Day 9 Pentwater to HOME!!!!!!!

Coming into the home stretch!

We are blessed. Why? We are all home safe and we did not get rained on today! What a trip it has been!  I have been home a few hours now and have been reflecting on the ride and can not get over how much I am in awe of this group of people. Yes, we got under each others skin at times. I have said to a few people since I have been home the following statement: This is like the show Survivor, take 12 people who really don't know each other and make them ride, eat together, fellowship together, and just basically get along for 9 days as you do something totally out of your comfort zone and ride your bike 700 miles around Lake Michigan. Yeah, that's totally a God thing. So Proverbs 2 comes to mind,  "When we take action as God commands us, he then takes action in response. "

What a homecoming! Thank you all!!

We rode into today and I lost it. Why? This is my 3rd ride!!!!! Because the people that love and support me were waiting and so were so many others for my team.  The relief I feel tonight because we are home safe I am so thankful for. I take no credit.  He was with us all the way. Our God was with us every stroke of the pedal. There were so many times we wanted to quit. Would I want to be anywhere else but in that moment  at any place in this ride? Probably.  At the end of the day we were all where we were supposed to be. In his pocket. Amen.

There will be more but right now I just want to thank you all for your support and prayers.

Celebrating God's grace, 704 miles and a great team. 

Addendum...
Yes, I have to add a few comments of my own. I have to thanks this amazing team for staying with it ALL the way through, in spite of ALL that fought against them. They were incredible. They shivered, got hit with hail, wind, rain, and more wind and rain. Dr. Dan sent an email to us tonight after he and Cecilia did some research on the weather we experienced. Here is what they found...
We had seriously the worst weather on record the past 16 years in both Escanaba and Mackinaw City this past week. The temperatures were 20 below average, it had NEVER rained in Escanaba during this week! The team rode (according to the Garmin) 704 miles and climbed 12,000 feet in the 9 days.
 I want to quote the good Doctor and his encouragement to the Ride4Life team,

Families reunited!

"...for whatever reason, God has allowed us to have the worst weather in recent memory... Maybe it's just that God lets a little stress come through from time to time to teach us to rely on His grace. And His grace was in fact, enough. You all did a splendid job hanging together as a team, which in my calculation was actually a more impressive achievement than 700 miles.







I agree!  Thank you everyone!

Dr. Dan 

Happy Daddy, happy baby!

Day 8 Frankfort to Pentwater

Dr. Dan started our morning with a prayer and then we headed to the local A & W for breakfast! We then started our 10 mile climb in the midst of a quick rain shower. The day was full of hills, long steep descents, rain, wind, hail, thunder, and lightening.

The line of the day was, "Head for the woods!" (quickly dodging the hailstorm) 

We did have to stop for a few pictures at the top of one of the big hills overlooking the lake. It was not just the hills that brought us up and down. We had times where we rode with the wind and flew along (high) and then it downpoured with the wind in our face (low). Three flat tires slowed us down today (low) and a delivery of home made carrot cake (high) brought us up and made us feel so loved. Thanks Shelley & Terry for your road trip, we loved it!

Coming in for a break.

As we got to Ludington it seemed surreal that we were back on the same road that we had ended on last week at the same time.  I am glad no one realized that the same awesome hills we descended into Ludington last week would have to be climbed on the way back! We went out for a fun dinner in downtown Pentwater and concluded with devotions back at the hotel.  Dr Dan led us with Hebrews 12:1 "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." He spoke of how things like this ride teach us how to respond to the unexpected and do we run with it or do we give up?  Obviously we decided to run (or ride) with it! We are all ordinary people that have tried to do extraordinary things. I believe we have.  The last 640 miles have not been easy at all.  I am so proud of this group and am honored to call them friend.

Fixing one of our 14 flats. (over 8 days)

Stopping for rain to pass. 

Tomorrow we hope to ride into Maranatha around 1:30 and see our friends and family. That is going to be an awesome feeling and I am tearing up already thinking about it. Better get to sleep so I can hold myself together!

See you at the finish line!!!!!!

Day 7 Central Lake to Frankfort

Even our bikes slept well.

