Well, yesterday was a nice day of going to church and resting, but this morning was climbing back on the bike and keeping the miles going. After a day of rain both in Ohio and in Arizona yesterday, it is a beautiful day in Arizona with a high in this area of 67 degrees and partly sunny skies. It was 68 in my basement this morning. Just a great day for a ride. I hope to pick up the pace just a little. My goal this week is to get in 260 miles which should get me close to the state line of New Mexico. Today was a great day on the bike as I road 44.4 miles in 2 hours and 24 minutes for an unbelievable average for me of 18.4 mph. For me to average that, you know it is God, because I have never averaged that before. But this morning I felt strong and just kept rolling. Many things went through my mind this morning sitting on that seat; I thought about a trip my wife and I had last year to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary to Arizona. We ahd the joy of going to the Grand Canyon and this morning I was remembering how awe inspiring that was. God's creation truly is awesome. I thought about how good I really was feeling on the bike and I praise Him for that too. I thought about missing my wife. She is actually in Michigan for two weeks and I really do miss her. But I just kept thinking about how good God truly is. One of my varorite verses is Ps. 34:8, "Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is he who takes refuge in Him." I could not help but think about that as I road along this morning.
I thank everyone who has gotten behind my ride to financial support what I am doing. For those who are just new to the blog. I am riding across the country but in a unique way; on a bike trainer in my basement. Yes, 2200 miles across out country from the seat of my bike in my basement. I am doing it the idea of raising funds to buy a fishing lodge which is for sale in Canada for our ministry - Northern Light Ministries. We do a variety of adventure trips to Canada with church youth groups and inner-city kids, men's groups and other types of trips. You can check us out at our website at - northernlightministries.org. You will find there also how you could contribute to the purchase of this lodge whcih would increase our opportunity to impact lives for Christ many times over with the facility that we will br buying, but we need your help. Would  you consider sponsering my ride for so much a mile - whatever you can afford.
It was neat this morning riding through the little towns of Brenda, Hope, Harcuvar, and Salome. A couple of these obviously have Biblical connections. Paul, in Phil. 3:14 says, "I press on toward the goal for the prize..."  What is your idea of a prize? I can cojure up all sorts of ideas of prizes I would think would be pretty amazing to win. A new car or a boat would be nice or some other financial type prize. But that is not what God's word says is the prize. The prize is "the upward call of God." Tomorrow I would like to share a story with you that is not one of my shining moments in my life but I think it will illustrate why this is such a prize. But the prize here is one that not everybody wins. It is for a select few answer the "call" of God. Have a great day.