Time to Start Packing

Finally a few pictures.

Here is Shelley and myself, trying hard to look like cyclists. Tomorrow is our 25th wedding anniversary. What a blessing Shelley is to me. I will miss her company greatly while away. I know that already.

Just below is a picture from the area we live in. Chilliwack has a population of about 80,000, and is nestled in the Fraser Valley. There are lots of country roads to cycle on, and this one of the areas I was by this past weekend.

People ask if I'm ready to go. Well, almost. I've cycled close to 3,000 klm (1,800 miles), been to lots of spin classes, I'm happy with my bike, and need only to buy a few minor equipment/clothing things. So I'm in the winding down of the training stage and am looking forward to the "real thing".

Do I really know what I'm in for? Not 100% . Even with all I've done in the past year, the trip will be quite different. I have an idea from reading the 2005 blogs etc, but until I'm on my bike 6 days a week, sleeping in my tent night after night, etc, I won't really know. It made me think about a small piece of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, 13:12a. I know Paul wasn't talking about the 2008 Sea to Sea bike tour, but it still comes to my mind "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully". But I do know I will be in good company with all of the other cyclists and I know the Lord is with us all.

So Seattle, here we come. Only a good week to go. It'll be nice to get started, and then it's one day at a time. A different way to think for sure.

Uriah the Hittite

One of my friends shakes his head at my going on this 9 week Sea to Sea bike trip. Not so much the training, the fundraising, or the potentially aching body, etc. No, I think what amazes him the most is that I will be away from home for 9 weeks. That means away from my wife for 9 weeks, that means no ....... for 9 weeks. Yes, I know, but I'm still going.

A few weeks back, a bunch of us were together, and my friend brought that up (again). I had a brilliant idea flash through my head. How about no huggin, no kissin for anybody while I'm away? Only for 9 weeks. What a show of support that would be! Talk about taking one for the team! The reaction? One wife thought it was a great idea, her husband did not, and the others showed very little support. You might say my idea went over like a pregnant pole vaulter.

Well, not one to give up so quickly, I had more to add. This time from the Bible. And so I brought up Uriah the Hittite. Uriah the who? Well, open your Bible to 2 Samuel 11 and you can read the story of Uriah the Hittite in detail. But in a nutshell, Uriah the Hittite was Bathsheba's first husband. Now the Bible says Bathsheba was beautiful. Keep that in mind as there are only a few occasions when the Bible refers to anyone as being beautiful in appearance.

King David saw Bathsheba as she bathed on her rooftop and he looked out from his palace window. He noticed her beauty and decided he should get to know her. He did. Uriah the Hittite was a senior army officer in King David's army and was out at battle at the time. King David called Uriah back from the battle his army was engaged in, intending for him to sleep with Bathsheba, as she was now bearing King David's child. A coverup for his adulterous sin. What a mess!

Now here's the point. Uriah the Hittite would not sleep with Bathsheba because his army mates were out on the battle field sleeping in tents! He instead slept at the palace entrance with the King's other servants. See what I mean about taking one for the team! What spirit! What a team player! What character!

So my friends, come on, it's only 9 weeks. Besides, how does that old saying go? Ah yes, abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.

The NJ Connection, My First Century, and Church

I am happy to say that I have been endorsed by Unity CRC in Prospect Park, NJ and will be riding for them as well as my home church of Chilliwack CRC. How did this all come about ? Go back to my second blog and you'll see. Many thanks to Fred and Ruth Everett over in NJ and to their church for doing this. I really appreciate it and look forward to the extra prayer support and their involvement in the tour. I never would have predicted this a year ago! Randy, cycling for a church in New Jersey!

This past Saturday, I went cycling with Fred M and Art B (the Dutch machine). It was our plan to cycle our first century and we ended up at about 110. Now I have to confess, it was a Canadian century, not an American century. What's the difference? We go by kilometres instead of miles. A kilometre is .6 of a mile, so 100 miles = 160 klm, or 100 klm = 60 miles. Well, 110 klm was just 6 shy of the daily average of the tour, so it was still a good target.

This past Sunday morning, the 3 men in tights (Fred M, Wiebo M, and myself) along with our 3 volunteers (Erna M, Dini M, and Betty T) were commissioned to go out on the tour by our church. We had an opportunity to speak a little about the tour and had a couple of bikes and a tent up front. Fred has got our display looking pretty good. It's a blessing to know our church is supportive and with us all the way. (not wearing our spandex to church was a good idea though, I'm not sure if the support would be the same otherwise).