Ok. So this will be the last blog associated with Ride For The Wish. I'll be using another site to individually blog not connected to Wendie's Wish or this ride (Though that may be the content of the occasional entry). None of that is really important to this post outside of I hope you continue to read and not be completely bored with my now boring life.
Yesterday was surreal for so many reasons. Firstly, from an athletic standpoint, it was a pretty big sign of how far the three of us have come in the last month. We put together two back to back 100 mile days and yesterday we were flying. Coming into the park our fireman escort had to put his sirens up because we got up to 40 mph...on our bikes....awesome. Secondly, I can not even begin to explain to you the excitement and chills we got riding into Georgetown yesterday. Pretty sure Davis captured it on camera and there was a pretty epic fist bump that happened between Cameron and I. I will never forget what it was like to follow a firetruck all the way in to San Gabriel with my two best friends and for that memory alone I am forever grateful.
And guys, this community is awesome. There were more people there than I could have imagined and for every person that was there there was another that wasn't because it was July 4th weekend. The best part was all of the people I DIDN'T know and had to be introduced to. That says a lot of each of those people because watching me pedal in and almost pass out due to caffeine over dose isn't as exciting as it may sound. Not to mention tights are not flattering for these legs people. Don't worry they won't be making an appearance any time soon.
I also really enjoyed getting to meet the people we have been so lucky and blessed to help. To walk by your sides through your different battles has been the biggest blessing of this journey thus far. To hear some of you call me a hero was humbling and eye opening. Wrong. But humbling. I promise I'm still just a kid with a few crazy ideas and the time to make it happen. That being said, I do love each of you.
AND SO MANY THANK YOU'S. The Best Sign Group in Springdale, Arkansas for doing an awesome job on banners and promo. MinuteMan Press for putting all designs on the trailer, truck, and pamphlets. Emmert Productions for doing video and taking care of us riders. Ben Decker and his kick butt designs that you people love so much (seriously this guys is awesome). All our sponsors who I can't actually name each of you because apparently more and more checks came in while I was gone. The community and donors who made the trip a reality and also make Wendie's Wish a reality on a daily basis. The Sun for covering our story and all the news stations along the way who wanted to interview a kid who stumbles over his words like a newborn giraffe. A FAMILY LIKE NO OTHER. Seriously I could not do what I am blessed to do without the love and support of the best family in the world.
Lastly, my riders. Cameron and Evan have been by my side for the last two years and I can always count on them. Sure, after a month I'm sick of these dudes, but I love them to death. I will never forget the hell that we went through together and how it felt to ride in with the two of them and see the faces of everyone. You guys are an inspiration to me, and your friendship surpasses all of my angry feelings toward you in the last month, I promise.
Alright, I'm wrapping this up I promise (I have a movie to catch AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY THIS SUMMER). The Lord has blessed me infinitely in this trip, in the journey thus far with Wendie's Wish, and with friends and family that love me. To each of you that have been inspired, I'm glad I could play a tiny role in that. But I challenge you to use it for loving and serving others. I'm no hero and I never will be. I'm awkward, selfish, and often inconsiderate (seriously ask my girlfriend, she's been gone for two months and probably still knows these things to be true). So, thank you again. This has been the biggest blessing and honor of my life thus far.
Glad to be home. Eagle Never Dies.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
The Ride is Done, But We're Not.
Tomorrow we're done. That sentence was the sweetest thing I have typed in a month.
A little over a month ago I wrote a blog about how important College Station was to this trip. Even in writing that post I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that we would actually eventually be back here. There was nothing sweeter than finishing a hundred mile day in the Promised Land. Just to have something so familiar around me that has shaped who I am today made me feel like the last month didn't even exist. I can't put into words what it feels like to be back in this place and be 100 miles from home. That huge number seems like something so minor to stand in the way of the three of us and a what I hope to be an awesome homecoming.
But as I sit on the eve of the end of this trip there is so much racing through my mind.