A crisp cool morning awaited us when we woke at the Blue Pelican! We rode our bikes down the street a few blocks for a country breakfast at Brothers Cafe.  When we got there Emily asked "Hey Sherry, how soon will we be climbing hills when we leave here?".  My reply was "about 500 feet."

That's not a hill...That's a wall!

So the day was underway. We rode around Torch Lake after some serious hill climbs to get there.  IT was another high deer alert as we had a few more feel the need to cross in front of us.  Our first break stop was in Alden and it was brief. We wanted to keep ahead of the rain that was following us and after a downpour as we were leaving we managed too just that. We used the TART trail to get through the busy traffic of Traverse City and dodged a hail storm during lunch.  Then it was smooth sailing the rest of the day. Well, as far as weather that is.  Partly cloudy skies and cool temps made for a pleasant afternoon to finish the last half of our 90 mile day. We will post some pictures later but there is no way to really do justice to the HILLS we climbed all afternoon.  The other ones were slight rises in the road so far compared to these.  The last one going into Frankfort was a 12-14 ft grade and on a 90 degree angle. Someone else said it was like a Black Diamond Ski hill and I would have to agree.  Be proud of this group! I saw strength I did not know existed in us!

Then it was just a short ride on the Betsie River Trail to the R&R Motel.  Clean and quaint would be a good description  of our lodging for the night. We then celebrated the birthday of one of our sag drivers and got a bite to eat. It rained most of the evening and we were thankful it had waited for us to be off our bikes.

Throughout the day we talked often about still being in Gods Pocket.  Aren't we always? I've said often on this trip "Remember, wherever you are right now is exactly where you are supposed to be." No matter if you are liking what you are doing or wishing you were somewhere else, you are still in the pocket and he is with you always.

 No new road kill to report I think we've seen it all!The excitement is building as we get closer to home. One more night away and about 140 miles.  We've got this!  Continue to pray for our safety. We have been so blessed thus far.  Thanks for all your love and support and be sure to check back on our progress!

Day 6 Mackinaw City to Central Lake

Many hills today but "staying in the pocket"!

We ended our day yesterday in Mackinaw City with a great meal at Audies and then had to get some fudge of course! Had a very good nights sleep while hoping for better weather for in the morning. It was hard to be optimistic because the forecast was downright horrid! Many prayers went up for us and they were answered!!! The first thing that I heard was Jonna telling me that it was warmer than we expected (like 50 instead of 30) and the weatherman said, and I quote " we seem to be in some sort of pocket, it is warmer and dryer than expected this morning" That then, became our theme for today. We are in a pocket, GOD'S POCKET! When it would start to sprinkle we did not worry and someone would say "Hey, no worries we are in his pocket!"  That is where we stayed all day. Yes there was still 25 mph winds but other times we seemed to be in a lot of protected areas and did not feel it quite so much.  We did 81 miles today to the Blue Pelican Inn (near Torch Lake) and then went out for some pizza and a round of milkshakes. This group loves to fuel up and deservedly so.

ONE STEEP HILL!!!!!

The gps on Dr Dans bike tells us we climbed 2,450 feet of hills today. He just told me that is a very impressive number for a bike tour. Our quads would agree! I have to add I am happy to be able to write tonight as we had a near miss with a deer crossing today! Lets just say I was almost able to pet him when he ran in front of Ben and I.  Venison anyone? No thanks, we had an amazing meal at Classic Pizza next to our hotel and we would highly reccomend it if you are ever in Central Lake!

I could not be happier with the attitudes of our riders.  Our new riders have been a blessing to us all.  Every single one of us contributes in a special way. At any given point during this ride I have been impressed with the encouragement given to one another at any given point.  Our sag drivers tirelessly follow us to keep us safe and greet us with snacks and hot drinks when needed. Today in the cold I mentioned how grilled cheese and tomato soup sounded so good and WA LAH! Guess what we had for lunch!!!!!! This is an amazing group of people and we are blessed to be together as we tick off the miles. (471 miles down and ONLY 236 to go!)  God is good and he has been kind.

