Story One
We'll start with the most recent and go in reverse order. This week has proven to be one of the most stressful yet. With two different regattas this weekend to plan, 2 major assignments, and a test that I still have no grasp of understanding on - I have completely accepted that this is the worst week ever. When I got frustrated with studying today, I went for what was supposed to be a quick ride through some new neighborhoods and proceeded to find myself at the bottom of the steepest, windiest hill that has ever existed. I had carefully planned my exploration, however one of the roads on the map I had planned from no longer allows anyone to cross an extremely busy highway in a safe way. So after riding down this awesome hill thinking, "I have found my new favorite road in all of Alabama," I found myself riding uphill thinking "this week continues to prove itself as terrible."
When I got to the top of the hill, I decided to take a short break at a church parking lot with a stellar lookout. Generally, after especially busy and stressful days I'll drive up to this same spot at night to look at all the tiny buildings - but today I got to the parking lot just in time to see the first and most beautiful part of sunset. I remembered how much I actually really love this whole biking thing. I remembered the whole reason behind this summer's experience. For the first time in a week, I experienced a deep peace, knowing this is where I should be right now. Then I panicked and realized that sunset means dark, so I hopped on my bike and rode downhill the rest of the way back to campus thinking nothing besides the line that has become my lesson of the week - There is no such thing as a bad day so long as I get to spend some, or most, of that day on this bike.
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| tiny vulcan statue in the distance from the church lookout |
Story Two
This past week was our Spring Break, so naturally I brought my bike with me to the beach (where I got no beach sunburn, but a killer biking sunburn), and was planning on bringing it with me to Augusta for the second half of the week to ride a trail I had always looked forward to riding. Unfortunately, when I reached my halfway point in Birmingham for work on Wednesday evening, I noticed that I had left a fairly important component of my bike in Gulf Shores. Luckily, two friends were headed to a small town just outside of Atlanta from the Gulf Shores area and offered to bring it with them- only offsetting my trip by an hour.
Again, I was extremely anxious about all the travel time that was being added to my trip by my mistake of leaving things behind, but when I stopped by these friends' home, it was totally worth it to add the hour to my trip. I had to opportunity to meet their family (for the second time, but the first time I didn't leave a great impression, so I was thankful for second chances), and they were kind enough to invite me in for a quick and delicious dinner before it hit the road again. One of the things I've missed most during my time in college has been the opportunity to get to know the families of my friends. In high school I had several friends who's parents felt like a second set of parents to me, and in college, unfortunately, families have become a mysterious idea that sometimes show up for special events. Despite the fact that I loathe the word "community, sitting at the dinner table, taking in the history and background of these two college friends reminded me of how much importance I place on community; I've found that the people that have become more prominent members of my community have been people who have let me in enough to see where they've come from. I'm excited to see how our team grows in community with each other even when we spend so much time doing so many exhausting things with each other.
Additionally, as I was making my way back out to my car to head on to Augusta, my friends' mom stopped me in the kitchen and asked what I might be nervous about this summer. I told her about one of the things that I have been publicly anxious about approaching this summer - how I could continue to grow in my faith and not feel like I have to hide my background in the church from a much more-diverse-than-Samford group. Then, in a completely natural and not intimidating or weird way, the family stood in the kitchen and prayed for me, for my team, and for all that lies ahead. While, normally, this would freak me out and seem over the top (just because I've grown up wanting to go into ministry, doesn't mean I pray with people in the kitchen whenever they come to my house), this was not a weird experience. The same peace that I felt overlooking the city at sunset after the ridiculous hill incident this afternoon washed over me and reminded me of the awesome support system that I have entering this adventure - I mean, people that I hardly know are praying for me in their kitchen.
So basically, I'm feeling pretty #blessed (that's facetious, but I really am grateful) after this brief encounter with the Woods. (Oh shoot, did I name drop? I was trying to avoid that, but whatever).
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| This is supposed to show you how rainy it was... and how cool this bike is. |
When I finally made it to Augusta, the weather was disgusting, and I had a blast riding along the Canal to downtown. Last time I rode in the rain, I was dumb enough to get hypothermia - not the case this time.
When I got downtown I remembered that South Carolina was just across the river, so I crossed my first state line just for the heck of it. This has been my favorite training ride yet, despite the awful weather and the terrible road conditions, but hey, as long as I'm on that bike - it's a good day.
Too many words here, so let's close with some pictures:
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| Less than ideal dirt road. (Not pictured: gravel, sticks, the gates of Hell) |
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| Savannah Rapids |
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