Physically I feel fantastic at this point. It's a little terrifying to admit that I can feel fantastic after a hundred mile day and almost a 2000 mile month. To see the extent that I can push my body on any given day continues to blow my mind. But what's really on my mind is the reality that it's over. Don't get me wrong I am more than ready to step off this bike and slip into a coma where I don't wake up till the fall semester has started. But I have invested almost all of my emotional and mental energy into this trip over the last two years. Wendie's Wish exists as a product of this trip in a sense. And I have spent the last month investing more than all of my physical energy into it and in less than 24 hours I will be home. No more bikes. No more camp sites. No more videos. Done.
So what's next?
We grow.
We grow until the community doesn't want us to grow anymore. We serve until we can't serve anymore. We love until we can't love anymore. Then we continue to do those even past that point. A bike ride will not help a family and it won't change a life. It maybe changed my life as a rider but it won't change yours. It serves to get your attention. To spark something in you that motivates you to be a part of something bigger. And we hope that bigger exists within Wendie's Wish. But if it doesn't, we hope it turns into a flame to serve someone else.
So you've followed us, you've prayed for us, and you've encouraged us. But the truth is we don't need it. There are a lot of people that need those things from you but we are not those people. However, we want to serve those people. So help us serve them.
Thank you guys for an awesome month. Y'all have been fantastic. Tomorrow we party. Goodnight.
A little over a month ago I wrote a blog about how important College Station was to this trip. Even in writing that post I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that we would actually eventually be back here. There was nothing sweeter than finishing a hundred mile day in the Promised Land. Just to have something so familiar around me that has shaped who I am today made me feel like the last month didn't even exist. I can't put into words what it feels like to be back in this place and be 100 miles from home. That huge number seems like something so minor to stand in the way of the three of us and a what I hope to be an awesome homecoming.
But as I sit on the eve of the end of this trip there is so much racing through my mind.
Physically I feel fantastic at this point. It's a little terrifying to admit that I can feel fantastic after a hundred mile day and almost a 2000 mile month. To see the extent that I can push my body on any given day continues to blow my mind. But what's really on my mind is the reality that it's over. Don't get me wrong I am more than ready to step off this bike and slip into a coma where I don't wake up till the fall semester has started. But I have invested almost all of my emotional and mental energy into this trip over the last two years. Wendie's Wish exists as a product of this trip in a sense. And I have spent the last month investing more than all of my physical energy into it and in less than 24 hours I will be home. No more bikes. No more camp sites. No more videos. Done.
So what's next?
We grow.
We grow until the community doesn't want us to grow anymore. We serve until we can't serve anymore. We love until we can't love anymore. Then we continue to do those even past that point. A bike ride will not help a family and it won't change a life. It maybe changed my life as a rider but it won't change yours. It serves to get your attention. To spark something in you that motivates you to be a part of something bigger. And we hope that bigger exists within Wendie's Wish. But if it doesn't, we hope it turns into a flame to serve someone else.
So you've followed us, you've prayed for us, and you've encouraged us. But the truth is we don't need it. There are a lot of people that need those things from you but we are not those people. However, we want to serve those people. So help us serve them.
Thank you guys for an awesome month. Y'all have been fantastic. Tomorrow we party. Goodnight.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
You ALWAYS Get In The Strangers Truck
We're in Texas. Honestly, I should stop the whole blog there because let's face it, Texas trumps all other good news. There is no greater feeling than crossing that state line. I imagine one day a woman will have to compete with my love for this holy place and she might just have to settle at second. Tough stuff. That being said, getting here didn't happen without a rough road. Literally.
Twenty miles into our 80 mile day today we came across a gravel road. This is the most evil of evils. Our precious delicate road bikes were not made for the abusive gravel roads that get dirt in our chains and wear down our 23mm tires. We hate these roads so much that we made a rule for them. That being said, we are prone to breaking just about every rule we have made for ourselves and the trip. That rule was made after my first flat (There have been a total of 6 flats this trip), that we would no longer ride on these poor excuses for paths of transportation and would instead choose to wait for Davis to help us cross them. He's our boyscout to our old lady. Just yesterday we took a nap on a gravel road while we waited for him to show up. Yes, we can nap anywhere at this point (I will now be accepting all napping challenges for cash). But today was different, because Davis had to get his own flat on the truck fixed, which put him about 30 miles from us with no truck. We might as well have been Moses before he parted the sea. Except we had no staff and I don't think God was parting this one (That being said I didn't ask him too so I guess I'll answer for that one later in life). It's important to note that we've tossed the directions multiple times at this point and Evan has navigated us by phone, which does not tell you the mileage for each road. So when approaching the gravel Evan claimed it was only about 2-3 miles of gravel before we got to the main road. He was wrong. He's always wrong. He will continue... to be wrong.
