The Finish

The last few miles were great. The last official rest stop was right in the middles of a pretty good downhill slope. I was moving at a pretty good clip – the upper 20’s – and I wasn’t about to give up that speed for another pickle so I went on by. One boy was determined that I was going to take a wet towel from him as I went by, so to avoid him I had to move pretty far out in the road. I caught a group of four guys as we came into Wichita Falls and finished out with them. Here is the finish line. (click on “more” to see photo)

Hell’s Gate

Hell’s Gate is about 62 miles into the ride. You have to make it there by 12:30 or they don’t let you do the whole 102 miles. If you get there after that time you take a different route through Shepherd Air Force Base and end up with about 80 miles. Daniel and I went through about 12:00 in spite of the slow start and a flat tire we still made it there with plenty of time to spare.  (Click on “more” to see photos)

My Riding Partner for HHH 100

My son Daniel was my riding partner for the HHH 100. He had a couple of friends who were supposed to join with us. Travis had to attend a wedding and Nathan crashed his bike about a week before the HHH 100 and broke his collar bone. Daniel actually rode Nathan’s bike for this ride. (Click”more” to see photos”)

Air Force Fly-over HHH 100 Start

While it didn’t go off as planed, the Air Force did a flyover at the start of the day. The delay came because some guy in a helicopter decided to hang around and video the crowd. The Air Force pilots thought they might end up blowing him out of the sky if the came over so they had to wait while he cleared out. I think they were supposed to come swooping down right as the National Anthem ended. They came over about 5 minutes late, but it was still cool. (Click on “more” to see photo)

HHH 100 – Rest Stop

The HHH 100 has the best rest stops ever – lots of fruit and pickles to eat as well as some really good cookies. I believe it was the 3rd rest stop on the 100 mile route that had the home-made cookies – delicious! Not only was there plenty to eat and drink,they had cold wet towels to throw on your head, cool-zone fans running, cots on which to rest, and mechanics to help with bike troubles. Very well done. (Click on “more” to see photo)

Hotter n’ Hell Hundred Start

This was my first go at the HHH 100. They had the start staged based on personal goals and intentions. In theory the racers went first, then the tandems, then the fastest 100 milers, then the “Gate Keepers” (people who would most likely make hell’s gate by 12:30 PM), and then the “Hell’s Gate Hopefuls” (people who would give it a go, but probably would miss the gate closing) and then the shorter distance riders behind.

Hotter n’ Hell Hundred – Reaching Goals by Breaking Things Down Into Smaller Steps

Someone once asked, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is, “One bite at a time.” Saturday 8/25/07 I participated in the HHH 100 bike ride in Wichita Falls, Texas. I went with my son, Daniel. We had a great time together. Daniel had to drop out after 72 miles due to mechanical trouble with his bike. I was able to finish the 102 miles.

It was only the last 20 miles or so that were mentally challenging. Up to that point it was pretty much a pretty easy ride. At about mile 80 I began to have doubts about finishing. Thoughts of catching a SAG ride back in began to creep in. Here’s how I finished and finished strong.

To Love and Not Love at the Same Time

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. - 1 John 2:15

This world is hostile to God, to the worship of God and the working of God to accomplish His purposes. The church and the Christian man and woman are engaged in a struggle against the pull towards living as the world lives. We try to not be of the world while we are in the world.

Different attempts have been made at winning this struggle.

Russia, Illegal Immigration, and a Solution

Russia is having a demographic problem. Their population is decreasing. They are trying to come up with creative solutions. The Denver Post On-line reports of one effort to try and get the Russian people to procreate. A day off of work and prizes if you are fruitful in your efforts of having children is an interesting approach.

The Virtual Pastor and Satire that Makes Me Laugh and Cry

Lark News is one of the best satirical web sites in all things related to contemporary American church life. Every so often I drop in and see what they have come up with. Last night I checked them out and found their “news report” on the growing trend of virtual pastors. I won’t recount the whole article here. You can read it for yourself at Lark News, “Virtual Pastors please picky church-goers.”

It struck me as somewhat funny because this doesn’t seem all that far fetched in American church life today. We do have pastors who beam themselves on screens to franchises all across a region. They really are motivational speakers, Bible teachers, preachers and not pastors.

I guess I’m old school.

Anyway, have a look at Lark News and don’t make the mistake some have made of thinking these are real news stories (our state Baptist paper did that last year and printed an article they pulled from Lark News with the Lark News byline and everything. They thought it was real. I wrote a letter and they printed a note about the error that you could barely find. I guess I can’t blame them because it had to be really embarrassing).

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