Pedaling Pilgrim Blog Home

Hello world. Our journey starts in two weeks and I think I’m ready (enough) to get this blog site out there. I’ve tried to put enough introduction and background material here to engage you while I go relatively quiet for the next two weeks. I may put a post or two out there before the first ride day on Aug. 7, but I’m not sure. From Aug. 7 onward I plan to post every day (mobile phone reception pending).

What I didn’t say in the introductory material… my youngest daughter Caroline came back from a two month mission trip in Istanbul last night; we got home from the Eastern Iowa airport after midnight. We have her at home until July 31st when we head to Cedar Falls, Iowa, pick up a U-Haul trailer, load all of her possessions, and drive 30 hours to Corvallis, Oregon; she’s starting a graduate program there in a few weeks. When she was deliberating this opportunity, I was deliberating a long bike adventure. As happens sometimes, God intertwined our plans so I can drive her out there; then not having a vehicle to drive back, I guess I should bring my bike and ride. And, having ridden from Corvallis to Chicago, I’m two-thirds of the way across the continent – what’s another 1,200 miles? So, those in opposition to this trip, really my daughter Caroline is to blame for this whole scheme.

Geeto, Lecy and I have had a few overnight training rides over recent weeks. I have my gear and food slimmed down to 44 pounds as typical payload to be carrying on the bike for 55 days of riding. I have a few logistical matters to resolve, but I’m feeling we’re as prepared as needs be, now I’m just anxious to get the show on the road. I’m anticipating many sleepless nights between now and Aug. 7 as 2:00AM is usually when the doubt demons arise, but I know they’re natural and temporary.

For those carrying over from my Mississippi blog, I plan to offer this adventure in much the same way. I’m not sure I’ll have a “word-of-the-day”, but I will offer a representative “song-of-the-day” to capture a specific or general mood or incident; and this time I’ve started a public Spotify Playlist in advance that I’ll add to as we go: Pedaling Pilgrims! I put a couple of thematic classics out there just to get things rolling. On the music front, I also plan to include some song lyric Easter eggs in my posts, so you can test your knowledge and perception skills.

Lastly… with the advent of AI image creation, sometimes I can’t help myself. Sometimes you may ask yourself, “Is this real life? Is this just fantasy?” I’m hopeful most of my readers are smart enough to know the difference. Until next time, here’s a final offering in this first post: a photo of our overnight training ride to Kenosha, Wisconsin last week. Supposedly this was the worst air quality on record in some nearby cities, and the conditions got worse the further north we went. But, whatever doesn’t kill you… right? We survived and are ready to tackle anything.