#38 Pedal for People

Biking 20 miles was hardly what I had in mind for #38.....this was a compromise but sometimes life is about compromises.

Doing a bike ride is what started this whole "List" thing to begin with. You see, in June of 2009, I heard about this bike ride called "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride - Lake Tahoe". It is a 72 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe is such a beautiful place that when I heard about this ride I decided I had to do it. I thought to myself, if I can do this ride, well then I can do anything, so maybe I should challenge myself?! Maybe I should use my parents idea of doing 40 things in a year (they do it for big anniversary celebration years) and count the ride as one......and thus, "the list" was born.

So last year for my birthday I purchased myself a bike with the intention of getting ready for this ride in June......but life had other plans.

Some of you may know that in December my father was diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer. At the time of his diagnosis he was very sick. Even though the ride is in June, you have to register for America's Most Beautiful Ride on January 1st and pay $100 for the ride and it tends to sell out quickly. Due to the curve ball that had been thrown at my family, I had no idea what 6 months down the road would hold for us and the thought of traveling so far away when things were so up in the air, well I decided that perhaps I should look for a ride closer to home.

The benefit of looking for a ride here in Rochester was then I could rope one of my friends (Ms. M)--my ever faithful sidekick, into participating with me. So we decided to do the 40 mile option for the Tour de Cure for Diabetes in Rochester in June.....well, that WAS the plan.

Until, I came home from Ethiopia in late April after being sick in Ethiopia with lingering respiratory illness that lasted 3 weeks and joint pains that lasted months. I felt SO terrible that there was no way I could train and be ready for the first week in June. So we searched for another option.

Pedal for People http://www.pedalforpeople.com/ was a perfect option! It is a flexible charity ride where I set up the ride, the distance, the location, the team, the sponsors.....it just had to be over Labor day weekend and then the monies raised went to the Clean Water Fund for World Vision. Perfect! So I decide that I am going to do 40 miles (for my 40 years of course) on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

Until 7/3 I fell in a hole and injured my foot. The injury was severe enough that I had complications and require surgery in September.....So I can't walk at all. The good news? Believe it or not, it does not really hurt to bike.....the bad news? I don't realize this until my leg is so deconditioned that there is NO way I can do 40 miles. SOOOOOOO, I got out on a bike a bit and probably the max I had ever ridden was 10 miles (which is the maximum I have ever ridden bad or good leg!).

The forecast for labor day weekend was Saturday-rains and high winds, Sunday morning rain, Monday beautiful. So we decide to post-pone our ride until Monday morning. Monday morning I get up, and at first the sun is shining and I think hallelujah.......but the sun quickly vanishes and as I am packing things up the clouds roll in and as I drive to meet Ms. M light rain it sprinkling on my car.

Now, I've already decided even though it is cool (its only 60) and slightly raining I'm going. THIS IS THE ONE THING ON THE LIST I HAVE TO DO! No matter what. Even if she follows me in the car and I have to do it alone, I have to do this, I don't know why but I know I must. But I got to her house and her attitude was great, she said....we have biked in the rain before, its no problem. And you know, it WAS no problem, because just as we got outside, the rain stopped!

We had someone drop us and our bikes in the village of Spencerport to start our ride. We then rode along the canal path the entire time. We stopped near the midway point for a refill on water and a little rest (our ride met us with supplies) and then we stopped at Ms. M's house--she lives off the canal for pit stop and then our final destination was Shoen Place, Pittsford where my Odometer clicked the 20 mile mark and we celebrated with lunch at Aladdins.

The weather was perfect. It was not sunny, so you did not have to worry about the sun beating down on you making you hot. It was cool, but not cold so we were comfortable in our light windbreakers and pants. Honestly, what I thought was "crummy" weather ended up being rather pleasant biking weather. The ride along the canal was beautiful in spots and it was nice to see the areas that I had never been to before.

I am proud of myself for riding 20 miles despite the foot injury. And as a friend pointed out to me, if Ms. M rode 20 and I rode 20, well there is the 40 that I needed for my list! I wish I had ridden further, but I guess that is something I will have to strive to do when I'm 40.

This process that enforced that I have what it takes to persevere in the face of adversity when it comes to something that is important to me. For I know........"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5

#36 Kayaking on the Bay

I had planned to go Kayaking some time this summer, but had not gotten to it before my injury. I figured that I was healed enough to go with ADK younger members group who planned an evening out on the Irondequoit Bay.

