Worship

Last week my pastor sent out an inquiry, asking those he knew about how they worshipped. I immediately thought of my experience at Lumberjack 100. Endurance mountain biking—from the discipline of training to the test of fire in racing—is a physical manifestation of the spiritual act of surrendering to God.

Just like worship, cycling is a way for me to be rejuvenated, to prioritize, to clear my mind, and to shed anxiety.

On Sunday, after worshipping in the traditional sense in a church pew I went to 'complete' worship: using my mind, my body, my entire being and set out on an all day cycling adventure with my friend Kelly. I didn't bring a watch, nor a computer, nor GPS, nor odometer.

Me and Kelly, just a few miles into the ride.

We rolled out of the driveway at 10:30 AM with no plan other than to head north for awhile.

We found the bikepath and wound our way from Muskegon all the way to Hart.

We stopped for lunch at the Brown Bear with a fine selection of 1 pound hamburgers and assortment of deep-fried vegetables. Mmmmmm.

After a plate of onion rings and cheesy quesadillas . . . well, the next ten miles were a little rough.

Kelly at Silver Lake Dunes. It was really, really windy!

Eventually we headed West and South and stopped briefly at Silver Lake Dunes.

Eventually I got hungry again and started eating my glove.

After a day of riding under a brilliant blue sky, a canopy of changing leaves, past wineries, bakeries, farmer's markets and pumpkin patches and everything that is the splendor of West Michigan in autumn we rolled into the driveway at sunset. 

Exhausted. Wasted.

Renewed.