Anticipation

Our PALM application was filled out and sent by my niece in SD.  We knew it arrived on Jan 14 around 10:30 AM.  PALM filled in one day this year,  but we didn't know if we are in or not.  What we know is that PALM is at smaller schools this year, this  means less flexibility on how many riders, over the usual 750 riders, would be accepted.   Last year anyone who had their application postmarked on the day after the apps were available was in, we weren't sure that was the situation this year.  It's possible they could even look at the postmark times, to see who gets in.

Meanwhile, the Lord provided us with a driver for the camper.  So grateful for this, it will make things so much easier.   A fellow who we know through another friend is willing to pull the camper from school to school.  Our trailer only sleeps 4, and we have 4 riders, so he will borrow our tent and one of our cots.  We are splitting the cost of paying him with my niece.

The camper can't be at the next school before noon each day, and the drivers will  go on a separate route from the riders.  We plan to have Roger, our driver, have the trailer parked, and set up when we get in.  Hopefully it won't be as hot as last year, but if it is, he can open the windows and run the fan to cool it down.  We won't have any place to plug in, so not sure if we will use the fridge, it is not a 3 way, just  electric.  In looking at the  riding route, I think there is at least 1 day that there will be no place to stop for lunch.  We will have food with us, so we can pack our lunch that day.  Also no concerns about packing up a wet tent, or getting flooded out, no gear to haul twice a day.  Life will be easier, for sure.

Hopefully our son-in-law will help us get the bikes to Norton shores.  Not sure yet, how we will get them back from Luna Pier. Our trailer has no place to put a bike holder and our trike wouldn't fit in one anyway.  We will have our car there, so won't need to take the bus, but we may need to transport the bikes in the truck if no one is available to pick us up. The ride ends on a Friday, so it could be challenging to get someone to come and pick us up, plus it is clear on the other side of the state.  If my Niece's hubby comes the last day or 2 he can bring the cargo trailer and pick us up, like he did last year, that worked out great.   If we need to use the PALM truck to get our bikes back, we will have to pay the bus fee of $46.00 per person.

So many logistics to work out, but many months to  do it.....if we get accepted on the tour.

I'm on my last week of keeping my foot elevated above my heart for 40 minutes of every hour, so lots of time to think about what needs to be done.  We are in the grips of winter, with single digit temps predicted the next few days, and it may even get below zero.  Some of the Plains states, already are at those frigid temperatures.  Fortunately, the  cloud cover from Lake Mi insulates us from the worst of  bitter winter air, to some degree.  Having lived in Bemidji MN, ND, SD, and IA,  during my growing up years, I often tell Tony that MI folks don't even know what cold is.  I remember many times when it might not get above zero for a week or 2.  Some days were too cold for outside recess. We had some cold walks to the bus stop, and we weren't allowed to wear pants or jeans to school.  In grade school we would wear pants under our dresses and take them off when we got to school.  Of course no one did that in high school.  Mini skirts might have looked cute, but did nothing to keep legs warm.  What a price to pay for fashion.  I'm far too practical to do that now.

An friend in WA that we know through an online biking forum, along with many others, is also hoping to ride PALM.  Each year 200-300 riders don't make it, we are hoping that we will not be among them.

Yesterday our anticipation ended.  We found out that all applications postmarked Jan 14, 2013 are accepted.  Praise the Lord!  With God's help, we will be riding PALM.  We are very excited.  Spring, please come soon, well as soon as my feet are ready to ride.

Is PALM in our future?

January 9, 2013

My first entry of the year, and although we are still closed for winter I thought I would update you all on what is going on. 

In October I had surgery to remove a bunion on my left foot.  Things went well until day 5 of my recovery, then instead of getting better, the pain seemed to get worse.  Little men with knives set up camp in my big toe and took turns tormenting me.  After a few days they became bored and left, only to be replaced by little men with stun guns who had random wars in my foot.  About 5 weeks after my surgery, my doctor decided I was allergic to the internal sutures in my foot.  His solution was to give me a very painful shot, right in the little men's camping spot.  This did not make them or me, very happy. They took it as a direct threat to seize territory and fought back with a vengeance.  The doctor, who had never met the little warriors,  said it would feel much better in 48 hours.  Sure enough, 2 days later the pain from the injection was gone, but the pain and swelling that had been an issue were still there, along with the little men, who thankfully were having war less and less.  By week 6 my doctor decided that not only was I allergic to the internal sutures, but also to the 2 titanium screws he had used.  Surgery for the right foot was scheduled for Dec 26, 2012.  A plan was made to use different sutures and different screws this time around, so reluctantly I went ahead with the surgery.  

