Starting Over

       I'm riding my bike on a trainer which in cycling talk is a stand that you put your bike on to give the feeling that you're on the road.  The higher the gear the harder it is to pedal.  People have been telling me that I need to get on my road bike instead of the stationary and now that I'm on it I see what they mean. The seat position is different, my shoulders and arms are killing me.  I also bought new pedals and biking shoes.  These shoes clip into my pedals and keep my feet locked into the pedals.  This is something I have to get used to.  Shifting gears is also something I am having to get used to.
      Well the first ride on the trainer went well, 90 minutes.  I practiced clipping in and out of the pedals.  I adjusted the seat forward and back, up and down.  I moved my feet forward and back just trying to get comfortable.  The second time I rode on the bike I continued to make minor adjustments and things were starting to get more comfortable.  One thing I noticed was I seemed to have a bump or vibration while riding that I didn't notice before.  On my third ride about 1/2 hour in I noticed that I had more vibrations and more bumps.  I felt like I was riding on a gravel road.  All of a sudden a light went off in my head and I realized I hadn't released the tension off the rear wheel from the trainer and I had made dents in my tire from it sitting in the same spot between rides.  Typical man thing to do, read the instructions after there's a problem. 
       Reminds me of how we come to God and ask Him to fix or help us when we need something or have a problem.  Regular instruction manual reading ( the Bible) should be done before we have issues.  This will help in dealing with all the situations God puts in our path.  Many of us have Bibles in our homes collecting dust, and more food than we can consume.  While millions are dying each year of hunger and lack of knowledge of Gods saving grace through Jesus Christ.  Lets all work together to the goal of the great commission. One pedal stroke, one mile, one dollar and one verse at a time.

"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
                                                           Matthew 11:28

Imagination

Best bike ride ever!  Well sort of, it started out easy.  Can still talk and walk.  Actually I'm not on a bike, but at our cottage walking on the river through the snow.  I can't bike so I need to get a workout in.  We're walking around the corner to the big tubing hill.  As we get out of our bay we sink in 6 inches into slush, now its becoming a workout.  No more talking, breathing in and out the mouth only.  After 20 minutes we reach the hill.  Carrie gets a snowmobile ride up.  I climb the hill with the tube.  This will be a workout.  Long climb.  Just like biking up a tough grade.  My breathing is laboured but controlled.  I get to the top gasping for air.  Now my hearts working.  Down we go on the tractor inner tube.  On the bike we call it a controlled descent.  I think this was an uncontrolled descent.  Back on the river for a slush march back to the cottage.  By the time I get back I'm feeling good about my workout/walk (bike ride)  Well only thing left to do is work out some upper body muscles.  I grab a shovel and start on the deck.  3 feet of snow- that should do the trick.  2 hours later I'm done.

Not "bummed out" anymore

Feeling much better.  My butt is recovering much faster and feeling much better.  I can ride 90 minutes and I feel fine the next morning as opposed to before when I couldn't sit down the next day at work.  I am beginning to understand patience.  I'm thankful to God for his patience with me.  Starting on this journey I had alot of thoughts, things like, I can bike 120 kms a day, I can sleep in a tent every night, I can train, I can raise $10,000, I can do all this so I can help raise awareness and funds for poverty.  After going through the struggles to start my journey, God has reminded me that the "I can" only works if your include "with God's help and blessing"  Its funny how as soon as I came to this realization things started to fall into place.  I'm not saying there won't be any more struggles but I know God will be with me in good times and bad. 
Thanks to those who have so generously donated to this worthy cause.  The goal of Sea to Sea is to move people out of the trap of poverty through education and enabling organizations.  Did you know the DRS programs will be sponsored through your donation?  Many other awesome projects will benefit from your donations, from wells in Africa to local soup kitchens in your area. 
Your donation could:
$3,500 can buy a house
$300 can provide temporary, transitional shelter for a family in need
$120 can buy a bicycle for a health care worker or student or entrepreneur
$60 can buy a sheep
$40 can buy a goat
$25 can buy food for a month.
$25 can buy a water filter to provide clean drinking water in Honduras
$15 can buy a lantern and allow men to learn at night after working to feed their families during the day
$12 can buy a mosquito net to protect against malaria
Thanks again for all your support both financially and through prayers and words of encouragement. 

Got my bike!!

Looking up

The new seat is hard as a rock but yet fairly comfortable. It's leather and supposed to form to me that can't happen fast enough! I've upped my riding time to 80 mins. I'm feeling a lot better about the whole seat thing. I've been riding on my new seat for a few weeks now and things are feeling much better. I took the weekend off and went up north to the cottage Three feet of snow everywhere well almost everywhere. There was actually five feet on the side deck - see photo the kids are standing on top of the pile of snow. Seeing as I wasn't biking I figured a little snow shovelling was good exercise. Three hours later the side deck was cleared.

Just got news today that my bike is ready to be picked up. Going tomorrow to get it. So excited! Pics to follow!!

The long and the shorts

So test results came back. Good well positive well actually negative Lets just say things are okay. Back on the bike. Got some shorts um more like spandex with padding. I now have the most expensive underwear in the house and I don't look good in them. I'm thinking I may be the only one riding in track pants or board shorts.

Struggling

It's been awhile since I've posted. Let me share some of the things that have been going on in the last while. I've been riding an exercise bike with a seat from mountain bike. I'm riding an hour every other day. I didn't know pain like I know it now. I thought I could just work through the pain from the seat. I tried but I've figured out after a month of riding this seat is not working. The legs, the heart-no problem but the rear end? Trouble.. I started having pain in the groin and figured it was a muscle strain from hockey but after four weeks its still there. I went to the doctor who sent me for an ultrasound. It made me start to doubt if this is really something I should be doing. I've been telling anyone who will listen about sea to sea. I tell them I'm riding to raise money and awareness for poverty. Sounds good they tell me but the fundraising isn't really happening. That's another struggle for me. Keep soldering on I tell myself and back on that pain in the butt seat. Finally some good news. A friend gives me a contact for someone who will give me a road bike at cost. Things are looking up I'm feeling optimistic. I head to the warehouse to pick up the bike but they don't have the bike I want in my size They might be able to bring one in from the states. I'm struggling again thinking okay Lord is this a sign with no sponsors, no bike, sore butt, groin pain.. Maybe this is something I shouldn't be doing Could that be your answer? Are you saving me some money and heartache along with some other aches? I start thinking to myself, is my God not bigger than this? Can He not help me physically? Financially? You bet He can. These are all obstacles I can overcome with His strength through me. I think I started to lose sight of the real goal and the real cause. I'm here worried about things that are solvable. "Trust in me God says and I'll take care of everything "
I got the initial results back from the doctor and things are okay and look to be fine. I put a bigger seat on my exercise bike and experience some relief for the first time in awhile. I've been enjoying reading the posts on Sea to Sea. It's good to hear updates and questions answers about bike stuff. Seeing as I'm new to biking I'm learning to take advice. Yesterday I brought a Brooks seat. I put it on my exercise bike and rode for 70 minutes. Well it's no pillow I'm sitting on but I'll give it some time. Prayers is what I need-lots of them. Keeping my chin up and head down. Pedal to the metal.