Saturday August 2
Wow! Another hot one. Not sure if we hit a hundred but it felt like it with the heat radiating off the asphalt.
In some respects this experience is just fantastic. Let me illustrate. Every day we have a wonderful home cooked hot evening meal prepared by some of the best chefs. Dutch mothers…you know what I mean! Our chief Chef, Lavanne, is especially trained to prepared meals for large groups. She is exceptional. Every nine days we have to take our turn serving and cleaning up. What a deal.
Often, but not always, we come across a Dairy Queen or similar store midday when we are exhausted, sweating, and are desperate for refreshment. We devour and splurge. Not an ounce goes on our butt or waist. Today I had the largest container of lemonade they serve and drank two of them with the largest ice cream cone sold.
We associate with some of the most fascinating people. We have theologians, retired people of all mixes, backgrounds and gender. We have athletes and normal people. The young people are enthusiastic, encouraging, and engaging. Some of the older people have just incredible stories, records, and honors. One 72 year old has over 30 medals for speed skating.
It is true we are up at 5:00 A.M. and often bicycling before 6:30, but we do set our own schedules. Should you want to meet someone, get off the trail, need to make a phone call, you can do so. We have sag vehicles every 20 miles or so to replenish our water supply, provide a moveable latrine, and supply tires and tubes, and in some cases pick up your bicycle and yourself and bring you to camp. We have emergency medical people.
Every evening we have a time called Peloton. There are always interesting stories, jokes, and lots of fun and sharing. Life is good ... but also very serious. We pray for each other. We cry with each other. We celebrate on Sundays and evenings. And we also remember the poor, the children that die, one every three seconds ... needlessly, the 29 million people infected with HIV around the world, the tens of millions unemployed. Such is life in Fremont, Nebraska August 02, 2008.
In some respects this experience is just fantastic. Let me illustrate. Every day we have a wonderful home cooked hot evening meal prepared by some of the best chefs. Dutch mothers…you know what I mean! Our chief Chef, Lavanne, is especially trained to prepared meals for large groups. She is exceptional. Every nine days we have to take our turn serving and cleaning up. What a deal.
Often, but not always, we come across a Dairy Queen or similar store midday when we are exhausted, sweating, and are desperate for refreshment. We devour and splurge. Not an ounce goes on our butt or waist. Today I had the largest container of lemonade they serve and drank two of them with the largest ice cream cone sold.
We associate with some of the most fascinating people. We have theologians, retired people of all mixes, backgrounds and gender. We have athletes and normal people. The young people are enthusiastic, encouraging, and engaging. Some of the older people have just incredible stories, records, and honors. One 72 year old has over 30 medals for speed skating.
It is true we are up at 5:00 A.M. and often bicycling before 6:30, but we do set our own schedules. Should you want to meet someone, get off the trail, need to make a phone call, you can do so. We have sag vehicles every 20 miles or so to replenish our water supply, provide a moveable latrine, and supply tires and tubes, and in some cases pick up your bicycle and yourself and bring you to camp. We have emergency medical people.
Every evening we have a time called Peloton. There are always interesting stories, jokes, and lots of fun and sharing. Life is good ... but also very serious. We pray for each other. We cry with each other. We celebrate on Sundays and evenings. And we also remember the poor, the children that die, one every three seconds ... needlessly, the 29 million people infected with HIV around the world, the tens of millions unemployed. Such is life in Fremont, Nebraska August 02, 2008.
posted by Jan at
9:54 PM
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