I am 2 weeks into my recovery and things have actually been getting better each day, instead of worse and the little men must have found other entertainment, as they have not arrived at my door step.  The Right foot is still very  tender and will have to have the screws removed.  That is a minor procedure since the foot will then be healed enough that the screws will not need to be replaced.  It can be done on a Friday and my Monday, I should be up and about.  We won't schedule that until the left foot has healed.  

In October Tony and I had decided we weren't going to ride PALM 2013 because we didn't know if my feet would be up to doing the training miles needed.  Then the itinerary for the ride came out.  Very enticing and the ride goes through the town where our daughter and her family live.  What a shame such a good route and we weren't going to ride.  

 Entries for Pedal Across Lower Michigan(aka PALM)  will be available online on Jan 13th.  If it is like previous years, it will be full by Jan 14th.    Mileage is reasonable,  with the longest day being 57 miles, of course there will be some hills.  Weather, as usual,  is not guaranteed. So far we have endured the wettest PALM ever and several days of grueling heat, hills and cycle hating traffic.  The dates are June 22-28, 2013

Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
Norton Shores	Grandville	Lake Odessa	Dansville	Manchester	Petersburg	Luna Pier
Approx Mileage	46	46	57	50	40	30
W/Optional Mileage	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	None

More discussion  between Tony and I on whether or not we should do the ride.  Once again we decided not too.  There is all the hauling of gear to and from the truck, setting up and taking down the tent.  Although Tony is willng to help and does what he can, much of the responsibility falls on my shoulders.   Would I be up to that after a day of riding?   We checked to see what the cancellation fees were.  The fees were $15.00 per person.  That wasn't so much to risk.  Our hearts wanted to ride, we just didn't know how my feet would be by spring.  Swelling is a big issue after bunion surgery and can be for 6-9 months.  Needing to be reminded of why I had this surgery in the first place, I had already tried my biking sandal on my swollen foot, and it did fit, at least I would be able to get biking shoes on ,and since during much of the ride my feet are in a recumbent position and not down, that might help with the swelling, some.  So many things to think about and consider. 

Then we began to think about taking our little camping trailer.  

Since we don't know anyone enthused enough about this ride to be a volunteer driver, we would have to hire one. If all we had to worry about was riding and not dealing with the tent and gear, it would be  much easier,  and if I had a day or 2 when I wasn't able to ride, we would have a comfortable place to rest and hang out. Purchasing the meal plan meant we wouldn't have to mess with cooking or clean up.   Finding someone who would be willing to drive the trailer from school to school each day, might be a challenge. They would be on their own each day while we rode and would need to have their own sleeping arrangements, likely a tent. Not many seniors want to sleep in a tent and I wouldn't trust our car and trailer to just any college student.  I called my niece in SD to see if she and her daughter were going to ride.

  She told she didn't think they were.  

About 2 weeks later she called me back and said she thought they were going to do the tour.  My heart began to beat faster and by the end of the conversation, my palms were sweaty.  As we discussed it more, we  talked about using the trailer and splitting the cost of hiring a driver.  It would be well worth the extra money to know we had a comfortable place to sleep. 

  We each agreed to pray about it and get back to each other.  Tony and I prayed about it and put word out that we might be looking for a driver.  After we followed up on a few false leads, a friend of ours told us he thought he knew of someone who might be interested.  We talked to the gentleman, a retired senior and he agreed to do be our "trailer puller."  Our driver is a friend of a friend and someone that we do know, better yet he is a Christian, so we will have someone  else praying for us each day as we ride.

I called up my niece and we decided it was a go.  We will register and see if we get accepted. 

So here we are, 5 days before registration, once again, hoping and praying that we will have our app in on time to be accepted, remembering that each year the ride is usually full within 48 hours.   In the end it is in the Lord's hand.  Perhaps he will give us a chance to ride and share and live our faith as we face the daily challenges this tour presents. We have many wonderful friends and memories of last years ride, would love to add to those.

 In the end, we want what he wants. 

Sadly our friends Jeff and Kiersten Baker who rode with us for the past 2 years, would not be able to join us.  

In September Jeff was diagnosed with leukemia.  He is now on his 3rd round of chemo.  We are praying that he will be in remission soon, so he can receive a bone marrow transplant.  After much prayer and some donor drives, God has graciously provided 3 matching donors.   Even as I write this Jeff and Kiersten are at the U of M seeing a specialist.  In light of all they are facing, this ride  and it's challenges, seem like a trivial thing.   Please keep he and Kiersten in your prayers.  They are leaning on the Lord and each other to get them through this.   If you want to follow their journey, here is a link to Jeff's CarePage.  

http://www.carepages.com/carepages/JeffBaker/updates/3451803?client_code=spectrumhealth&ipc=mur

As always thanks for letting us share a piece of our life with you,  and for your prayers.