Bike Out Hunger Update

Editorial note: Blogger was down for some time last week, so please excuse the delay in this posting.

By: Meredith Steffen

At the beginning of the week we spilt into three groups based on miles per hour; group A, B, and C.

The first day I decided to try group B and it went pretty well so the second day I went with the same group. On Wednesday, the third day of the ride, there was some slight reorganizing of the groups. Group B wanted to increase their speed by a few miles per hour and when I heard this I was hesitant to continue on with that group.

I really wasn’t sure where to go so I just started on my own and eventually found a small group that was just my speed. Along the way we pushed one another to continue on and we never allowed too much distance to come between each other. Wednesday felt great and by the end of the ride the majority of my nerves had settled.

Thursday morning I woke up feeling confident and with news of a somewhat shorter ride I had no doubt that I would have another great day. I was wrong. The first ten miles were tough. I started in a larger group and immediately fell behind.

There was one man in that large group who was in the same group with me the day before and when he saw me slowing down he stuck with me and told me to keep at my own pace.

Each morning we have a devotional before the ride and this morning’s devotional was about how people need community to finish well. At the time I had no idea how true this would prove to be. Cycling is applicable to life; we all need community.

Tuesday - Bike Out Hunger

Yesterday we got off coarse. It added an additional 14 miles to a 65 mile day. Such is life.

Sometimes we work hard for a great cause but we still find ourselves lost.

Today we rode 69 miles to Nacogdoches, TX. The beautiful east Texas pines screamed at me to keep peddling. I rode with a new friend who was in severe pain. I kept telling him to stop and let the sag wagon (help vehicle) pick him up. He refused. Such is life.

Sometimes well intentioned people will tell you to stop.

Endurance to keep going in the midst of difficult situations is hard to find. But ever so often, someone will come up beside you and say, “you got this!” or “Great job!” This helps me to keep pushing. Such is life.

Just when you are ready to give up someone opens a door so you can keep going.

Bike Out Hunger is one way that Texas Baptist’s are opening the door of life through feeding programs, training and support. We proclaim this at every rest stop, hotel and church we see along the way. Such is life.

See pictures and video at http://bikeouthunger.texasbaptists.org

Scott