I’m sorry that it took me so long to post my adventures from
last summer – what with me being almost completely ignorant about blogging and
having to learn how to do it, and also trying to get up to speed for my new job
– well this year has brought many new challenges and many new delights along
with it.
So without further delay here is what transpired on my two
and a half days with the Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure – and just in time
too, because I’m currently registered for the week long spring ride with the
Fuller Center this March!
June 11, 2012
Two days of the Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure Alexandria
to Williamsburg 2012.
Thursday morning felt like Christmas I rose from my bed
happy, excited and ready for an adventure. I left Williamsburg around 6a.m. I
think I only stopped twice for coffee and for a bathroom. When I called Dad on
my out I found out that Blake was at the Doctors office which was fine with me.
I knew I wanted to re-pack my stuff into a hiking backpack, and take a shower,
and pack some things in my truck to go back to Williamsburg with me anyway. It
wasn’t too long before Blake was back and we were on the road to Alexandria, we
did make some stops, I needed to pick up a flash light at Alison’s Ace
Hardware, and I wanted to get some mints, and we had to pick up Martha along
the way because she wanted to see our friends from the Fuller Center too.
Arrival at the Church at Alexandria
When we found the church at Alexandria there was a sign by a
small parking area where the Fuller Center van was parked that read:
Church Parking only violators will be “baptized”
The Fuller Center Bike Adventurers were supposed to be
having a build day that day in Alexandria, but unfortunately it was cancelled.
We called Allen and it took him forever to get to the door
to open the church (because it was locked). For a while there we thought we
might have had the wrong church. Allen greeted us with a hearty handshake and
Alyssa tackled us with her hugs. Tom Webber came into the church later with a
big smile and hugged each of us.
Blake also made the observation that day that when Alyssa
sat in the pew of the church her feet did not touch the ground.
Blake naturally started telling some of his stories: and he
had a good crazy story from last week about how he accidently drained the
entire pool at the Northumberland YMCA where he has been working as a lifeguard
for a few weeks.
We met another rider there from this year named Bryan Roy
who Blake bonded with really quickly over the fact that they both keep getting
lost on these Fuller Center Bike Adventure rides. Bryan is a fun guy, he is an
older rider from further North, and he has a northern accent. Bryan works as a
life coach and he has two kids. He took off two weeks to be part of Segments 1
and 2 of the Fuller Center Bicycle adventure this summer. Also Blake met up
with Alex (the 17 year old rider) who lives in Lynchburg, but is from Amherst
Va. He is one of Laura Phelps’ friends. He has a full ride scholarship to
Liberty University, he’s looking at either an engineering degree or going into
physical therapy. Smart kid.
Alyssa also told me that it was weird staying in the same
church in Leesburg again, it was as if she expected to see the riders from last
summer pop out again. She also said that a lot of folks from last year remember
some of my interests and they would bring it up in conversation when everyone
got together. She also said that they had passed a lot of cemeteries this year
and every time they passed one she thought of me and she almost wanted to go
check them out since I was so interested in them it made her interested in
them. And she said no one ever forgot the night at Leesburg when I howled at
the moon. Tom Webber also mentioned the fact that they had passed through a lot
of cemeteries.
Later that night we all went out to Bertuccis Italian
Restaurant. Martha, Blake, Alyssa, Tom Webber and myself split two large pizzas
one covered in pepperoni and the other mushrooms. The restaurant was pretty
fancy and pricy too, but the food was amazing. The original plan was to split
the bill, but generous Tom Webber went ahead and paid for both large pizzas.
Tom is an awesome guy.
While at the Restaurant I chatted with a girl I was sitting
next to named Carmon. Carmon is 19, she’s from Tennessee and she just finished
her volunteer year with Americorps NCCC. She is riding this summer because one
of her good friends who is a cyclist died this past year. She felt like she had
to do something to honor his memory so she started looking up bike rides,
typing in long bike trips into Google and the Fuller Center caught her
attention.
After dinner we all headed out for ice cream – or at least
many of the riders headed out for ice cream. I’m on a budget so I walked along
for the ride.
Here are some pictures of the church in Alexandria as we are all waking up and preparing for the day's ride:
Alexandria is an expensive place to live, owning an
apartment costs half a million dollars, but then again it is NOVA, so it’s
pricey.
Also as I was getting ready for bed Nadine (the media person
this year for the trip) was talking to Tom about his experience in the air
force and a war – I’m pretty sure Vietnam. Then Tom talked about volunteering
at animal reserve and working with raptors (birds of prey), he talked about the
different personalities between the Eagle, the Peregrine Falcon, the Red-tailed
Hawk etc. Just as he was finishing his conversation with Nadine he added the
comment “but this guy here,” pointing at me “This is the guy you need to watch
out for.” I don’t know what Tom’s talking about, there is no point in watching
out for me. After all it’s not like you’re ever going to see me coming.