Now those are Calzones!
I see left overs for lunch tomorrow.

We skipped roadkill and line of the day yesterday so we will make up for it today!

Road Kill: Racoon Family, Possums & Porcupine
Live Action: Snakes and Deer

Beautiful spot on the trail. 

Overheard on the ride today...
"I could do a lot of damage in a Walgreens today"
"Oh nuts, this is a dead end" (that was in the motor home-not so easy to back out of a tiny space)
As we passed a group of tourists these two things were overheard "not a fat one in the bunch & look there's a Grandma in that group!

Team meeting and devotions at the end of the day. 

Thanks for all 
your support!!!

Day 5 Gulliver to Mackinaw City

It was a crisp 32 degrees early this morning when we started out! We were layered and bundled and looked more like skiers than cyclists!

Great picture at the halfway point!
350 miles  down 350 to go. 

We were pretty well prepared but our hands and feet
were taking the brunt of cold. We went 16 miles and had our first flat of the day but after a quick fix we made it to our first break stop at 25 miles in Epoufette where we downed some hot cider and of course, food.

Still smiling!

Grandma Betty rocking the big hill!!!

At lunch we worked hard trying to lift spirits and motivate everyone to finish the day.  We went another 25 before stopping for lunch then hit a rainstorm at about mile 40. We were right along the water and the wind and rain were cold.We made it up until the last 10 miles before the rain came again.  It was hard riding right along the lake and at times we were only going about 8 mph instead of our customary 14-15 mph. We finally made it to the mighty Mackinaw bridge as we were pelted with an icy rain. Yeah it was kind of tough but we were sooooo happy to make it back to the Lower Peninsula and stopped long enough to take a group picture with the bridge behind us.

Made it to the bridge! (It's in the background)

We then crossed over to the Mackinaw Port Authority and were sagged across the bridge. With only a couple miles to go for the day, the rain eased up, and we reached our destination for the day. We are settled in at a hotel in Mackinaw City and planning to roam around in town for a while tonight. If anything really newsworthy happens we will be back to report. Keep praying and thank you all for your ongoing encouragement and prayers.

Day 4 Escanaba to Gulliver

Dreamland Motel - Here we come! Riders in the background. 

Have you ever been to Gulliver? If not you should not make it a big goal to get there. The only thing there is the Dreamland Hotel that I saw. However after 75 miles in wind and cold on a bicycle we were glad it was there.  Our day started well and we made good time. Spirits were high with dry conditons and tho it was cold the sun was shining. We stopped for lunch at about 50 miles in Manistique and conditons had changed drastically. It was cold and windy but the scenery was beautiful. We took time for a photo shoot with the lighthouse behind us. Then we put our heads down for those last 25.  Those last 25 took us about as long as the first 50.  Needless to say the wind can make all the difference in the day.

Roadkill of the day: a body part we did not recognize
Best line of the day: "Is that the room that smells or is it just me"

Needless to say as always at the end of the day we laugh alot, eat alot, and just enjoy each others company.  There was a little "Dreamland Diner" that fed us well.  Holly led our devotions based on John 3:16. Without Jesus in your heart you got nothing!  So true, getting through each day in life is impossible without him.  We say that often on this trip. He always sees us through and we are so thankful!  Thanks for the prayers and keep them coming

Day 3 Green Bay to Escanaba

I cannot express how proud I am of our Riders tonight. We did our biggest day to date on any of the Ride4Life Trips to date.  It was 110 miles total,  60 of which were bitter cold with a steady rain.  As the day wore on the roads got wetter, the semi's passing  sprayed us harder, and there wasn't much left dry on us.  There were a lot of wet body parts when we finally pulled in this evening. Our ride time today was about 8 hours which gave us about 10 hours solid out in the cold today. Like I said, that was a remarkable show of courage and perservearance.  They rode for the cause today and they did it well.

Thank you to those who prayed us through, thank you for the encouragement via texts & facebook. Thank you to all the cars and trucks that gave us as much room as possible.  Thank you to the SAG team that stayed on our tail like a protective mother all day, thank you to our sag drivers meeting us on the road with shots of hot chocolate. Most of all thanks be to God for keeping us safe and loving us through this day.  Our God Reigns!

