some reading.

Some may disagree, but reading God's Word is the best way to start my day.

Do you remember the old TV commercial bOut starting your day with Wheaties in the morning