Zihuatanejo

Hey everybody! I'm back in Zihuatanejo. It's crazy! Seems like I finished a month ago up in Oklahoma City, or it feels like it never happened. I've had no time to even process the ride. I rested one day, ran errands the next and started the two-day drive back home to Zihuatanejo early Saturday morning because I have too much to do!

I know I left you hanging the other day. Sorry about that. You deserve more information than that. I was just exhausted and busy or vice versa and couldn't bring myself to write. I wasn't even sure WHAT to write. "It's over" seemed appropriate enough. That's all I wanted at the time - for it to be over with. Now I know it has just begun. Maybe the riding is over, but there's still more to do. For one, I rode 2,050 miles and so far through Be The Change, I've only sold 345. My sister-in-law handed me $100 for four more miles right before I left so make that 349 miles sold. I'm hoping some people were just waiting to see if I finished before they would send in their mile money or buy online. I'm seeing a preference for sending it in sooooo....here's what you do:

Make a check or Money Order payable to:

Be The Change

Make sure you write "Z to OKC" in the memo part.

Then send it to:

Be The Change, Inc.

P.O. Box 61238

Oklahoma City, OK 73146

And remember that your charitable contributions are tax-deductible. If you've already given, I thank you. I will eventually get around to personally thanking all who have donated through Be The Change. If you left a way to contact you, I'll send you something. Only give me a couple of weeks because I have two different groups visiting these two weeks. Please help me cover the miles!!!!

You'll also be able to order a t-shirt online soon. Jon is working on that.

We've learned a lot this trip. I personally have learned some things. I'll be writing for the next few weeks about that so don't go away. I'll try to throw together some statistics about the ride as well.

By the way, we're dreaming of connecting this trip to our supporters in the north and northwest, so some of you who were so faithful in your prayers and encouragement might be getting a visit within 12 months. We're dreaming anyway.

More later....meanwhile, buy miles, please!!!!!!

Día 33 - OKC

¡Misión cumplida! Más después...

Day 33 - OKC

Mission accomplished!!!!! More later!

Día 32 - Prague, OK

Rodamos en clima de otoño unos 100 kms. Un recorrido hermoso por los arboles y campo del este del estado de Oklahoma. Nada de viento. Solamente una mañana fresca con mucho sol. Hermoso.

Fue facil a comparación a otros días. Ya mero llego a la meta.

De por si, hoy (30 de septiembre), si Dios quiere, llego a la meta. Debe ser unos 80 kms de Prague al centro de Oklahoma City. Nos estarán esperando muchos amigos para un evento al final del camino. Estoy emocionada.

Ya tengo mis 3,200 kms. Pasé la marca ayer durante el recorrido, pero quiero llegar a la meta final.

YA MERO!!!!

Day 32 - Prague

After breakfast at Julie and Randy Weatherford's, we rode 58 miles today over some pretty country in some very fall-like weather. Finished at around 1:30 p.m. in Prague and had lunch with my high school math teacher and senior year basketball coach, Rick Ruckman. I haven't seen him in probably more than 20 years. We had reconnected through Facebook and then he found out about Z to OKC and was following the trip. When he saw that it was going through Prague, which is only 10 miles from where he lives and works as a superintendent, he said he didn't want to let me go by without seeing me. We ate and talked for more than two hours at the local hamburger joint. It was good!

Ok, folks, today (Sept. 30) is the last day! I've got about 45 miles to ride from Prague into Oklahoma City. I'll be entering OKC on the old highway and then down 23rd to The Paseo, more specifically to Sauced. I should be there around 6 p.m. Jonathan Roberts, founder of Be The Change, will be riding as well.

By the way, I broke the 2,000-mile mark yesterday - 2,006 at the end of yesterday's ride. It's all over but the shoutin'!

Día 31 - Okmulgee (28 de septiembre)

No pude dormir mucho la noche antes de este recorrido porque habia visto en el prognóstico que el viento iba a correr desde la dirección en que rodaba y tenía 190 kms para rodar.

Salí a las 6:30 a.m. y aún a esa hora estaba corriendo el aire. No estaba feliz, pero iba como podía unos 120 kms por la carretera 75 de Durant hacia el noreste. No sabía como iba a recorrer los 70 kms mas para terminar. En este momento llegó Marie Harris. Ella y su esposo visitan Guerrero cada año con un grupo de su iglesia para apoyar a las iglesias en su trabajo. Llegó para acompañarme en el resto del viaje. Su llegada cambió todo. Me jaló el resto del recorrido, rompiendo el aire para que pudiera rodar mas facilmente atrás de ella. Los próximos 70 kms pasaron rápidos para mí porque ella estaba haciendo la mayoria del trabajo en contra el viento. Gracias, Marie!