I think I answered with some along the lines “Oh yeah I’m
nothing but trouble,” or “thanks Tom.”
The next morning we were off to Tappahannock and I must admit
I was worried, because Alyssa warned me that all the girls on this trip (except
for her) and it was mostly girls this time were morning people. But it turns
out that they are not the hyper, perky kind of morning people. They simply rose
early and did what they needed to do and they were respectfully quiet for all
those of us who were dragging in the morning. I was surprised at just how
quickly I got up and started the day. I was excited to get out there on the
Bike again.
Here are some photos of our journey:
So we were off to Tappahannock
Early on maybe before the first rest stop there was a point
where me and Alyssa were cycling alone.
(Remember Alyssa was with us the previous year riding the
whole way. How to describe Alyssa, hmmm, lets see – an abundant source of optimism,
she has a lot of moxie in her, a playful personality and huge servant’s heart.
In short, no pun intended, Alyssa is awesome
Here is a picture - Alyssa is the girl in the center if that helps jog your memory:
Alyssa asked me if I still biked a lot and then she asked me
about my job and how I was enjoying it and I did tell her it was a good job,
hopefully a step in the right direction as we all wait for the economy to get
better. I asked her about her job and she told me that it’s a good experience
and although it can be crazy now and again she is still getting a lot out of
it.
It was really nice to be able to catch up with Alyssa and
find out how she’s been doing this past year.
Later we landed at our first rest stop. This year the Fuller
Center riders had a lot of food donated to them courtesy of generous host
churches along the way. Also the gas station where most of us went to the
bathroom had a light out in the woman’s room – so one of the managers or higher
ups at the gas station gave the women a flashlight.
Later that day I was riding with Alyssa and Kelsey (Kiwi)
(the gluten intolerant rider). She goes by Kiwi which is her middle name
because there are two girls named Kelsey on the ride this year. Kiwi kind of
reminds me of Jessica Thompson, she spent many summers as a camp counselor and
she just finished her degree in teaching this past year. She has a shirt that
reads alternative spring break so you know she’s really involved in
humanitarian efforts. She has a very warm and open personality, she really
wants to get to know everyone around her and she’s happy all the time as well
as very smart. Her brother actually got a degree in communication
studies, but he’s not using it, he has a job at ski resort in the winter and
does seasonal work in the summer. Kiwi also has a job offer for this school
year – teaching students in Rwanda. She definitely wants to do it, but she’s
waiting for her parents to get used to the idea, she doesn’t want to do it
without their blessing.
Just to let you know Kiwi is living in Rwanda right now and teaching science at a school for the children of missionaries. She is enjoying it very much and I pray God will continue to do wonderful things through her!
Just to let you know Kiwi is living in Rwanda right now and teaching science at a school for the children of missionaries. She is enjoying it very much and I pray God will continue to do wonderful things through her!
Also on the way there I feel like I was really getting the
genuine Fuller Center experience. My back tire blew out twice – so two flat
tires in one day). The first time I think I ran over something and the second
time it was a pinched flat according to Alex. (Alex and Miranda were sweeping
that day).
At one point Me, Carmon, Alyssa, Kiwi, Alex and Miranda got
turned around on our way from Fredericksburg to Tappahannock and had to take a
minor detour through Culpepper or a road that would lead to Culpepper.
Finally after all the detours and what not we arrived at St.
Margaret’s School around 3:30 or 4:00. We were staying at a house St.
Margaret’s girls use for their after prom parties. It is a really nice house
complete with two bathrooms with showers and beds, the only bad thing about it
that I discovered later that night was that the upstairs air conditioning could
use some work. When we arrived Ben Ward was there – he had already brought over
the sandwiches (it was a nice spread of sandwiches too all of them made hoggie
style: ham, turkey, and chicken salad) and materials to make a salad for the
vegetarian rider and I think he had prepared something gluten free for Kiwi as
well.
Blake and Dad came up later with Lasagna for Emmalily (the
vegetarian) and chicken and vegetables that had been cooked in the slow cooker.
The food was definitely awesome. A lot of the riders were surprised as
impressed by the fact that Ben Ward would drive 45 minutes to bring them food.
Here are some pictures:
Mmmmm, Mmmmm Good!