Addendum:
This is Carolyn, Executive Director and one of your resident "SAG" drivers. I just want to say "thank you" to the twelve amazing bicyclists who rode in horrific conditions today. Cold, rain, narrow shoulders, and loooooooong distances!All without complaint and incredible determination. I stand amazed and honored to be part of this team. TO all you family, friends and supporters...you have invested well! They are indeed riding for LIFE! If not, I am not sure they would have continued today. God is building character and showing Himself mighty among us! Keep praying, we have many miles to go and so much more to learn.

Day 2 Ludington to Green Bay

Group shot after breakfast  before leaving Maranatha. Thank you Gary & Diane, Shelley, Becky and Sarah!!

We woke to another gorgeous day in Ludington! The temps were a little warmer making our ride (1 1/2 miles) to board the SS Badger very enjoyable. They treated  us so well on the Ferry. We had an escort to board and she told us everything we needed to know. The crossing was very relaxing. Some played cards, others read, watched a movie, and some slept! We enjoyed breakfast and lunch on board. This group loves a good buffet!!!  We arrived in Manitwoc around 1:00 and we were on our way by 1:30. The weather was sunny and 80 with a great tailwind. We were right along the lakeshore leaving town and it was breathtaking! The first 10 miles flew by. Then we hit a heavy cross wind and some pretty good size hills. The group hung in and was strong. What a great bunch of people. I am amazed at the unification and encouragement you hear for each other on something like this. We wore our jerseys today and got asked alot of questions about what we are doing. People have been very friendly and encouraging. Some just think we are crazy. At times I would agree.

Loading onto the Badger - heading across the Lake!

We arrived at the hotel around 6:00 (7:00 Michigan Time) after about 65 miles. We made good time and we were happy to have got in before dark after such a late start. We had a taco dinner from our wonderful Sag Team (you rock Carolyn & Lyla!) We then had a time of sharing and devotions led by Pastor Doyle and he focused on Psalm 139. Take the time to read it when you have a chance and ask yourself what he asked us (and made us answer) "What is uniquely you and what are you being called for?" Everyone answered and I can tell you that we all sell ourselves short. Everyone in this group has brought something to this ride. They were called and they answered. So much has been revealed in two days but there is so much more to come.

That's one BIG hill!

Todays best Roadkill: snake
Todays Best Line: "Coming Back In" Theres a big story behind that line but we can't reveal that part yet.  Stay Tuned...

We finally remembered yesterdays best line. A little boy started riding along side us and said "Hey guys where we going?" Bonnie answered "Wisconsin, want to come?" He quickly rode in the opposite direction!

Your prayers are appreciated. Don't Stop!!! We have some sinus & allergies dragging some riders down and a few muscles that are begging for mercy. Weather is also on our minds as the forecast is calling for cooler temps and rain. We are calling on the chief weatherman who's totally in control and asking you to do the same.

Tomorrow will be our longest day of 110 miles. Might be a little tired to blog tomorrow night but hope to get some pictures up.  Thanks for all your love, support, and prayers. We feel every one!

Day 1 Maranatha to Ludington

73 MILES!

We had a great send off this morning! It was crisp and sunny as our friends and family (about 60!) waved goodbye. We had a great day on the road with alot of paved trails and smooth roads. The scenery was beautiful and the mood was light as we were finally on our way!

We had lunch in Hart in the midst of a spanish festival along the river.  After lunch we went about 10 miles and had our first flat tire (Emily) from a big rock. While Ben changed her flat she went back off in search of the culprit to keep as a souvenier.  Best roadkill today was a porcupine.  Eventually we will be telling you the best line of the day but right now we are to tired to recall it! Stay tuned.

We made it into camp around 4:30 so we had some time to relax.  Enjoyed a cookout put on by our awesome sag drivers, debriefing and some devotions and called it a night.  Ok, we have a few young ones along this year who are making some noise about going to House of  Flavors
yet tonight.  Might be a different trip than what I'm used to!

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement. Don't quit we need it all the way!!!!!