Segment 3: Ride Day 15 - On Sweeping

Route: Idabel, OK to Atoka, OK (First Baptist Church)

Distance: 94.96 miles

Riding Time: 7 hours: 14 minutes

Average Speed: 13.1 mph

Max: 34.5 mph

Weather: So... let's just say it got up to 106 on the road today (a little less in the shade). Also there was a little wind, but not too bad considering it is Oklahoma and all.

Today was a brand new first! Yup, this morning after our customary devotions and Oyee! thank you to the church, Melissa asked for volunteers to be Sweepers. Every day that we ride there are two people who are designated "Sweeps." It is the job of these two riders to make sure that everyone else on the ride is moving on ahead of them, to help with fixing flats, provide moral support, wait for people to find a bathroom and generally make sure nobody gets lost along the way. This morning I decided that, after a long and slightly-awkward pause, I was indeed a confident enough rider to decide to sweep along with fellow rider Mark. So I spoke up and said a definite, "... Sure!"

And so Mark and I commenced sweeping! This mostly meant we hung out with the cool cats at the back of the pack who I usually don't get to see much of when I ride in my usual spot at the middle-ish part of the bunch. Also it meant that we had lots of conversations about everything from Percheron horses to dog clothes to stories of government conspiracies while taking time to look around and check out the flowers and beautiful other things (and dodge the still-all-to-frequent squished armadillos. Boo.). Also, I learned a thing or two today. Here are some of the highlights:

• It is important to know when to hang out with hard-working slower bikers and when to leave them alone - ie. Don't harass people who strongly dislike mornings and potentially haven't had enough coffee yet.
• Leave enough space between yourself and the last biker so they don't feel pushed... just watched out for.
• Remember what is was like when I was dead last, at the back of the pack, panting and barely holding on to the end of a pace line or the back of a bunch of hikers. It isn't fun. It takes stubborn determination. It won't always be that way. (Pass it on. :-)
• It is so important to celebrate! No matter how far or how fast you ride, this kind of endeavor is all about meeting the goals you have for yourself, regardless of how fast or how far anyone else is riding.
• Patience, Patience, Patience!
• If you are proud of someone, tell them about it. Honesty and encouragement don't cost a thing and are the glue that hold this team together.
• Take time to look, really look around. Take pictures. Pause at the tops of hills before plummeting pell-mell down them so as to take a few deep breaths of the fresh morning air... and not to catch up too quickly to the slower climber in front of you and drive them batty. We all climb at different rates (my current climbing rate happens to be molasses... but pretty hot molasses currently ;) but eventually we all get there. Just keep moving.
• When it gets really hot, it is really good to get out of the heat. Also this may mean laying on the church floor for 20 minutes before attempting intelligent (or even friendly) conversations with well-meaning church peoples.

In the end, it was Mark who would carry Kert and I the 15 miles to the end today - pulling us through some of the hottest weather I have biked in since Tucson after a number of other riders backed out. It was all I could do to hang on and reward myself for every one of those miles with another squirt from my water bottle through the holes of my helmet, down my back, and a soaking of the bandanna around my neck. Visions of what dehydration and heat exhaustion have looked like for other riders on this trip flashed through my head and I had to push them away and just focus on breathing, sipping water and pedaling.

So, summary of the day? We take turns. We pull each other. We push each other. That is what makes us all who we all are - not we ourselves, but the way we ride together as a whole team. That is what building the Kingdom might just look like too. Here's hoping. Amen.

(Also, if you are interested in Mark's take on the day, check out his great blog post on the Fuller Center website here:  http://www.fullercenter.org/node/2906 )

Aaaaand... here are more pictures!! Yay!

This is early. But this is also worth waking up at 4am for... I think.

More morning faces!!

Dawn.

Chasing my shadow.

Pretty, pretty Oklahoma hills and forests!

Aaaand... down we go!

Rest stop #2... in the middle of the road. There were only 2 cars that passed by.

Flying VDubsBug on a pole? Yes please!

There should always be a welcome like this after a LONG and pretty darn HOT day. (After this I went and laid on the floor for a good solid 20 minutes to cool down)

Sorry to show so much leg, but I had to demonstrate my brand-new "Neapolitan Biker Tan." Yup, that is chocolate by the knees, strawberry in the middle and vanilla... well, just about everywhere else.

Supper was one of the most amazing ones ever. One of the ladies from church had been there since 9am cooking just to make us this beautiful, delicious, patriotic feast. (Now I get why there are firecracker stands EVERYWHERE... it is almost July 4. Woah. How did we get here already??)