Backwards....

Will's on vacation, so I'm going to write a little about our last day of travel. We slept our last night in Poughkeepsie and took off south and south east. Will will (heh) have to fill you in on his last day.

As I mentioned before, it was probably the most difficult day of riding for the whole trip. One of the hardest things about riding through New York and Connecticut (when you're not on bike routes) is finding good routes. There are a lot of little roads that wander and that go over hills. Big hills. For a little while I felt like I was in Washington again - not because the hills were nearly as high but because of the feeling of constantly climbing. But that's a wholly inaccurate comparison as CT has nothing on WA. But the poor route options were way worse. We ended up taking 34 in CT to get back to New Haven, and normally I really dislike riding this. It's a busy road, but not a major highway. We rode it later at night (our only time riding at night), so it wasn't as bad as it probably is during rush hour.

Another challenge is that the drivers are a little more, shall I say, East Coast-y here, and it felt like a pretty dramatic shift to come into upstate NY and then into CT again. But there were some really nice people, too. Ashley and I stopped at a Middle Eastern restaurant for lunch, and the server took it upon himself to clean our water bottles as he was putting water in. A nice man in a Porsche thought we were lost (we were) and helped give us directions. A couple we ran into in the POURING rain offered to drive us all the way back to New Haven. We declined. (That was my first moment of 'I've ridden across the country and I'll be darned if rain and crappy routes are gonna stop me!')

There are many cyclists in these states and many great rides, but that last day was pretty tough. Probably about a hundred turns taking half a mile on each road with half of it climbing.

We got back to New Haven at about 9:30, ordered Chinese food, and slept a lot. Ashley let me stay at her place since I couldn't get in to my house. (The sub-letters had the keys.)

We have a lot left to write and do, but I need to go work more on my sermon for this Sunday. Since you asked, I'll tll you. It's Canaan United Methodist Church in Canaan, CT (not New Canaan, CT).

Next time... staying in Kinderhook! Riding through Albany!

Why this bike tour? (RD)

Why not?

OK.  That might not be a sufficient answer for many folks.  For bike people, you understand.

There are a bunch of reasons for this kind of bike trip that come together to form one big push out the door and on the road.

let's go

1. Biking = fun.  Mucho.  Racing is fine and everything, but the real thrill is biking to places and seeing cool things.  Why not use a car or a train? Well, when you're on a bike, you get to connect with your environment a lot better and greet more people.  Plus sitting still all day seems really unpleasant.
   

   

   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      
   
2. Why a northern route in the U.S.?  A couple of years ago I decided that I would try to leave the country every year if I could swing it financially and professionally.  A friend suggested that seeing more of the U.S. would also be pretty great, too.  So I added seeing more of this country to the ol' bucket list, and here I am.
3. I just graduated from seminary with a Master of Divinity. degree  If you spent three years doing a master's degree you might want to clear your head a bit, too. 
   

   

   (Why aren't you studying?)

4. But!  I'm also at the very first stages of beginning ordination with the United Methodist Church, and I'd like to visit churches to hear and see a little bit of what they're experiencing.  What are their challenges?  What do they celebrate?  What do they believe?  What do they preach and teach?  
5. I'm as interested in hearing from people who do not believe in God, who have left churches, or who have been excluded by churches.  Hate religion?  (You're not alone.)  Why?  I'm afraid that our churches do too much to cut off people from God, and I'd like to learn how we can get out of the way of God's embrace.
6. Apparently hospitality is alive and well, though you may have to look a little for it.
7. National parks.  Can you believe that we have them?  They're wonderful.
   
   
8. I want good stories to tell when I'm 75. 
9. I've never been to Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, or Canada.  I know!  Can you believe it?  (or Arizona or New Mexico or Oregon or Utah or Missouri or Arkansas or Maine.  Or Africa or Asia or Australia or Antarctica.  Yeesh.  Time to get moving)
   
   
   
10. They (the infamous they!) say that the church is dying.  That might be true.  I just graduated with a bunch of youngish ministers that mostly think otherwise.  If it is, why?  If it's not, then who's in it?  It's time for a little first-hand research.  (Books!  Away!)
    
11. Roadside diners
    
    
    
    
    
12. The chances for a chunk of free time like this in the future are slim.  Carpe diem, friends; whatever your diem brings.