Written by: Dan Zazzick
Another day on the ride. Where did we start? Where are we going? Day after day the details blend together. It’s amazing how something so filled with memorable events, people, and landscapes can smash together and create confusion in my brain. But each day we rise, we ride, and we sleep. Now almost three weeks into the ride to routine is set and the pattern is understood. The variations come in the miles, the climbs, the views, the churches, and of course the meals.
I had the great opportunity to experience this ride first in 2012. It was my first ride with the Fuller Center and I was unsure of what to expect. I was also unsure of my own ability as a cyclist. Now here I am, five years later, riding down some of the same roads and sleeping on some of the same floors as I did in 2012. Some things have stayed the same. The hills are just as tall and my legs get just as tired. My muscles still ache and there are still plenty of bananas at the rest stops. But many things are different now. A whole new crew of friends to ride with. New routes to explore, and new churches to sleep in, wearing orange and telling whoever will listen about our ride and our efforts to eliminate poverty housing.
This has been a trip of familiarity and brand new experiences. And I love it just the same if not more. The West Coast is dramatically beautiful and I could likely ride this coast again and again finding new sights and sounds to take in and admire. The FCBA rides keep bringing me back with the opportunity to experience our beautiful country and help folks out along the way. The days may be long and the miles many, but when I stand at the top of a climb and look out over the mountains, the struggle and pain of the ascent slips away. Peace and awe fills my mind for a brief moment before I dive down the hills – eager to climb again.
