grand rapids, minnesota

Oops.

 Sixty-four miles today and we're in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. This was another good day and we are now one long day away from Duluth. The winds were headwinds but the cool temperature was worth the extra push we had to put on the pedals. When we started, this morning, the temperature was around forty-four degrees. Maybe the temperature got into the eighties, I'm not sure. No matter what, it was a good riding day. We even had wide and smooth shoulders from Bemidji to Grand Rapids. 

Not long after we departed Bemidji we noticed what looked like a bike trail parallel to Route 2. That's what it was . . . Magizi Trail. Of course, we started riding on it immediately, because it took us off the major road. While riding, we met Herschel. He was pedaling the trail and headed in the same direction as we were. Herschel is the mayor of Cass Lake. He's also in a position of leadership in the Indian tribal council there. He rides the Magizi Trail often. It goes around a major lake and to Norway Beach. Today he was pedaling to Norway Beach and stopping at the campsites along the way checking on campers and sort of welcoming them to the area. He also has folks who come to camp in the area every year and wanted to stop to say hi and see how they are doing. Before we parted ways, Herschel asked if he could get a picture with us for bragging rights. He was excited to hear about our ride to the Atlantic and wanted to tell others that he met us. Herschel is one of those guys I'd like to hang out with for a few hours. I bet he has some stories to tell.

As we pedaled today, we had to stop to take some tourist pictures of the Big Fish which is some kind of restaurant and bar. It's the kind of place that requires pictures of some kind, crazy or whatever. Down the road was a convenience store, Big Winnie General Store. We stopped there and ate lunch in the SnackWagon in the parking lot. I've never seen a convenience store like this before so I just had to take  more pictures. It's not a Frank Lloyd Wright design but it is colorful, fun, and very different.

Tomorrow, we are looking at pedaling seventy-nine miles to Duluth. We do have a detour on Route 2 which could add a few more miles and more time to the ride. Because of that, we'll leave early and head east. Our total pedaling miles are at 1,639.37. I'm looking forward to pedaling over the 2,000 mile mark pretty soon. We're just about ready to finish another state, too!

I'm certainly not in a hurry but one of the most memorable things about doing something like this ride is finishing. One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Hebrews 12:1-2:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

This is the goal of my life. It's also the goal of this cross-country bike adventure. When I think about it, I realize that a lot of people are watching our ride on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog. Phil and I only carry what we need while we're riding, nothing extra. We are also testing our endurance and we're riding with our focus on Jesus. Now in the King James Version of the Bible, the word endurance is translated patience. Put those two words together and we're told to run (or pedal) with patient endurance. And that's pretty much what we're doing. As we focus on Jesus, our goal is to somehow bring honor and glory to him and make him known through our words and actions. I'm not always sure how to do that but I believe it begins with simply loving people as Jesus does, taking some time to talk with them, and trusting God's Spirit to lead.

The goal of our ride, of course, is to finish. All four of us are looking forward to dipping those bicycle front tires in the Atlantic Ocean. Then we'll wash the salt water off of our wheels, pack our bikes onto our bikes racks, and with mixed emotions start our journeys home. That's the finish. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God because he finished. He finished what the Father sent him to do. Because he finished, we also can finish as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus and run the race God has set before us . . . looking unto Jesus.

Keep your eyes on the Son.