The weather forecast was sketchy with "possible rain" , but the sun was out so the group decided that it would hold out for our paddle.

I hobbled into the Kayak and my friend and I started to paddle. At the beginning it was very peaceful and it did not seem too difficult, but soon I started to feel it in my arms. I thought, I would be able to do it easily due to being on crutches so long, but thatcrutching uses different muscles.

Kayaking uses your whole body, including your legs, which I don't have right now so I had to really use my upper body. After awhile I started to get fatigued and we still had a bunch to go. While we were heading back, the clouds started to roll in. People were paddling really strongly and I'm dying! Then we started to hear thunder and see lightening off in the distance.....paddle harder....then just when we were almost to shore the sky opened up and the rain poured down!

Next time, I think it would be better to kayak with only few friends, where I could go slower and at my own pace. It was too much pressure to be with a group where people were MUCH better than me and I had to struggle to keep up. Also, I will have to wait until I have a fully functioning body!

#35 Star Gazing

One thing I have never done before is to take the time and really "look up" to the stars. All summer, I have been waiting to do this, and it never seems to work with my schedule (or any one else's) or the sky is not clear enough.

But today, I decided rather last minute to go to the "Star Party" sponsored by the Rochester Astronomy Club , http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/ . I texted different friends to see if they could join me on this adventure, but alas many were already either tucked in for the night or were already out and about so I decided to fly solo for the night.

The "Star Party" was at Northampton Park and I got there around 10pm (which if you know me, is about bedtime!). They had a bunch of the really large telescopes available to look into and people from the club would find things to look at in the sky and tell you all about them.

They showed us many different globular clusters, Nebulae, Andromeda, Jupiter and for the first time I had the Milky Way pointed out to me (and it was visible too!). My Favorite, was the Swan Nebula (see above)....it really is shaped like a Swan!

While they were talking and people were taking turns looking in the telescopes we all kept our eyes to the sky as it was a special evening full of the Perseid Meteor Showers. Some were so bright it was almost like a firework and it left a trail in the sky.

It was a peaceful evening.......a quiet night......one where you realize how BIG the universe is, and how BIG God is........Don't worry, that did not stop me from making a wish on those falling Stars (or in this case meteors)!

#34 Sodus Point Lighthouse Concert Series

This was an impromptu addition to my list. While my Aunt was visiting from Florida my parents and she were going up to the concert series and they wondered if I would like to go.

Since a) I have never been up to the Sodus Point Lighthouse and b) it was a beautiful sunny day and c) the concert series was something I could add to the list I thought sure, why not.

Other than a few grand kids running around, I was one of the youngest as it was mostly a blue hair kind of crowd. The theme of the concert was "Nostalgic Reunion" Swing, Dance Tunes, and mellow Jazz from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’. You can sit your chair and watch the band, but who would want to when you can sit on the other side, hear the same music and look out over the lake. We found a spot under a tree overlooking the lake.

The music was good. As I looked at my Aunt tapping her toe to the music, some them were my Uncle's songs and I felt sad for her. My uncle passed this spring and hearing those songs makes me think of him and I know that she thinks of him whenever she hears the songs. But perhaps she gains comfort from them, for she knows how much he loved them (and her) and would sing them to her? He lived a good life, and he was loved by his wife, oh to have a love like that.

In addition to the concert, I went to the lighthouse and Museum and yes, I climbed up the 52 circular steps into the lens room to see Lake Ontario shoreline....all on crutches!

It was a relaxing afternoon and it was good to spend it with my mom, dad and Aunt. Time with loved ones is precious.........take advantage of it when you can.

#33 Rhinos Game

I have never been to a Rochester Rhinos Game (or even watched a soccer game---I know, I know--the World Cup was this year and I somehow did not get into it!) Anyway, I decided that before the season was over I would venture out to a game, http://www.rhinossoccer.com/.

A few of my friends and I went to the game on a Wednesday night. The weather was perfect for a game and thus I guess we should have expected it, but we were not quite prepared for the hoards of people getting their tickets the day of the game (like us). So many in fact that we were almost 45 minutes late for the game!

Honestly, I'm not sure there is a bad seat in that Stadium. Our tickets were a whole $10 and our view was good. The Rochester Rhinos took on the Portland Timbers at Marina Auto Stadium in front of 6,978 fans.

I can't say that I learned tons more about soccer, The Rhinos went on to defeat the Timbers 1-0. It was much more about the whole experience. Hanging with my friends on a beautiful evening, having a burger and fries....and yeah watching a little soccer too :).

