PEACEMAKERS
We are back out on the big road again, and are stopped for the day in CUMBERLAND WISCONSIN, about a 50 mile ride from last night's stay in ST CROIX FALLS, WI. We had a wonderful respite at home---everything was just right for us! Before getting home Kami said we had been "chewed up, spit out, and boo-ed off stage" and I had to agree with her, although I also had to ask if she got that line from EMINEM, and she admitted that she had. Once home, we rested and cleaned our gear, I trimmed some things out and we got the bikes worked on. It was great to go in the shop and see my friends there---they are all so warm and encouraging, and I was even invited into the real "shop" part where the mechanics work! That's like busting through the red velvet rope at the Oscars, man, and I was on cloud 9 back there with the mechanics. Kami needed new brake pads on both wheels--- she used hers a lot more than I did, I guess... Braking is not my strong suit. We are both now totally roadworthy, and we've got extra gel padding in the bars and new bar tape too.
We saw a lot of our friends, shared a few stories, got some more of Deb's energy bars and even picked up a little bit of Holy Water from our neighbor, who got it from the nuns out at the Poor Clares monastery. It's riding along with the little vial of Pacific water in my handlebar bag. I think our neighbors on all sides have gotten the Poor Clare nuns to keep us in their prayers, and that makes me feel covered because I know those ladies are heavy hitters in the prayer department!
We got a ride yesterday from St Cloud to Princeton, and then hit the road. I'm applying all the miles I did on County Road 8 last May to the mileage we missed in Minnesota, and I still think I'm ahead! We both had a tough day riding yesterday---I think the news from London, which I was hearing just as we were leaving, was weighing heavily on my mind as I wrestled with the concept of good and evil in the world. It sure didn't help me pedal better, and made me fairly sad in addition to worried about some friends I have there. At some point, we rolled by this big farmhouse near the road, and they had a small sign in their yard that simply said "Blessed are the Peacemakers" and I thought, "Right On". But the rest of the people are driving me crazy!
We had a lot of fun this morning in Dresser, WI. The town sign welcomes travelers to Dresser and says, "home of old time friendliness" and that's an understatement. We were looking to get on a road simply called "F" and as I was crossing a street I stopped to pick up a penny--- all traffic came to a halt (there were no stop signs for anyone) in both directions, until it appeared that Dresser was hosting a Head of State at the intersection. I kept trying to get someone in some car to just "GO!" but they were stopped dead in their tracks on all corners waiting to see what I was going to do. I eventually crossed the street just to break up the intrigue.
We ate breakfast at the TRAP ROCK INN, and sat next to a table with 14 older (much!) people. I really like older people--- I understand now what I didn't when I was younger---that every one of those people has faced some incredible hardship and tragedy, and have made it through. You can't get to be an old person, usually, without losing your parents, your spouse, maybe a child, maybe more. Without facing illnesses and losses beyond description. It makes people a little softer, I think---and more accepting. One of my goals is to *be* an old person! So, we sat by this big gathering of oldsters, with their canes/walkers/oxygen tanks/replaced hips and knees and who knows what else. We eavesdropped on all of their conversations until we got up to go, and one brave man asked, "Are you girls riding those bikes outside?" and I said, "Yes sir!" and the floodgates opened. Suddenly we had 14 sets of questions, and we were standing on either end of the table talking to the men (who were outnumbered, as usual) and women and telling them about our trip. Since a lot of the people had hearing aids, and since Kami isn't a big talker, and especially not a big "repeat, and talk louder" talker, she made a hasty retreat and left me with them. One of the questions people always ask is "How many of you are there?" I always try to remember to say "Two!" and leave out the modifiers, "just" and "only", because that prejudices the reply. People want to hear more than the two of us---and this guy who asked looked very concerned when I told him it was Kami and I. He put his napkin down and said, "Well!! Harumph!!! Just what did your husbands say about this?" and I started grinning and I told him, "well, we don't have any of those, so nothing!" The ladies all seemed to approve of that answer, but the men weren't too keen on it. It made me smile for the rest of the day.
We saw a lot of our friends, shared a few stories, got some more of Deb's energy bars and even picked up a little bit of Holy Water from our neighbor, who got it from the nuns out at the Poor Clares monastery. It's riding along with the little vial of Pacific water in my handlebar bag. I think our neighbors on all sides have gotten the Poor Clare nuns to keep us in their prayers, and that makes me feel covered because I know those ladies are heavy hitters in the prayer department!
We got a ride yesterday from St Cloud to Princeton, and then hit the road. I'm applying all the miles I did on County Road 8 last May to the mileage we missed in Minnesota, and I still think I'm ahead! We both had a tough day riding yesterday---I think the news from London, which I was hearing just as we were leaving, was weighing heavily on my mind as I wrestled with the concept of good and evil in the world. It sure didn't help me pedal better, and made me fairly sad in addition to worried about some friends I have there. At some point, we rolled by this big farmhouse near the road, and they had a small sign in their yard that simply said "Blessed are the Peacemakers" and I thought, "Right On". But the rest of the people are driving me crazy!
We had a lot of fun this morning in Dresser, WI. The town sign welcomes travelers to Dresser and says, "home of old time friendliness" and that's an understatement. We were looking to get on a road simply called "F" and as I was crossing a street I stopped to pick up a penny--- all traffic came to a halt (there were no stop signs for anyone) in both directions, until it appeared that Dresser was hosting a Head of State at the intersection. I kept trying to get someone in some car to just "GO!" but they were stopped dead in their tracks on all corners waiting to see what I was going to do. I eventually crossed the street just to break up the intrigue.
We ate breakfast at the TRAP ROCK INN, and sat next to a table with 14 older (much!) people. I really like older people--- I understand now what I didn't when I was younger---that every one of those people has faced some incredible hardship and tragedy, and have made it through. You can't get to be an old person, usually, without losing your parents, your spouse, maybe a child, maybe more. Without facing illnesses and losses beyond description. It makes people a little softer, I think---and more accepting. One of my goals is to *be* an old person! So, we sat by this big gathering of oldsters, with their canes/walkers/oxygen tanks/replaced hips and knees and who knows what else. We eavesdropped on all of their conversations until we got up to go, and one brave man asked, "Are you girls riding those bikes outside?" and I said, "Yes sir!" and the floodgates opened. Suddenly we had 14 sets of questions, and we were standing on either end of the table talking to the men (who were outnumbered, as usual) and women and telling them about our trip. Since a lot of the people had hearing aids, and since Kami isn't a big talker, and especially not a big "repeat, and talk louder" talker, she made a hasty retreat and left me with them. One of the questions people always ask is "How many of you are there?" I always try to remember to say "Two!" and leave out the modifiers, "just" and "only", because that prejudices the reply. People want to hear more than the two of us---and this guy who asked looked very concerned when I told him it was Kami and I. He put his napkin down and said, "Well!! Harumph!!! Just what did your husbands say about this?" and I started grinning and I told him, "well, we don't have any of those, so nothing!" The ladies all seemed to approve of that answer, but the men weren't too keen on it. It made me smile for the rest of the day.
posted by Laurel @ 3:30 PM
<< Home