It's Tuesday afternoon already - time has flown by. Since Sunday's posting, we've had two huge slumber parties - the first one on Sunday night at the Luthern church because the folks there felt sorry for us because of the extreme heat. They kept coming and coming with offers of hospitality...such awesome people. Last night was the second one in Sioux City because there was risks of thunder storms overnight with high winds. Again we did not have to set up tents and take them down at 5:00 a.m. - what a treat. It's actually quite funny to see mattresses and sleeping bags and pillows all over gym floors. By this time we are all like family and no one gets stressed about sleeping wherever - we are all so quiet and lights out is by 10:00 p.m. and many of us are already asleep by then.
Tonight we have real beds at Dordt College, lovely clean shower facilities, bath towels, laudromat, computer lab so we are actually being spoiled rotten. Supper is at 5:30 and breakfast will be served so we are in our glory. That's all so wonderful because tomorrow is the first of 3 very long days.
Monday's ride took us from Nebraska into Iowa - the scenery has changed to lush green farmland, rolling hills, and lots more corn and soybeans. Rita and I rode together all day and did did 144.29 km. and made it to camp around 4:45. A good day with good road conditions.
Today is the shortest ride in this 3 week section - only 99.49 km. because we have a celebration service tonight at Dordt College. Whoever said that Iowa is flat hasn't riden a bicycle along their roads - it was a ribbon of highway with one hill after another. The worst one of the day was right in Sioux City yet - we had to make a left hand turn and it was straight up a hill - both Rita and I walked that one, we weren't expecting this so soon. That was the only on we walked today. Once we got out of the city into the country we just kept going up and down - a very good riding day today.
We had cloud cover for most of the ride as well which was a real treat - we worked up a sweat with each uphill so we did sweat today in case you think it was a joy ride. About 75 km. into the ride today, the folks at Ireton CRC welcomed us with strawberry banana slushies and root beer floats and a chance to sit down for a while - what a treat before the home stretch.
I'm going to stop for now, it's Joe's birthday today and I want to make a call to family before supper while my laundry is drying (still multi -tasked even on tour) to wish him well and talk to some of the others who were all vacation last week. You wait in line for everything on tour so we do learn patience......standing in line isn't so bad either since you get to know those behind and in front of you. The community here is great - we are trying hard to be intergenerational - the older ones mix with the younger ones - we're all one big happy family.
My hands are feeling much better with the added foam on the handlebars so I am enjoying the rides more. The numbness hasn't gone away but is not getting worse.
Pray for all of us as we face 3 very long days......I'll probably be way too tired to do any postings on those days.
Till next time.
3 comments:
Goooo Margaret!
Margaret: Glad to hear you are doing well! I will be joining you in just 4 short days!!!!!! Hope you have wonderful winds to your back as you head east and smooth roads to Madison.
See you Sat. Melissa.
Hello Margaret, just read your last entry, glad you are enjoying your ride a more this week. Last week was sure a tough one for all. No doubt you will run into some refreshing rain soon. Unfortunately Dick is not into blogging but has e-mailed when possible. We keep praying for all of you, blessings Clara K.
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