marblemount, washington (again)

I got this note of encouragement from my good friend Josiah, from Fort Josiah, Bogart, Georgia

Thank you, Josiah.

A bad day on a bike is better than a good day in the office! But . . . we had a good day so that makes everything a bit better. We departed the Buffalo Run Inn around 10:00 am and headed up Washington Pass. As planned, we pedaled about 35 miles up the pass climbing 2,786 feet. It wasn’t easy but it sure was beautiful all the way. Tomorrow our plans are to go up and over the pass and down to Winthrop, where we’ll stay for the night. Hopefully, we’ll also visit a very cool bike shop there. (The Rule of the Ride is, stop at every bike shop! You never know what they might have on sale.)

Today, I rode my Cannondale Canvas Neo 2. It’s an ebike. Now if you don’t know what an ebike is, it’s a pedal-assist bike with a battery-powered motor. It’s nice . . . but it’s not like a bike with a throttle. You have to pedal to move, it does require some effort, and it does give you a pretty good workout. Let me explain that workout thing a bit. My ebike has four levels of pedal assist: ECO, TOUR, SPORT, and TURBO. I’ve only used ECO and TOUR and both are helpful and super nice. There’s more to the whole story however. The ebike weighs 44 pounds while my Cannondale R2000 (regular bike) weighs 18 pounds! Do the math and you get a weight difference of 26 pounds. That’s two of my regular bikes plus 8 pounds. That’s also weight I would rather not carry up a mountain but I can because of the pedal assist when needed. What I like most about this ebike is it’s a very stable bike, east to handle, fun to ride, comfortable, and very fast downhills. After my trial run today, all I can say is . . . I sure am glad I brought it for the trip. I’m looking forward to how it handles in the North Dakota winds.

Back to the ride. The chance for snow today was 40 percent but we had no snow or rain. (It's raining now.) The chance of snow tomorrow is 70 percent. Tomorrow could be a very exciting day in the mountains. I  am hoping the weather guessers are correct and we have snow, not too much but enough for the crew to experience what we did on the last trip over Washington Pass. It’s also going to be cold. That usually happens with snow. We’ll see what happens.

We just ate supper at Mondo Restaurant across the street. A new friend on one of the ferries who is from Concrete, right down the road said, “There’s a great Korean Bar-B-Q right across the street from Buffalo Run. Give it a try.” We did and the food was very good, servings were way too large, and we are very full with two take out boxes left over.

I think it may have been Albert Einstein who said, “Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” That’s true in most cases but there are guys and gals who can balance without moving. Keeping your balance on a bike while standing still is called a track stand. Wikipedia explains it like this: The track stand or standstill is a technique that bicycle riders can use to maintain balance while their bicycle remains stationary or moves only minimal distances. Most of us, like me, aren’t real good at track stands, we must keep moving or we fall. As we move along tomorrow, our goal is to continue moving east to Winthrop and stay upright.

As I pedaled up the Pass today, I thought about my ebike and how much it helped make my ride easier, safer, and more enjoyable. In several ways, it works much like my relationship with the Lord. Of course, my relationship with the Lord makes life easier simply because his plan for me steers me through and helps me avoid those things that can knock me off the path he has planned for me. Staying upright and balanced is good but it’s even better when you’re on the right road or path. And . . . when you’re in the mountains, climbing and your legs are burning, He always gives just the assistance needed to make it up and over the pass. It’s safer simply because God is good and does not want you to crash. When I operate my bike as the manufacturer intended, following the instructions given in the little manual I got with the bike, I should experience a safe and secure and enjoyable ride wherever I go. It’s the same with God and His instructions. They are intended to keep you moving in the right direction on the right path. And finally, God intends that you enjoy life to the fullest. His Word turns you loose to live life and live it more abundantly. It sets you free to ride like never before. “You shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.”

Keep moving.  

One more thing:  I found my Washington license plate as we pedaled up the Pass. Already! And it expires in October so it's still legal.