Shannon and Amber took me to a wonderful breakfast the next morning after dropping their son off at daycare. Shannon made me get extra food, and told me he would not be satisfied if I didn't. It was delicious, and I'm glad he encouraged it, as I usually can eat twice as much as the typical human being these days. After everything that they had already done, it was so nice of them to take me out to breakfast, not to mention that I'm fairly certain that it was the best breakfast I had in what seems eons. Thank you Shannon and Amber, for everything!
In the wonderful package that my mom had sent, I found Ziploc bags upon Ziploc bags of snacks, granola bars, chocolate, licorice, apples, trail mix as well as some of Nate's fleeces to layer with as the days are getting cooler and it is getting harder to stay warm--it was like striking gold. Unfortunately, I had to pawn some off on Amber because I simply couldn't fit it all into my bags. And as I was all packed and ready to go, it was hard for me to thank them for all that they had done because I couldn't really find the words to convey it to them, and I could feel myself getting choked up, and it felt as though I just kind of ended up repeating myself to try to make that lump in my throat go away.
I left their lovely home to head towards Mansfield, OH, to meet my aunt and uncle that were travelling down from Michigan to visit it with me. What??? Being in a home and then hanging out with two very amazing family members within 48 hours?? It was really hard for me to grasp, and I was just on top of the world. I kind of felt like someone should pinch me.
It took forever to get out of the Columbus, and I am beginning to realize that it is a good idea to try to circumvent cities where possible (I didn't really have a choice today), as the extra distance could account for the same amount of extra time from the stopping and starting. I was able to spend some time on a bike path, where I passed and then started talking to two bikers, Ken and Ron. We eventually stopped for a few minutes and chatted, and then they invited to me to have coffee with them at a cafe that they frequent just up ahead. Normally, I probably would have accepted the offer, but I told them that I was in a rush to see my Aunt and Uncle, and really couldn't wait to get there. I went ahead, and after taking the wrong path, I ran into the men again. It was nice to meet them, both times.
Once I got out of the city, I was on some back roads and noticed that my back tire was soft. I stopped and borrowed someone's air compressor, but it simply wasn't doing the trick. The headwind was atrocious, and I just felt like my legs didn't want to take me anywhere. After I found a Subway about 45 miles in, I stopped at an auto garage to add air to my tire, and was hoping it would hold as I was not going to be near another town for quite some time as I put myself back into the hands of Google Maps. They took me on a road that was pretty much a patch work of awful pavement, and then onto gravel roads that consisted of the big pieces of rock, up a hill. The day was beautiful, and I was excited to see my family, but the roads still got the better of me and I really just wanted to scream. I really had to try hard to keep it together.
I had originally wanted to make it Ashland, OH so I could get in extra mileage, but at the rate that I was going and the headwind I as facing, I didn't think that I would get to Ashland until 6ish, best case scenario. As my aunt and uncle were close to Mansfield (the town before) and not quite at Ashland, I decided that it was more important to spend time with them than to try to make it 16 extra miles.
My final stretch to Mansfield didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked. There was a detour on Route 42 (that would take me right to Lexington and then to Mansfield), and unfortunately, the reception I had was not enough to tell me where to go or even register where I was. I finally flagged down a woman and her daughter coming from the alternate route, and she gave me directions to bypass the area of construction by taking a dirt road that would eventually reconnect with it. It was really my only option at that time. Apparently there was construction a bridge ahead, and she thought that I would be fine to cross it, but I didn't want to go out of my way to find that I couldn't cross it, so I decided not to chance it.
The dirt road was well-packed and less gravelly, and reminded of the dirt roads that you find in Vermont before they have been grated. When I finally reached the main route again, it was late, and my uncle and I decided that for the purpose of time, it might be best that he met me in Lexington, a few miles south of Mansfield. On my way to meet them, I got stopped three times by police officers that were directing traffic on a one-way road. All of them started asking me questions as to why I was crazy enough to not only be biking through Ohio (which I don't get) but to be crazy enough to bike from San Fran. I also got held up because after they were done talking to me, they had to let the cars behind me go first as I obviously can't go as fast and the shoulder was obsolete due to construction.
Finally, I made my way to Aunt Marie and Uncle George, who were standing at the street corner waving and clapping as I pulled into the parking lot to meet them, and I was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness, and I could feel a knot starting to form in my throat... For the second time that day. I just couldn't believe that I was with them, and it just meant the world to me. They had driven down from Traverse City, Michigan, (which is no hop, skip, or jump) to meet and spend a night with me. As my Aunt had said, "I felt like it was about time that you just needed a family hug," and so they decided to drive 6.5 hours to give me one. It meant the world to me, and I once I received their hugs, it was clear to me that she was indeed correct, as realized how much I actually really needed one.... Or many.
Aunt Marie refers to our meeting and my visit the night before with Amber and Shannon as "Re-entry Phase 1;" it will be the first part of my transition back to my regular life. She and I are both anticipating that it won't be an easy one, after storming time on the bike and in solitude. Out would have been hard to transition regardless of whether Lindsay was able to make it the while way or not. My time in Rochester with my family and Lindsay she considers to be "Re-entry Phase 2," and then my arrival in Boston will begin "Phase 3."
We enjoyed a glass of wine in the motel after I showered, and Aunt Marie had spread out all of the protein bars, energy gels, and recovery powder that she had purchased from a local bike store. It was quite the spread!!!! I am so grateful for her kind gesture, and surely, it will get me to Boston, with some energy to spare! We went to a steakhouse about 20 minutes outside of town and enjoyed a delicious dinner, and it was so nice to catch up. Not only are they both incredibly generous people, but the two are some of the funniest people I know. We finished up the night trying to map out a route for the next day after they showed me pictures from their recent trip to Germany.
Like yesterday, I really can't find the words to describe the happiness that their visit evoked. I am so glad to have been able to share a part of this adventure with the two of them, and it was do nice to have the two of then face to face and tell me that I was almost there, and to keep pedaling. It was the refresher I didn't know I needed, and that is the beauty about family and friends: they can pick you up when you don't even know you are down. George and Marie are not only two people that I love dearly, but their support throughout this journey, especially in the last nine years has been phenomenal. They have always been there to support my mom, my sister, and I, responding to our harder moments with love, laughter, an ear, insight, advice and so much more. They are the kind of people that bring out the best in you, the kind of people you would want as friends, and I'm lucky enough to call them family.
Yes, it was a wonderful visit...to say the least.
No comments:
Post a Comment