July 15
Would today be the last day for pedaling on this journey?
Would it be the last time I would sit in the recumbent, stretch my legs out, put my feet on the pedals and crank forward down the road?
Would the last eighty five miles of this journey be over this day?
Cuba to Albuquerque.
Yes, I did make all the miles today as I am sitting here in Michal and Matt's apartment.
Left Cuba at six this morning.
Was a very wonderful down hill grade for the majority of the morning.
Went twenty four miles in two hours.
Had two NMSP officers stop me.
I was wondering what have I done wrong.
Pedaling on the shoulder as I should.
Two flags so other drivers can see me well.
Helmet is on....
What else could there be?
They pulled up behind me with their flashing lights on.
Wonder how many bicyclists have been pulled over?
I reached into my pocket to get a card out, but stayed sitting in the recumbent.
They came up beside me....
And my fears were all for nought.
They simply wanted to ask about the trip, the cause, and make sure I was ok, if I needed anything....
Way cool!
Talked for a few minutes.
They told me the distances to the towns down the road a ways.
What places there were for food, etc.
Very pleasant and surprising.
I had taken my helmet off, and almost forgot it as I started down the road again in joy to the Lord.
Your head feels different when the skull cap and helmet are off!
I stopped several times as it seemed as if the back tire of the bike was going flat.
It was not, but everything still felt wobbly.
After a much closer inspection of the situation I found the problem.
The bolt holding the seat in place had loosened and wiggled itself out.
Sure glad it did not fall out along the road somewhere.
After getting it all lined up, and screwing it back in, the bike rode smoothly all the rest of the day.
Though coming through Bernalillo there was much road construction happening.
Tried to stay on the shoulder, but was a useless attempt.
So just took my share of the lane.
Stopped at a store called Menudo.
Orange juice for lunch.
Somewhere along the way, my one flag fell off.
That, along with a spoon, are the only two items I lost on this journey.
Got onto highway 313 and kept on pedaling.
I stopped and asked several times of how to get on the Basque going south.
At a doctors office.
At a tattoo parlor.
At a store.
I was very close but could not seem to get to where I needed.
And there was a rain storm approaching.
Not only were the skies darkening and grumbling, the wind was picking up as well.
Got to the large parking area and asked a family.
I was there.
But, before I got on two men stopped and asked about the journey.
Gave them each a card.
They said how impressive it was I had come so far.
The one said another fifteen miles and you will be there.
Fifteen miles what separated me from finishing this journey.
Finally got onto the path.
Beautiful, smooth and runs alongside the river.
And then it began....
The rain came down.
The steam rose up from the heat of the asphalt.
And I got wet.
I did not care.
The panniers were covered.
To be honest, it was almost surreal.
The last day.
The last few miles.
The Lord sends a shower from heaven.
Could it get any better than that?
After all the miles on the journey, I got to experience one last rain shower.
Yeah!
The downside to riding on the Basque path was that I did not know where I was.
No clear markings of what road was where.
So when I finally asked a fellow cyclist coming toward me, I got the real scoop.
It is not hard to stop someone when all I need to do is turn the "train" sideways and block the path.
I had gone about a half mile too far.
When I did finally get off the path and onto a main city street, I found myself at the intersection of Rio Grande and Candeleria.
I had a rough idea of where I was.
But not knowing enough of the lay of the land, I called for help.
My compass bearings were not quite tuned in yet.
Michal and Matthew to the rescue.
Though only about five miles from the apartment, there would have been some backtracking to pedal.
So, it was decided it would be better for them to come with the truck and get me and the bike.
A few bear hugs later, with the bike disassembled to fit in the truck bed, we were on the way to home.
As I sat on the couch, in all its cushiony comfort, I tried to wrap my head around what has happened over the last five weeks.
And then we went to dinner, a late one, to Dion's.
Cashie came along with us.
A beautiful young lady who has a great love for the Lord.
She is an English major and will hopefully be able to help us with editing of some books.
I may have looked like a hunger ravaged barbarian, but the ten inch turkey sub and Cobb salad really and truly tasted good.
And when we arrived back home, I remember Michal trying to converse with me, but I was in and out of the conversation.
Did not actually get to bed until after midnight.
And of course my body had to wake up early.
That will change pretty soon!
Continuing to joy in the journey,
D.
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