Antes de terminar, nos paramos en un pueblito que se llama Weleetka. Allí conocí a Norman. Él me vio estirando mi cuello y dijo: "Si vienes 1,900 millas hay de ser algo mal contigo." Estaba refiriendo a todos mis dolores, creo, pero a lo mejor a mi cabeza también. Ya estoy aceptando la idea que estoy medía loca por aventarme así en este viaje. Fue mas dificil que cualquier otro viaje así, pero ya mero termino, entonces si estoy loquita, está bien.

Norman también dijo: "Has tenido un camino bendecido."

Él tenía toda la razón. Lo que dijo fue un golpe para mi porque había estado quejando sobre el viento y las circunstancias que no me estaban ayudando avanzar. Pues, no he estado enferma en ningún momento del viaje; no he pasado por mucha lluvia y en Oklahoma estaba lloviendo mucho una semana antes de llegar para acá y creo que va a empezar a llover de nuevo el jueves, después de llegar; no he tenido ningún problema en el camino aunque un señor me lo juró que me iba a pasar algo en las carreteras de México porque, según él, los mexicanos no saben manejar (él era mexicano). Además he podido ver amigos y conocer mas.

Y precisamente este día cuando pensaba que no podía mas, llegó alguién para jalarme el resto del camino. Dios no calmó el viento, pero proveyó la ayuda necesaria.

Sí, Norman, tienes razón. Me camino ha sido bendecido. Muy bendecido.

Terminando recorrer estabamos con los hermanos de la Primera Iglesia Bautista de Okmulgee, otros amigos que nos visitan en Guerrero. Pasamos la tarde y noche muy bien en su compañia. Sentía en casa con ellos, como siempre cuando este con ellos.

Day 31 - Okmulgee (Sept. 28)

I couldn't sleep much the night before this ride because I had seen the weather report and knew the wind would be coming out of the northeast. I kept waking up thinking about and praying that God would turn it around. I was going to be heading northeast and it would be another day of more than 100 miles. That combination didn't make me happy.

The plan was to get up at 5 a.m. and be on the road by 6 a.m. to beat some of the wind, but as soon as I walked outside, I realized the wind had been up for a while already. Bummer!

I trudged along for 70 miles over the rolling hills up Hwy 75. I had been on the bike more than six hours and I was getting nowhere fast. I had no idea how I was going to cover 40 more miles to the stopping point. That's when Marie Harris showed up. Her husband brought her out from Del City to join me or, more precisely, to pull me in. I drafted behind her the next 40 miles and I was a very happy person!

Before the day's ride was over, however, we made a pit stop in Weleetka. That's where we met Norman. I only talked with him maybe 15 minutes, but I'll probably never forget two things he said.

First, he saw me stretching my neck and said, "Anybody that's ridden 1,900 miles is bound to have something wrong with them." I'm assuming he was talking about aches and pains, but it's probably true on another level as well. I've almost convinced myself through this trip that I'm a bit crazy, but I hope it's still a good crazy.

Norman also said, "Your road has really been blessed."

I started the day mad at the wind and my circumstances, but Marie arrived at just the right time, and really we couldn't have arrived in Oklahoma at a better time because a week or so ago it was raining everyday and Thursday more cold weather and rain is coming, so yeah, it has been blessed. Also I haven't been sick not even one day of the trip. With all the energy expended, my defenses have probably been down somewhat, but not even stomach problems or a sniffle.

And we had no trouble. The guy that swore that something would happen to me if I rode on Mexican roads was proven wrong. Mexican drivers treated me well. Most Texans were pleasant and Oklahoma has been wonderful.

And I even got to see old friends and make new ones on the way. Yes, Norman, my road has been blessed. You couldn't have said it more accurately.

The day ended at the home of Dennis and Janet Taylor. He's pastor of Okmulgee First Baptist Church. A group has been visiting us in Guerrero for several years now. Many of the friends I've made from Okmulgee were there with us. It was a great reception and one of my favorite stops of the trip. I spent the night with Julie and Super Randy. That was cool!!!!