Tandem nation

Krystal Goodwin, Michael Tiemeyer
FCBA cyclists and newlyweds

After a considerably hard day riding against all sorts of winds on Wednesday, the incredible warm welcome at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church provided an appreciated reprieve.  Pastor Corinne Thul and members of the congregation in Logan, Utah filled our bellies and our ragged spirits with genuine comfort. 

Waking up to a fresh bagel assortment from Einstein Bros. Bagels on Thursday morning made the early start much more enjoyable.  We looked forward to any positive change in the weather as we faced another 80+ mile day into Salt Lake City.  Fortune smiled on us.  After a comparably small climb (at this point we cheer at a pass of lower elevation than that we conquered through Steven’s Pass) out of the greater Logan area, it seemed all downhill.  The sky was clear, the birds were chirping, the smell of blooming lilacs were in the air, the lead riders chalk marked the roads well, we seemed to have enough good snacks at all of the rest stops … ahhhh, a very nice day to ride.  One last hill to conquer, leading up to Wasatch Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City and then we were “home” again for the next two nights.  Jill Stephenson and Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks of Wasatch PC proved to be such gracious hosts.

Everyone safely making it in, we joined in an appreciation of our week’s challenges and appreciation for upcoming day off of the saddles.  Grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner never tasted so good!  We were able to stock up on some essential groceries from a nearby discount supermarket, make some bike shop errands, clean out the van and trailer and several FCBA riders ventured into downtown Salt Lake to explore this host city. 

“Tandem Nation”, as Michael and I are now called, sat in for an interview with Terri Maddox from my hometown newspaper, The Belleville News Democrat.  How exciting – it appears to be building as a feature article about how we are spending our honeymoon on a tandem bicycle for this non-profit adventure! 

We were able to welcome some fresh legs in our new segment riders; Emily, Melissa and Brett.  Tom Weber was also a wonderful addition to our crew, having significantly recovered enough from our van/trailer accident last month to now re-join us.  Finally Tom, we have been praying for you!!!  Scott landed us some Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure logo’ed magnets to display on the support van, donated by Karen and Ric Anderson at Sign-A-Rama in Salt Lake City.  They look great and add some official legitimacy to our new van.  The Fuller Center cyclist volunteers shared a meal with Wasatch PC members, introducing them to the mission and aspects of The Fuller Center for Housing.  Jonas worked on our bikes with surgical precision and patience as I introduced some riders to the healing properties of kinesiotape to prepare us for our next ride.  These cyclists didn’t realize their bodies had so many muscles.

As we wind down on this off day in Salt Lake City, we prepare for yet another pass through some significant elevation in the mountains tomorrow.   Send us good wishes to continue traveling forward, as we have more work to do in the next town-spreading the message of hope for ending poverty housing.      

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