Rolling Support Group

What a day we had Sunday! It was my last day to ride before my surgery and the long recovery that will follow, so we set out to make the most of it. Had my "rolling support group", who has been pushing me out on the trails since my chemo/radiation treatment, come over to do a "church ride". We rode from the house to church, attended a very moving service, and then set out for a Sunday ride, Pastor included! He had to be thrilled as the crew found different ways to incorporate his Sunday message throughout our ride! 

One of our friends in the congregation, who is a big road rider and an Ironman, decided to accept our offer to hit the trails on a mountain bike. So we had good sized group on the ride and thoroughly enjoyed the 80 degree day in the shade of Marshall Canyon. This is my home track, just outside my door, but for some reason, the trail had a much different look yesterday. It was much more peaceful and the trees were really beautiful. We kept a good pace, but perhaps that allowed me to see more of this trail than my normal ride. Maybe it was the company I was with. Or the earlier message that spoke of Peace. At that moment, I really didn't care why, I just wanted to appreciate something that I won't see again for a many weeks.


A few scrapes and bloody knees later (no, not me - I've been especially careful not to fall with my tube!), we finished a great ride and returned to the house to enjoy a few beers and Murph's famous trail tacos (I know, they're only famous in my mind!). That's really why I ride - for the post-ride camaraderie. I toasted to a great "last ride", which got everyone's attention - meaning the last one before surgery, of course! I've ridden my mountain bike with a separated shoulder while one arm was still in a sling - if that didn't stop me, surely cancer won't put the brakes on my desire to ride.

But the casual conversation on the patio turned into a bike clinic when two of my buddies tore apart Pastor's 20-year old bike to overhaul it. Three hours later, it looked like a new bike - and certainly functioned a lot better. He was thrilled that the creaks were gone and his bike was all cleaned up. But the bike was still 20 years old, so with a brief moment of discussion, that should have taken place 3 hours earlier, we jumped online, pooled our resources and bought him a brand new bike. Could have saved all that repair and cleaning with a few keystrokes earlier!! Now I'm afraid this guy is going to be too fast for me when I get back on the bike following my recovery! But I can't think of someone who will appreciate a "new ride" more than he will. That's what friends do for each other.

What a great day, what a great way to segue into my prep week for surgery. God, friends and family - that's really all we need. I was lucky to have a day filled with them!