After five miles of riding (taking nearly an hour because you don't move in this stupid stuff) a kind stranger pulled up in his truck and asked why in the world we were out there. This man was obviously a scholar because we were asking ourselves the same thing EXCEPT he had a solution. Climb into the truck. Kids, your parents will always tell you to not talk to strangers and I vote that you listen to your parents as authority. But if you ever find yourself crossing hell on a bike, you throw that rule out and get into the man's truck because dang it, you're tired and he has two more wheels than you and a hemi.
After sitting in a truck bed flying probably 60 down a dirt road we were returned safely to the smooth paved asphalt. It was like riding on glass compared to what was behind us. As we pedaled on and our knights in dirty denim drove off, we crossed the state line and a tear rolled down my cheek as the angels sang hymns and Jesus descended on a cloud (This may or may not have been in my head but you weren't there so you can't prove me wrong).
All in all it was a great day! We're 4 more rides from Georgetown and I can smell San Gabriel. Today I got chills just thinking about all the things that wait for me Saturday. Like, not having to wear tights, never getting back on my bike, COCA-COLA, mi familia, friends friends friends, COCA-COLA, Honey, and COCA-COLA PEOPLE.
But really, 4 days. See y'all Saturday.
Twenty miles into our 80 mile day today we came across a gravel road. This is the most evil of evils. Our precious delicate road bikes were not made for the abusive gravel roads that get dirt in our chains and wear down our 23mm tires. We hate these roads so much that we made a rule for them. That being said, we are prone to breaking just about every rule we have made for ourselves and the trip. That rule was made after my first flat (There have been a total of 6 flats this trip), that we would no longer ride on these poor excuses for paths of transportation and would instead choose to wait for Davis to help us cross them. He's our boyscout to our old lady. Just yesterday we took a nap on a gravel road while we waited for him to show up. Yes, we can nap anywhere at this point (I will now be accepting all napping challenges for cash). But today was different, because Davis had to get his own flat on the truck fixed, which put him about 30 miles from us with no truck. We might as well have been Moses before he parted the sea. Except we had no staff and I don't think God was parting this one (That being said I didn't ask him too so I guess I'll answer for that one later in life). It's important to note that we've tossed the directions multiple times at this point and Evan has navigated us by phone, which does not tell you the mileage for each road. So when approaching the gravel Evan claimed it was only about 2-3 miles of gravel before we got to the main road. He was wrong. He's always wrong. He will continue... to be wrong.
After five miles of riding (taking nearly an hour because you don't move in this stupid stuff) a kind stranger pulled up in his truck and asked why in the world we were out there. This man was obviously a scholar because we were asking ourselves the same thing EXCEPT he had a solution. Climb into the truck. Kids, your parents will always tell you to not talk to strangers and I vote that you listen to your parents as authority. But if you ever find yourself crossing hell on a bike, you throw that rule out and get into the man's truck because dang it, you're tired and he has two more wheels than you and a hemi.
After sitting in a truck bed flying probably 60 down a dirt road we were returned safely to the smooth paved asphalt. It was like riding on glass compared to what was behind us. As we pedaled on and our knights in dirty denim drove off, we crossed the state line and a tear rolled down my cheek as the angels sang hymns and Jesus descended on a cloud (This may or may not have been in my head but you weren't there so you can't prove me wrong).
All in all it was a great day! We're 4 more rides from Georgetown and I can smell San Gabriel. Today I got chills just thinking about all the things that wait for me Saturday. Like, not having to wear tights, never getting back on my bike, COCA-COLA, mi familia, friends friends friends, COCA-COLA, Honey, and COCA-COLA PEOPLE.
But really, 4 days. See y'all Saturday.
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