#32 Over the Edge

Yes, I went over the edge and I can't believe that I was crazy enough to do it!.

So what was this all about? Well I was watching TV one day and I saw that they were repelling down the side of a building here in Rochester for a charity and I thought "That is so cool, I want to do that"...but it was too late to raise $1000 to do it here in Rochester so I searched for places in NY with upcoming opportunities.

What I found was Over the Edge for Special Olympics of Western New York's Event in Niagara Falls. http://overtheedge.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=419756 . The event was scheduled for July 29th and I had to raise $1000 for Special Olympics before the first week in July in order to assure my chances to go "Over the Edge".

Special Olympics is something that was near and dear to my heart because when I was a little girl my mom volunteered with Special Olympics and I can remember going to see her volunteering. When I was older, my first job out of college was with the ARC and those guys were so special to me, that I wanted to do this in honor of them.

My friends are amazing!!! They gave and gave and gave and I reached and surpassed the $1000 mark!

Then, only 4 weeks before the event I fell and injured my ankle. But I was determined that no matter what, I was going to go and do this. I figured, I don't really need a foot to repel, I need my arms mostly.

The day of the event arrived and Ms. M and headed off to Niagara Falls. All of the sudden the nerves kicked in as we were driving. When we got there, I thought for sure they would say something to me about my crutches.....but this was for Special Olympics after all, so nope....no one said a word! Once I was escorted up to the suite where they prepped me and they put the harness on me all the nerves disappeared, they just left and I was calm (almost eerie calm). We went up to the roof for our "lesson".....

When the time came I had to first sit on the edge of the building with my back to the crowd, then stand (try that one leg people!) The guys who were working with me were too funny as we were cracking jokes about it being their first time doing this etc, etc....But all during this I'm having fun, I'm calm, I'm not even thinking about the fact that in moments I'm going to repel down 27 STORIES!!! THEN the moment of truth......I was asked to sit back like sitting in a chair with my feet on the side of the building, and so I do it. I think I shocked the guy a bit because he asked "are you sure you have never done this before?" No, I reply as I start to descend.....

Remembering to stop and look around, I take a brief moment to look to my left and right (you really can't look behind you very well) and what an awesome view of the Niagara Falls area I had!!! What also was amazing (and very unexpected) was that the building was mirrored so as I repelled I got to see everything around me as I descended---how cool!

I thought it would be very difficult to do because when I had watched the newscaster repel he kept saying how hard it was and he sounded out of breath, but I found it easy. I slowly released with my hands and slowly walked with my legs down the side of the building---I felt like spider woman! I think that the injury actually prepared me for the repel because the 4 weeks on crutches had strengthened my arms and grip so that I was strong enough to perform the task without difficulty. And I was right, I really did not need my feet much, they just lightly touched the building as I traveled down until they met me at the bottom with my crutches.

What an amazing sense of accomplishment to reach the bottom. It is an experience I never would have ever considered doing if it was not for "The List". Although my parents almost killed me (they threated to lock me away prior to the repel) and made me promise to NEVER do it again, I'm so grateful to my friends who supported me and donated to this worthy cause to give me this amazing and unforgettable opportunity.

Going Over the Edge enforced how much I have grown in the past year in trusting God. I used to be so afraid of heights and I cannot even fathom wanting to do this in the past, but I have overcome those fears and stepped out in a kind of faith and trust that filled me with a sense of strength and joy and peace....... for that, I am truly blessed!

#31 Up the Mast

This addition to the list was an impromptu event and truly what "Living live Abundantly" has become about. My friends and I went out sailing on Sodus Bay one beautiful Sunday afternoon and my girlfriend's husband said, "anyone want to go up the mast when we are done?".......Soooo, of course, I said "I'll do it".

Now, this happened 2 weeks after spraining my ankle, but this did not stop me! So with the help of the guys , yhey strapped my butt in the little swing, I gripped with my thighs and good leg and pulled with my arms until I reached the top as the men hoisted me up! (they really did all the work).

I thought I would be a bit scared, but I wasn't. It was great! The view from the 60 foot mast out onto the bay was really neat.

Then, those funny guys....they strapped up all the lines and walked away leaving me clinging to the tops of the mast as I just giggled KNOWING that they were not REALLY gonna leave me hanging but it was funny none the less.

I think the best part about the whole thing was how unique of a task it was and how spontaneous it was. I like things planed out, and for me to do something truly spontaneous and a little daring was exhilarating!