Blake of course shared in more detail the story of how he swam the Rappahannock
River and since Dad was there Dad gave his side of the story too. Blake even
brought the article that was written about it. Martha also came by briefly, she had to take care of Stephen
for the night and then her plan was to join the riders the next day.
After lunch many of us enjoyed some well deserved cool down time. It was after all a long day:
Later that evening Alyssa, the other Kelsey, Carmon and
myself decided we wanted to go out to watch the sunset, but when we got out
there we quickly realized that the sunset would be in the opposite direction so
we just went to go hang out on the beach. Allen Slabaugh came out to join us
after a while and laughed when he came to the same conclusion about the sun.
Also we found out that Allen actually has a notebook of poems somewhere. That
kid is full of surprises, who on Earth would have thought that Allen was a
closet poet. Still when you think about it makes sense. Also that night I found
out that Allen and Alyssa had just finished watching the Firefly series and
movie last year and their huge fans! Too cool!
If you aren’t familiar with Firefly it’s a wonderful
television series that combines elements of a spaghetti western and space ships
all with an underlying theme of freedom, identity, free will, love and loss. It
follows the lives of nine people who have all come from different backgrounds
all clumped together by fate or by necessity on board Serenity, a firefly class
space ship. It is a very unique and compelling series for more information I
suggest you take a look at the official fan page here: http://www.browncoats.com/index.php?ContentID=42e7e8e464c8e
Later that night (since they were in such a big hurry that
they forgot the first time) dad and Blake came back with a replacement tire for
me. I swapped my old front tire with my back and put the new tire on my front
wheel. Tom Webber said it’s always better to put the better tire on your front
wheel and not your back wheel so we took his advice.
Also earlier that day when everyone went out to ice cream I
got a chance to get to know Nadine a bit better. I knew she earned a degree in
cinematography from New York which is really cool. I asked her how she got into
photography and she told me that her hold family was into photography and
filming, but for them it was more of a hobby, but for her it was her life. I
asked her if she like doing documentaries and working on projects like the
Fuller Center Bike Adventure, she said not really, it’s cool and all, but she
really likes nature photography – what she really wants to aspire to do is work
for National Geographic someday. She also made mention at one point of wanting
a family someday.
Allen asked me if I would give the devotion the next morning
before we rode out to Williamsburg. I gave a halfway decent devotion on the
value of love and the importance of global community under Christ, but with
everything going on I was too tired and distracted so it didn’t come out all
that great. Still I got compliments on it from Alyssa, Kiwi and Bryan. Alyssa
actually had a friend who passed away who was a cyclist who believed very
strongly in global community.
After devotions it was time to hit the road and Martha was
with us wearing her green Mohawk on her helmet. We rode out of Tappahannock
into Glenns and Saluda into West Point – a route I’ve taken many times by car,
but never by bike. It turns out there are some back roads you can take through
West Point into Williamsburg. Who knew right?
And yes we did ride all the way through West Point over both
bridges and experienced the smell of the paper factory although Alyssa said she
really couldn’t smell it. I was sweeping with Alyssa that day and spent most of
the day with Carmon, but even so we arrived at the Wesley house at about noon.
It’s a really nice facility owned by the Wesleyan United Methodist Church who
uses it to put up interns and put on events for college students, the church
itself is right next door to the house.
Here are some pictures of our journey:
though and you know everyone looks
different in bike gear, but that smile
and enthusiasm definitely match
those of the girl I met that summer!
Also that day I got to know a few more riders even better.
Although I had already met Miranda briefly and I knew that she was a school
teacher and that she was working on her Master’s degree I didn’t know what
Master’s program. She’s definitely a country girl and she loves teaching, she’s
getting her masters in some kind of teaching technology program, because her
undergraduate degree was not in teaching so she’s getting a master’s degree
kind of as insurance so if she ever wants to teach somewhere else or they let
her she’ll still be able teach elsewhere.
I also found out that Emmalilly Hoxlie (the vegetarian on the
trip) is actually Kiwi’s best friend and they signed up to do the ride
together. Emmalilly earned an interdisciplinary degree in health sciences, she
was going to go into a nursing program, but unfortunately the nursing programs
don’t really count her degree as being a Bachelor of Science even though her
University does – most unfortunate, but I’m sure she’ll be fine Emmalilly has a
wonderful personality and an optimistic way about her. I know doors will open
up for her soon if they haven’t already.
Antics in Williamsburg
It was a mail day and Hailey Daddy sent a heart filled
encouraging note with a package full of baked chocolate and M&M filled
muffins for all the riders.
Allen Slabaugh also got a package with fruit snacks and
gummy bears that specifically said ‘you don’t have to share this with Alyssa if
you don’t want too.
