Arrive

I am sitting on our Delta flight on Wednesday morning, the app messaged that my bags are on board and the passengers are still filing in to their seats. I am more than ready to head West to Minneapolis and then home. I’ll sleep in my bed tonight! It feels incredible to have sleep and rest and to have Honza and good friends to be with me as I re-enter the world. Yesterday we had our good-bye breakfast, farewells and hugs and tears. It was like the end of summer camp relationships and memories and a step back into life. I was holding it together until I shared my admiration with Eric, the Commander, who made sure to ride with anyone who was struggling and escorted them in safely. I got to see a group of men ride hard, compete, support and care for each other. I don’t know if I’ve ever been close to this space of brotherhood other than Spielberg-Hank movies. It was a very healing space for me to be in. One I needed to be in.

There is not much I will share about the ride in. It was raining. It was cold and windy and all my rain gear failed except my rain bonnet on my head. I was soaking wet for the entire day and rode the 68 miles with an endpoint finale and a pledge in mind.

I will never have to ride in rain again.

I will be dry and warm.

I will rest.

It was thrilling to be on that beach, to have Honza there and Lori, Dan’s wife, and Audrey, who was my mom’s surrogate. I peeled my wet shoes and socks off and carried my bike to the Atlantic Ocean over the soft sand. The water was warm as I stood there in the waves gazing out at the Eastern horizon. Incredible, what we just did. Photos! Lots of photos of front wheels in the water, champagne bursting, wide and disbelieving smiles. We were all stunned. I made sure Honza got pictures of JC in the ocean because he had no family from France to greet him. We had a big group photo and quickly got loaded up and on our way. Honza gave me a massive bouquet of flowers and handed me hot tea! Awww. So sweet. We went to the house Lori and Dan rented nearby to shower and warm up before our final reception and dinner at the Press hotel in Portland. My memories are gauzy because it was overwhelming. We all had normal clothes on and a drink in hand like normal people, which we were not. The Van Dooz are not normal. I met the storied wives and daughters that I had heard of over miles and miles as we crossed the land. They were real people and part of the life we left behind for a few weeks and not fiction. What we did actually happened but it hasn’t sunk in. It’s still out of focus, downloading like old-time dial up. It’s gonna take a while.

Way back in August, I had set off with the intention of Love and Acceptance. At times it was hard to hold those intentions while traversing the landscape that appeared desolate or vertical. Sometimes the elements like heat or rain or wind added extra too. It was the Love and support of my team, my team A, our guides- shout out to Brent, my ride -alongs, Honza, my family and all y’all that powered me through this adventure. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me that I could do this. Thank you for the music and the texts and check ins with me and my family. I didn’t do this alone. We all do it together.

My challenge now is re-entry back to the atmosphere of life. This journey has reminded me how small, how puny I am in the vast scope of the land. My time on this planet is finite and precious and I best curate the people, the places and purpose of my remaining time here. That will take some re-organizing Marie Kondo style. Does it spark Joy? How do I best serve others? Will I grow and learn through this avenue? Will I feel Awe? Yes/no, toss.

Allez, Allez!!