Day 2: The Ride to Shady Grove!

By: Diane Bies

Today started with a simple breakfast before church service at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, our host for the weekend.  We were welcomed, prayed for, and treated to a social time after the service was over.  When we were ready to ride out the pastor blessed our bikes and prayed for us and our success.  Then we headed out to the Trace in the rain.

As we rode along we were treated to more wild turkeys crossing the road and more daffodils in bloom.  In spite of the rain, it was beautiful.  Our wonderful sag drivers had a great spread set up for us at a restroom/shelter on the Trace.  Our hearts were light, at least those of the returning riders, as we knew we were headed to Shady Grove United Methodist Church for the night.
 

In spite of the rain, no one had any accidents or f**t tires today.  Everyone made it in safely.  Coffee and banana bread were waiting for us when we arrived soaking wet, then off to warm showers in the parishioners’ homes.  When we all got settled back at the church we had another delicious Shady Grove meal and fellowship time with the parishioners. 

The team is really starting to gel and service is definitely the mood of the group.  Ben and Matt Rivers helped get some of the bikes upstairs to the “overnight bike storage”.  Then they lubed all the chains and wiped down all the rims to assure us a safe day tomorrow.  Dan Hepp put up the clothes line again to help dry some of the many wet clothes. Several people helped stuff newspaper into wet bike shoes to help them dry.  It was a great time of working for the good of the group instead of just taking care of oneself. 

The day was even more special as we celebrated Ky Matthews birthday by singing happy birthday before church, after church, and again after dinner.  Then Jack Hughes, because he “is the most senior member in the group”, stated that this is the most giving church he has ever seen in his life and will be the most giving church he has ever seen in his life.  Then he made a proclamation that this day is now a national holiday to recognize Shady Grove United Methodist Church congregation as the best host for the Fuller Center Bicycle Adventures ever.