Kiwi got a lot of letters and a package full of Kazoos – she
shared the kazoos with everyone and then (much to Allen’s chagrin) we all burst
into Taps and then a chorus of Ode Joyful, and then My Country Tis of Thee and
finally Amazing Grace. After which we went around the room playing guess that
tune and everyone played a song and we were all had fun guessing each other’s
songs. Kiwi played Baby, Baby, Baby by Justin Beiber, Alyssa played Old
McDonald, I had some trouble with my kazoo, but I played wonder wall. There were
a few other tunes shared, but I can’t remember them.
a tune of victory on her Kazoo!
very seriously around here!
Don't let that fake serious look
fool you folks, Tom's more of
jokester than all of us put together
and if you know me or Blake at
all, then you know that's saying
something
Kazoo about ready to fall out of her mouth....
Also we all went out lunch where I got a chance to catch up
with Allen Slabaugh a little bit. It turns out he’s kind of feeling stuck, he
doesn’t know if he wants to lead the bike adventure next year. He knows he
doesn’t want to keep doing this forever, but he does know what else he would do
if he didn’t do this. He would like to be back closer to his family in Ohio,
but then again he doesn’t know what else he would be doing in Ohio. He asked
about me and my new job and the new place I’ve been staying at. It was a good
conversation, but feel bad for Allen and I also recognize the frustration after
all I don’t think I’m going to want to be working at Bose forever either, but I
don’t know what else I’d do right off the top of my head.
Allen has since left the Fuller Center and has begun to
search other employment options within his home state of Ohio. I haven’t heard
from him in a while, I really need to shoot him a message on Facebook and find
out how that kid is doing these days. After lunch some folks headed to the gift
shops others to ice cream and still others back to the house – I would have
liked to have stayed outside, but I had to take a serious dump so I headed back
to the house.
Alex got back in later and his parents were there. He
quickly realized that most folks were sleeping so he told me, Bryan and Allen
to tell everyone that he said goodbye and then just grabbed his stuff and
breezed on out.
Later that afternoon the pastors of the Wesleyan United
Methodist Church put on a cook out for us. There were hot dogs, hamburgers,
potato chips, lemonade and watermelon.
At the Cookout the Pastors told us about the William and
Mary triathlon that all William and Mary Students supposedly try to complete
before they graduate. It involves streaking in the sunken gardens, swimming
across the Crim Dell (a small pond), and jumping a wall and completing the maze
in the Governor’s Palace in nearby Colonial Williamsburg.
They said it’s an ultra-triathlon if you do the whole thing
naked
After the cookout we all headed out for ice cream/getting
groceries since it was Alyssa’s groups turn to get groceries. Alyssa dropped
the rest of us off for ice cream. We ended up going by a custard place. It
turned out custard was cheaper anyway. We sat out and talked a while.
A woman noticed our orange Fuller Center T-Shirts and asked
us where we were from to which we answered ‘all over.’ I gave her a Fuller
Center Brochure and told her about our ride she read it for a few minutes and
then gave us a ten dollar donation to our cause. The Custard place actually
asked if they could put up the brochure in their shop for people to see – which
is exactly what we want and part of why we are riding – to get the news out
about the Fuller Center!
On the way back we went through the William and Mary Campus.
Allen commented on what a pretty campus it was and we admired the sunken
gardens for a while. Miranda also noticed the Magnolia flowers on the trees and
even picked one of a tree for us all to smell. They do smell really, really
good.
When we got back to the Wesley House Dad arrived and he
brought Mom – there was some emergency plumbing situation that brought Dad to
Richmond that day and since Mom was up there already he brought her down with
them so she could see me and also see Tom Webber. It was a great reunion. I
re-introduced my Mom to Allen since Allen was kind enough to introduce me to
his mom and his grandfather earlier that day. We all stayed outside of the
house and talked and laughed and joked and reminisced for a long time and
introduced people to our new found friends on this ride. It was a lot of fun.
Then sadly the time came for my folks to leave and for me to
leave as well. I said my goodbyes to everyone and promised to keep in touch. I
even waited for Alyssa to get back with the van so I could say goodbye to her
and the members of her group. Alyssa and Allen both re-assured me that we will
see each other again.. And there it was just like last year it seemed like the
adventure ended just as quickly as it had begun. I’ve added most of the friends
from this trip on Facebook already and I do hope that I have the opportunity to
keep up with all of them.
And that was my Fuller Center Bike Adventure for 2012. Two
and a half days of sheer awesomeness. It felt more like two weeks than two
days. What an adventure, I sure do hope I get to participate again next year
maybe even for longer like a whole week. That would be awesome!
