Week 7

I missed my Sunday night update, which I was hoping never to miss. But by the time I actually had time, I was too tired to stay up and write.

Monday I left Steamboat Springs, which was possibly the most beautiful town I’ve been to, and climbed Rabit Ears Pass, which was the hardest ride I’ve ever done. I drank all my water in the first 7 miles, and had 43 miles in the Rockies without water in my bottles. So I pulled out my lifestraw and drank lake water. That day was probably my hardest day of riding, but I made it to Kremmling, and treated myself to a brownie sunday and hot chocolate. Monday also marked my second flat tire.

Tuesday I left Kremmling, and was officially back on the TransAm route, after about 1000 miles off of it. I put on my rain gear, since rain was predicted most of the week. Again, just lots of climbing. Passed a nice lake though. I camped by another lake near Silverthorne, with one old friend and one new friend. We stayed up and shared bike stories, and worryingly checked the weather. It didn’t rain that night, though.

Wednesday was a short ride, and I got a bed at a hostel to stay out of the worst of the rain. I’m sure it could be ridden through, but I am not experienced at riding over 10,000 feet in a thunderstorm. 7,000 feet in a thunderstorm was bad enough for me. Met up with a British long distance hiker doing the same as me, and we talked most of the day. The windows shook with thunder all night, so I wa shappy to be inside.

Thursday I summited the highest point of this trip, and started my descent wet and numb. I rode through more of the rockies, met a nice puppy who cleaned my face for me, and camped in the woods.

Friday, after about 8 days climbing up the rockies, I started my long, but speedy, downhill. It was a great ride down. A nice reward. Then I got down to the foothills, where it was back uphill again, but with much different scenery. I met a nice couple who let me sleep in their camper van in their backyard, and made me dinner and breakfast. They had a great dog, too.

Saturday I rode to Puebo, which is the halfway point of this trip. I washed my bike, and made it out to camp by the river. I am completely suprised that I’ve made it this far.

Sunday I made it to the plains. I’ve now got about 500 miles or so of flat grass to ride through. Looking forward to the challenges ahead.

I spent the week with really just one thought. I was really busy dealing with the climbs and insane traffic, that I didn’t have a lot of time to reflect.

In that day the Lord God of hosts

called for weeping and mourning,

for baldness and wearing sackcloth;

and behold, joy and gladness,

killing oxen and slaughtering sheep,

eating flesh and drinking wine.

“Let us eat and drink,

for tomorrow we die.”

The Lord of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:

“Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,”

says the Lord God of hosts

Isaiah 22:12-14

In this section, the people had been warned that they would be attacked and killed soon. They mocked the prophet who warned them, and misused the wisdom of Solomon to hand wave away the warning of coming judgement. The same thing happens all the time now, as well. We have a tiny, puny, short number of years on earth. And as for me, I waste most of them. I have such a short time to cultivate my spirit, and how often have I wasted that time? Have I prayed as much as I have played video games, or listened to music, read books, watched TV or movies? When I die, will it matter what fictional character slept with which other fictional character’s wife? How often I wake up and my mocking attitude is the same. “Today I am lonely, I will fill the hours with mindless entertainment, or in being envious of what another man has.” The satisfaction is so short lived. Who am I to call out any other person, when I have spent less time in life cultivating a relationship with the Creator than I have in almost every other pursuit? What other activity in life leads to lasting joy than prayer? How can my life be an example to the lost and hurting people if I live my life in pursuit of my own pleasures and comforts? Jesus said it best:

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Mark 8:34-38

Life is so short and meaningless here. I mean, the physical aspects are meaningless. They all pass away when you die, and you can hold on to them as well as you can catch the wind. And I guess what I’ve been wondering is why I still try? I wish I could communicate how strong this feels to me. I wish I could help each person reading this feel as strongly as I do. I hope you consider what I am trying to say.

Here are a few pictures. There should be about 90 total, but I am having trouble uploading right now. When I find a place with WiFi, I will upload the full set. Lots of pretty pictures of the Rockies, so check back some other time for everything together.