Day 1:  Well, I am on the road. At 6:05 this morning, I was dipping my my feet in genuine Pacific Ocean Water and thinking about how beautiful those San Diego area beaches must be like. I thank Jason and Kelli for sending the water to me from just north of the San Diego area. It is suppose to be partly cloudy and 60 degrees there today. Just a great day for riding my bike. It is neat because my basement was 61 degrees this morning as I had a word of prayer, hopped on my bike and began my trek "across our land." I have dreamed about doing this for many years and as far as I am concerned it is now coming to fruition. Or at least as close as I may ever get.
An hour into the ride I felt good and was working to memorize Phil. 2:1 - 5. I think I could ride today just on adrenaline. I was really excited about this trip. My Trek 1000 was riding great, everything is set perfectly for the most comfort I could have on the seat of a bike. Felt good at the two hour mark; averaging 13.1 miles per hour (you can see I don't ride very fast) and was still flying high. So at the 2 hour and 44 minute mark and 36.5 miles later, I decided I better get going to other things I have to accomplish for the day. I think that is a good first day. Based on my calculations, I came out of San Diego heading a little northeast and rode past Mesa and then got on an unmarked rode (on the map) heading toward the town of Ramona. It's a town of a little over 20,000 people, which I am guessing most work in the San Diego area. One site my "guide" said was well worth seeing was the Guy B. Woodward Museum built in 1886. My ride took me just about a mile east of town on route SR 78. As I rode today, working on memorizing Phil. 2:1-5 (I hope to have it by the end of the week), I couldn't help but think about verse 1, "Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? NLT. Of course the answer to all of those questions is yes, yes, yes, and yes. I am sure during this trek I will need some encouragement. I know I can go to Christ for it and maybe he will use some of you to do that. His love for us is all about comfort. If you have never felt it, that says more about your side of the relationship you have with him that His. We can have fellowship with the Spirit any time. He indwells those who know Christ as Savior. Paul asks us in those three questions about our relationship with the Lord and if we have known the encouragement, love, and fellowship that comes with knowing Him. But the last question is on our parts and we have to search our hearts for the answer. See if we havn't experienced the encouragement, love and fellowship maybe it is because our hearts are not tender and compassionate to the things of the Lord and that we might have to grow in those areas. The Lord is already teaching me much on my ride.