It has been a week! Each day, I got home from work, did a bit in the yard to restore my sanity, ate a snack (nothing you could really call dinner this week) with my laptop in my lap, went to the gym, home to more work, and bed. By the time Friday night arrived, I was running on fumes. I got a late start Saturday morning. I could not decide exactly what I wanted to do, especially with the rain threat. I started to go to the Suwanee Greenway, but at the last minute I decided that it was unnecessary to drive 30 minutes one way in the car just to ride my bike. I have been doing a good number of shorter road bike rides during the week, and have been feeling more comfortable riding next to cars going at 55 MPH. As such, I decided to ride from home to Alpharetta, do one trip down the Big Creek Greenway, have lunch at my favorite high-carb place, and come home.
While I would probably make the same decision again, I began to doubt my decision early on as I was reminded that Atlanta is almost as hilly as San Francisco. I took me just over an hour to get to Alpharetta, at which point I took a brief but well deserved rest. After dealing with a leaky hydration pack, I rode the full length of the Greenway. Fortunately, the rain moved out before I left, so I was dry – for a while.
I checked the radar just before lunch, and everything looked clear. As I ate lunch however, I could see serious clouds to the west. As I left the restaurant, I heard a bit of thunder, and I was getting wet before I left the parking lot. It was very light until the last 3 miles, but I was pretty wet when I got home. I was also reminded of basic physics – wet streets have more friction, reducing MPG (miles per galloon) for cars and MPM (miles per muffin) for bikers.
During my ride, God re-enforced the clear message he had given me through an event Friday – Psalms 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God…” (slightly out of context).
I have been working very hard to get the eNable business going, but it has been a frustrating process, because there just has not been enough of me to go around. Were it not for my partner and brother Phil, I would not have made it at all. We have been seeing some very good results, for which I am greatful.
Tuesday, we got a call about a phone system from someone who had received a brochure on a phone system we mailed starting Saturday. I made an appointment for Friday, the first opening I had. The caller was Indian from his accent, so I really did not pay much attention when he closed the call with “God Bless” (I confess my prejudice here).
I arrived for the appointment, and was greeted warmly. He proceeded to show me where he wanted the system and the extensions, as if the purchase was a foregone conclusion. While I have not done much sales, I knew it could not be that easy. When we sat down to work out the arrangements, he identified himself as a believer, and a part-time bible teacher. He said he had prayed about our company and the system purchase, as he does with all major decisions and felt God’s leading to use us. We prayed together before I left. It is hard to go wrong with sales in God is your principal salesman! It also served as a poignant reminder that it is God’s job to deliver, and mine just to be obedient.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Nearly Wordless Friday
It has been said that on the way to Heaven, one will have a two hour delay due to construction in Atlanta. It is interesting to note that even the Silver Comet is not immune!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
I Went to Alabama with a Sweat Towel on my Knee
Today’s plan was to complete the final section of the Silver Comet Trail via bicycle. In preparation for a hot day, I put extra water in my hydration pack the night before, and refrigerated it (good plan). I also began an hour earlier than usual to beat as much of the heat as possible.
I began at the depot at Cedartown, just past the 5 mile trail detour due to construction, and rode west toward the Alabama line. This is by far the most desolate section of the trail. Once the trail leaves Cedartown, it crosses only an occasional country road and passes an occasional house. I did see my fill of wildlife, including a Wild Turkey who crossed the trial right in front of me, more rabbits than I could count, and birds including Goldfinches and Eastern Bluebirds.
Not long after I started, I had a funny and somewhat convicting experience. As I approached a road crossing west of Cedartown, I could see an older cyclist stopped on the other side, headed east. When I crossed, he stopped me and told me about an encounter with a mean bulldog that almost bit him. Apparently, other cyclists had warned him about it before he got to the area. He gave me a rough idea of where he had encountered the dog, and we both went on our way.
I am a dog lover, but one of my fears is mean dogs, going back to when I was a kid. I gave serious thought to turning around, but after a quick prayer, I proceeded. The other biker had told me that the dog was in the vicinity of the second road crossing ahead of me. When I got to the crossing, I stopped to look at my map. I realized that the road paralleled the trail for a mile, so rather than trusting that God would answer my prayer, I decided to solve the problem myself (the story of my life). I left the trail and headed down the short cross street to the main road. There was a house on the diagonal corner, and I was headed right at it. Before I got too far, I could see a black dog tear out of the yard headed straight for me. He did not look particularly happy. I immediately turned around, and set the 30 second world speed record for cycling. Fortunately, I was fast enough that the dog quickly lost interest, and returned to his watch for other victims (in the spirit of one of my favorite movies – Secondhand Lions). How often I ask God for help, and then try to fix the problem myself! In this case, the dog never would have seen me had I stayed with the trail.
