I am so grateful for my Dad and all his preparation to make this trip possible! This was the largest group he has led on a trip this long. He took care of prepping all our bikes before we left and kept them in working order on the way. He also understood the camper and figured out solutions to anything Lil wasn’t able to tackle. The awning and the slide out didn’t always cooperate, and we clogged the toilet a few times. There were also a few tripped breakers and blown fuses. He made sure I had a charged battery every time I got on the e-bike. He lined up the bikes and locked them every night. Then each morning he had them lined up and ready to jump on and go. He also jumped in and helped Mom several times with laundry. He shouldered the weight of responsibility for the trip. I KNOW I don’t know half of what he did to make this trip happen. But I do know it was a true sacrifice of love for his family!
Eight years ago I was in Mom and Lil’s shoes, so I know that their role was actually more taxing than getting on the bike everyday and pedaling. Before the trip even began, Mom was preparing menus, making food, and packing supplies.
A typical day would start with the bikers leaving the campground in the morning and Mom and Lil set to work. They pulled in the awning, swept the mat, folded up the mat, flushed the black water, flushed the gray water, washed any dishes, swept the floor, pulled up the jacks, put away lawn chairs and the folding table, took out the garbage, pulled in the slide out, unhooked the electric and the plumbing, gathered anything we left behind, and made sure Dixie was in the RV. All this by 7 or 7:30 am. They would usually stop for ice, water, and more bananas before meeting us for breakfast. After breakfast they would locate a good place for a morning water refill or they kept going to find a good spot for lunch. They usually had the chairs and table out with food waiting when we pulled in. After lunch they would put it all away, clean the dishes, prep for supper, and call ahead to the campground pick for the evening. Often they would give us a water break in the afternoon. Upon our arrival at the campground, we’d usually find the slide out out, the welcome mat down, the lawn chairs in place, the hookups hooked up, the RV leveled, and supper in the roaster. But it didn’t end there. After supper was served and cleaned up, laundry was done and showers taken and suddenly it’s 9 or 10 or later. Somewhere in those busy days they also found time to have good conversations and keep encouraging us. Lil’s posters were a hit. We looked forward to what she would pull out each day. They also took lots of pics and notes to document our trip, filled the RV with gas, kept the frig stocked, and on 2 occasions picked us up at the end of a long day and returned us to our starting point the next morning. I know I speak for all of us when I say, “You are truly amazing!” Your sacrificial service made our ride possible. We are so grateful!
I in particular am so thankful to you, Dad, Mom, and Lil so I could participate in this trip as a rider. It means so much to me to have achieved this dream 2 years after my cancer diagnosis. I feel like this accomplishment is the beginning of the next season of my life, with cancer BEHIND me.
All thanks truly goes to God for His servants, His provision, and His protection!!
