First ride since last summer’s crash!
Becky isn’t like a lot of cyclists.
She loves to climb hills. Becky will crank up hills all day long…but she hates descending.
What? Descending is the easy part, the fun part. Cruising, coasting, blasting down the hill. After the difficult work of climbing, why in the world wouldn’t you love descending?
Because climbing is hard. Descending is risky.`
Our 1500-mile Mississippi River ride? THAT was risky. Becky and I showed up at Lake Itasca with big smiles that concealed how much we didn’t know. We were truly trusting God for how each day would unfold. The first day of the ride was an act of faith that God would show us how to do the next day and the next eight weeks.
We did other rides, to Washington DC, in Florida, New Mexico-Arizona, and Wisconsin. Each, in its own way, was hard but not especially risky. By then we mostly knew the process; we just had to lean in and do the work.
It’s easy to conflate hard and risky, especially from the outside. Doing another trip, riding more miles, following a similar path may appear to be a leap of faith when it’s really just staying committed and doing the hard work. Only God and I know what’s risk, what’s hard, and what’s the easy. safe, comfortable choice for me.
When we talk to folks about the FREEDOM TOUR we often end up talking about stepping out of a comfort zone. So many people look at the map and smile. “Wow, I wonder if I could do this…” Their voice trails off in a sort of dreamy mix of awe and uncertainty.
I think they’re wondering about some blend of risk and difficulty. For some folks, a ride like this is a big risk. For others, it’s simply hard. For a few, it’s both.
Some folks look at the route and decide it’s impossible. Others think they could do the cycling but are overwhelmed by the notion of fundraising. Some are challenged by the idea of joining and riding and living and eating for a week with a team of strangers.
I can invite you to join the circle. I can tell the stories. Of community, and fun, and shared sacrifice. But you must decide whether it’s worth the risk or the hard work.
All I can say for sure is: It’s gonna be a blast!
Check out the website. That’s not hard, or risky.