I was looking forward to arriving at Gateway Park, marking the border between Georgia and Alabama, as I was already pretty hot and tired. The guide book indicated that it had a lightning shelter, picnic area, and restrooms. Based on that, I had formed a mental image of a significant park. Not! The lightning shelter was the size of an outdoor umbrella, picnic area was a single table, and no restroom was to be found. I rested anyway.
I proceeded into Alabama, covering six miles of the Chief Ladiga trail. I only thought the Georgia section was the most desolate I had seen. There was absolutely nothing along this section of the trail. I hit mile marker 6, and turned around.
After returning to the Georgia side, the heat and my hunger were getting to me, and I needed a restroom stop. My guide book indicated that a convenience store existed two blocks from the trail. I turned off to check it out. I found a general store, but it was not operating. Across the street was the local post office, in the form of a trailer. I went in to ask if they had a restroom, but they did not. The kind postal worker told me to turn left, go to the first driveway, and look for the convenience store - behind a house! It was not much, but it met my needs. I headed back for the trail, covering the balance of the 33 miles in 3:13. I was pleased to have been able to handle the heat, especially given that this section of the trail is almost entirely in full sun.
I began at the depot at Cedartown, just past the 5 mile trail detour due to construction, and rode west toward the Alabama line. This is by far the most desolate section of the trail. Once the trail leaves Cedartown, it crosses only an occasional country road and passes an occasional house. I did see my fill of wildlife, including a Wild Turkey who crossed the trial right in front of me, more rabbits than I could count, and birds including Goldfinches and Eastern Bluebirds.
Not long after I started, I had a funny and somewhat convicting experience. As I approached a road crossing west of Cedartown, I could see an older cyclist stopped on the other side, headed east. When I crossed, he stopped me and told me about an encounter with a mean bulldog that almost bit him. Apparently, other cyclists had warned him about it before he got to the area. He gave me a rough idea of where he had encountered the dog, and we both went on our way.
I am a dog lover, but one of my fears is mean dogs, going back to when I was a kid. I gave serious thought to turning around, but after a quick prayer, I proceeded. The other biker had told me that the dog was in the vicinity of the second road crossing ahead of me. When I got to the crossing, I stopped to look at my map. I realized that the road paralleled the trail for a mile, so rather than trusting that God would answer my prayer, I decided to solve the problem myself (the story of my life). I left the trail and headed down the short cross street to the main road. There was a house on the diagonal corner, and I was headed right at it. Before I got too far, I could see a black dog tear out of the yard headed straight for me. He did not look particularly happy. I immediately turned around, and set the 30 second world speed record for cycling. Fortunately, I was fast enough that the dog quickly lost interest, and returned to his watch for other victims (in the spirit of one of my favorite movies – Secondhand Lions). How often I ask God for help, and then try to fix the problem myself! In this case, the dog never would have seen me had I stayed with the trail.
I was looking forward to arriving at Gateway Park, marking the border between Georgia and Alabama, as I was already pretty hot and tired. The guide book indicated that it had a lightning shelter, picnic area, and restrooms. Based on that, I had formed a mental image of a significant park. Not! The lightning shelter was the size of an outdoor umbrella, picnic area was a single table, and no restroom was to be found. I rested anyway.
I proceeded into Alabama, covering six miles of the Chief Ladiga trail. I only thought the Georgia section was the most desolate I had seen. There was absolutely nothing along this section of the trail. I hit mile marker 6, and turned around.
After returning to the Georgia side, the heat and my hunger were getting to me, and I needed a restroom stop. My guide book indicated that a convenience store existed two blocks from the trail. I turned off to check it out. I found a general store, but it was not operating. Across the street was the local post office, in the form of a trailer. I went in to ask if they had a restroom, but they did not. The kind postal worker told me to turn left, go to the first driveway, and look for the convenience store - behind a house! It was not much, but it met my needs. I headed back for the trail, covering the balance of the 33 miles in 3:13. I was pleased to have been able to handle the heat, especially given that this section of the trail is almost entirely in full sun.
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