Now that we almost have 6 weeks under our belt, we have already begun the work of forming habits and disciplines, whether or not we always realize them. Here are a few that have been cultivated and which I hope to continue:
- Biking. Duh. But underlying it is the concept of traveling slowly, of following the contours of the land, of looking and listening to all that surrounds me. In addition, it brings the topic of energy consumption into a more tangible light. Thinking of energy usage in terms of calories instead of watts or the like is humbling. We burn about 30 calories per mile and often do around 80 miles in a day. That's 2,400 calories. It will take us all day, but a car only an hour and a half. Think of how much we drive in a day and how many calories of energy we are using. When I go home, I'm going to be biking a lot more. Plus, you always have a free parking spot!
- Morning Prayer. We have (mostly) done morning prayer every morning during our trip. It has really helped set us in the right place at the start of the day and it reminds us to continue to give thanks or prayers as the day goes on. It is important to find those times for silence.
- Communication. We have had to be really open with each other on this trip. We've gotten better at understanding each other, but honesty and openness is always crucial. Knowing where everybody stands has helped during the difficult times. I hope to be politely direct when I return.
- Greeting and trusting others. On the news, we constantly hear about all the tragedies and "bad people" out there. Yet this trip has shown me differently. It has given me hope in humanity and the kindness of strangers. It has proven to me that many people do want to trust others, but that fear often gets in the way. Yet a simple greeting or wave can often break the ice. I want to continue to warmly greet people in gas stations or, at say, stop signs.
- Saying yes to help. I have a hard time admitting vulnerability. While this trip has certainly given me plenty of opportunities to push myself, it has also provided many moments to humble myself and accept the help and generosity that others offer. It's not always about doing it on your own or pushing through. Sometimes it's better to pause, gain some perspective, and allow the unexpected to lighten your load. We don't have to be heroes all the time.
- Being in the moment, yet keeping the end-goal in mind. Just as riding a bicycle takes balance, so does a coast to coast trip (and many things in life!). Afterwards, i want to have goals and dreams to work towards, but I want to live in the present moment where ever I am. It's not about the many hills I have left to climb that day, rather, it is each pedal right then.
- The journey is the destination. Enough said there.
A lot has happened in the past week! It seems that the states are flying by - we are currently in Illinois - and generosity has been following us. The Ava Bergen and her mom, Vondria, drove down from Minneapolis with a wonderful picnic dinner in Owatonna, MN. It was great to be with friends and see familiar faces (and eat vegetables!). Then we spent the weekend at Pennsota dairy in Lewiston, MN with Joanna's great aunt and uncle and their families. We had lots of fun playing with kittens, milking cows, playing Dutch Blitz, climbing a silo, and eating LOTS of food! We then made our way along the Mississippi, thinking of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. We spent a night outside Cuba City at Saint Isidore Catholic Worker Farm. It was lovely to get a taste of their life and enjoy lots of yummy food and homemade cheese! We also joined them for morning prayer and helped pit sour cherries. The following day we finally made it out of the "Driftless Region" (where the glaciers conveniently didn't flatten the landscape out), only to ride into a massive storm.
It has been incredible to see how God has continued to be with us. We happened to roll up to a gas station in Freeport, IL moments before a thunderstorm with hail and tornado warnings came through. We raced to a McDonald's (they let us bring our bikes inside!) and came up with Plan B. Thanks to the Warm Showers app we found our rescuers: Jilly and Kenbob! They picked us up with their trailer and brought us to their lovely abode. We had a wonderful evening with them inside as the storm raged on outside. Talk about a cool couple! From slow race cycling, to 18 iron mans to sled dog racing, they've inspired us to live adventurously and share what we have with others.
Crossing the Mississippi River!
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