Midwest Bike Trip 2014

It's been a while since I have posted a blog.  And frankly, the reason I haven't posted is because I don't like whiners.  I don't like my kids to whine.  I don't like listening to other people whine. I don't like reading whiny blog posts.  

So, I just decided, rather that succumb to my own pet peeve, I just wouldn't post at all.  

I've been worn out and spread thin.

I am at church camp this week.  I came in hopes of finding rest and refreshment in Jesus.  

Matthew 11:28 - Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Last weekend, Thursday through Sunday, was the bike trip that I talked about.  300 miles through Illinois, Indiana and Michigan on our bikes, all to get to the beach!  And it was worth every hill climb, every aching backside, every mosquito bite!

It was cornfields.  It was woods and streams.  It was broken down houses, grown up in weeds.  

It was busy highways and secluded bike trails.  

It was camping, and tents and hammocks. 

It was (as always) the best food I'll eat all year long! 

It was all kinds of life lessons, all crammed into one weekend.

And it was time to work hard together towards a common goal - the beach!

There were a handful of guys that rode an extra 150 miles to go all the way to church camp.  And I'm pretty sure that all 5 asked me at some point over the weekend, to continue riding with them. 

I didn't. 

I should have. 

I went home on Sunday night, from Warren Dunes.  I gathered up my kids.  And Monday morning we drove back to Michigan for camp.  Honestly, it's a huge hassle to pack my kids for camp before the bike trip and send them to camp with someone else.  But, now that I'm here with them, I think next year I'll ride my bike all the way.  (Are you reading this, Derick??) 

Riding my bike an extra 150 miles sounds way easier and certainly more fun than fighting traffic for 6 hours, alone with 4 kids in the car! 

Anyway...

So I thought I'd share some pictures of the trip to try to inspire some of my readers to come on the trip next year.  It is open to anyone age 14 and up.  

Disclaimer:  These photos were all stolen from... I mean taken by Melissa King and Lee Rowell.  They are in no particular order. (Meaning, I think the days are mixed up on some of them.)

Thursday morning bright and early.  Fresh and ready to ride out!

Fruit break at a park that had a bike rack.  Yay for not laying my bike on the ground!  By the way, I have short legs.  And though you can't tell from this image, I did ride the smallest bike this year.  

Neat and tidy draft lines.  Headwinds in Illinois + no trees to block the wind = use each other instead.

Sometimes, in the course of 300 miles, people have problems with their bikes.  Not sure what the problem is here.  Thankfully, there are people on the trip that know what to do!

Waving at the photographer on our way around a corner. 

Trees blocking the wind + a hill coming up = messy draft lines.  There were lots of hills that looked like this.  And steeper.  Lots!!

Beautiful scenery with bike routes through the woods.

Water break in a stranger's front yard.

Brin and I, glad to be off our bikes for minute, to get water and a granola bar!

In case you missed the tiara in the previous images, Saturday was my birthday.  I'm 29... again.

Sundaes and brownies for my birthday on Saturday and Stephen's birthday on Sunday.  Thank you to the cooks, for throwing us a party.  And thanks to Melissa, for the tiara, to make sure no one forgot, all day long, whose day it was! 

So... Occasionally, on the third night someone puts a rookie rider's bike in a tree.  They got it pretty high this time!

Leaving camp the morning of the fourth day.  All of us in our matching bike trip shirts.

Finally made it to the beach! 

And yes, it really was all worth it.