At the Staybridge Suites hotel in Independence MO.

What began as a standard training ride ended up being anything but standard.  We encountered the unexpected along the way, and learned some life lessons, as well.

The day began early, before the break of dawn.  I loaded up my bike and gear into CHALLENGER ONE and headed to Sheldon’s house arriving a few minutes after 6:00 am.  Sheldon and I double checked our gear to make sure we were ready for the day’s journey.  I had three water bottles, Sheldon had two, we had several packets of Gu to keep us fueled along the way, and we were also prepared for any flat tires or bike mishaps with a repair kit and some CO2 cartridges.  We each had a credit card and driver’s license with us in case we needed to stop along the way and purchase something.  Before we hopped on our bikes, we said a quick word of prayer asking the Lord for safety knowing this ride was much further than either of us had ever gone before. Deciding we were prepared, we strapped in (Sheldon) and clicked in (me), and away we went.

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