THE GREAT ESCAPE

This past Saturday I rode my last fully loaded training ride before my departure Sept. 3rd. I wanted to test the cargo one more time. Next Saturday is going to be pretty busy so it was now or never. I had everything balanced pretty good I think. The bike performed well. I weighed all the bags, the bike and the water the night before. The bike itself weighs in at about 45 pds. The cargo weighed 59 pds. and the five bottles of water around 11 pds. So, the Pilgrim will be laden with 70 pds. of stuff most the time. That weight will fluctuate a little as I go. Some food will be eaten but then replenished. Some media items handed out but then restocked at the half way point of the trip again.

I rode my normal training ride from my house to Woodson, then to Franklin, back to Woodson, then home, 46 miles total. I was surprised that it really didn’t take me much longer than I normally do it unloaded with the same bike. But, I was a little more tired of course.

My final hill coming into my hometown is pretty steep and I normally go right up it (usually panting) but I had a line of cars behind me and was just too tired this time. Half way up the hill there is a road to the left that goes into the town cemetery. It’s my way of escape in these situations. It has just a slight incline but mostly level and dumps me back out on the main highway just past the top of the hill. I took it.

Here are a few pictures from the route. I know…..some of them might make you squeamish, I’m sorry.




I normally see more dead frogs, turtles and birds, and a lot of possums, but I decided to spare you their photos. You might think the looks of them smashed on the road is bad, but you ought to try riding by them at 12 miles per hour and having to smell them! Yuck! But, there’s no getting around it (or them) when you’re traveling by bike. Plus, any picture of a dead snake is a good picture as far as I’m concerned.

Anytime I’m riding down a road I constantly have to be on the defensive and be looking for avenues of escape in case I get in a bad situation. That happened Saturday. I was getting ready to drop down over a steep hill and there was a car following me that wanted to pass (even though he was in a no passing zone). I could see, even though he could not, that there was another vehicle coming up the hill and that we all three were going to meet. To my right I approached a gravel entrance to a stock barn. Here was my way of escape. As the oncoming vehicle topped the hill I pointed to it, so the rear car could see it coming, then, I bailed off to the right and into the adjoining entrance. Everything turned out fine because I kept my cool and didn’t try and remain on the road in harm’s way.

As a Christian, it’s nice to have the assurance that God gives us, in that He will always offer us a way of escape when temptations come our way. We don’t always take the escape route because we think we know best or we want our will to be done instead of God’s will. Satan knows our weaknesses and will capitalize on them if we let him. But, God promises a way out and we need to keep our cool and turn to Him for help in those times. I’ve been hard headed and not taken the escape route before. We all live and learn but in many instances it is far better to learn and live.

I Cor. 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”