These sweet lovelies came to see me off this morning. FIRST thing! Ovarian cancer survivors (the woman on my left is a 38 year survivor!) and supporters, they arrived, armed with teal feather boas and a video camera and good questions. The sun rose over those fragrant eucalyptus trees and we talked about riding and surviving and persisting in the face of chemotherapy or miles and miles of uphill, bumpy roads.
Before I left Asheville I had a Reiki session with a friend and told her that I was not sure I was doing the right thing by leaving my business and my home and my friends and my life to go gallivanting around on my red Trek. She said I would find signs to tell me I WAS doing the right thing. She said, "Your spirit guides will tell you. They especially like to show themselves in the form of pennies and feathers."
Ha!
Here they are.
Today was hot and our group split for the first time. Some went to the Desert botanical Gardens to see a Chihuly glass exhibit. Some came right to the hotel. I rode to the gardens and breezed through. It was crowded and I was hot and just not in the mood so I left and was completely alone for the ride back here. Well, I did pass one other rider at one point and ran across, and rode with another for a little while. But it felt good to be alone for a change. Sort of scary but not really. Phoenix is laid out on a grid system and so its just a matter of pedaling south for a while and then east for a while and then south for a while and then east for a while.
And now I'm here. Tired and hot still, but stopped.
And yes, still thinking about the women who got up so early to meet me today. One of them is a bigwig in the Phoenix ovarian survivors group. She's a 22 year survivor and so I now have TWO women ahead of me in this odd game. I'll see Annette again in Washington this summer. By then I will have ridden to Florida. Still amazes me.
Cheers to you all.
Tomorrow we head into the mountains. Last year the riders were not allowed to ride this part, because there was too much snow. Right now it is snowing in Albuquerque. Not sure what that means for us, but I'll probably dig out the warmer duds for the mountain days.
Onward we go.
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3 comments:
I'm having a ball following your bike adventure. My folks live in Phoenix and by know your further to the east. Go Laurey!!!!!
Darr
I meant, now instead of know, and you're instead of your. I had my dog on my lap while typing and goofed up. Anyway, ride on Laurey.
Wow, Laurey! Thanks for the posts from the road - how exciting! This is a dream of mine - to ride cross country. I enjoyed meeting you last fall at a wedding you catered but now you are an inspiration and I will continue to follow your blogs! Thanks!
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