Monday, July 21, 2008 – Day 29

Start: Owatonna, Minnesota
End: Winona, Minnesota
Miles: 94.42 Total Miles: 2,140.01 BRAA Total Miles: 2,014.10
Time: 5 hours 52 minutes (avg 16.0 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 8

I had a hard time getting in the riding mood this morning. We had ninety miles to ride and I just didn’t want to get going. Needless to say, I did get started and ended up riding much of the day on my own.

Early this morning, I saw this hot air balloon off in the distance. It caught my attention as I thought it would be a great thing to go and do. I will add this to my list of things I want to do in the future.

The day was a cloudy and cool one. It looked like it was going to storm at any time. It didn’t. It actually cleared a bit in the early afternoon and turned out to be a really nice day.

Today was a special day. Several Big Riders from the 2007 ride had a rest stop for us in Rochester, Minnesota. A couple of them are from the Rochester area and wanted to visit with the new riders as they passed through. They had fruit, donuts and cookies for us. It was a great stop – thank you 2007 Big Riders.

A little further up the road, we had to stop when we saw a brother and sister team selling lemonade. We almost emptied their pitcher because they were just so cute. Their mother came out to make sure they were doing ok and the little boy said, “Mom, we need more big cups.” We were drinking so much, they were very excited.

Toward the end of the day’s ride, we reached another milestone. We finally reached the official 2,000 mile mark for the ride. That means we only have about 1,300 miles remaining. I am very excited about reaching this point. We are now less than three weeks away from the finish line.

Spending time today by myself, I was able to enjoy the scenery and take in the awe of God’s creation. It is so beautiful – other than some of the farm smells of course. This ride is showing me so much and teaching me even more. Going into this ride, I was sure I would be able to finish the ride. The actual riding can be broken down into forty individual rides - no problem. My silly concerns about camping and bathrooms were so minor compared to what I am learning. I immediately got over these silly concerns. As the days have passed by, I am realizing how much I miss my family. I am reassured through spending time with God during the ride that I will be with them again soon enough. When I feel like I want to give in, I am at peace knowing that I am being cared for and watched over. With His guidance and direction, I will complete this ride and be home before I know it with a deeper appreciation for what we are given. He gives me strength.