Bethany Stallings's Blog (8)

July 28-29, 2009 (Tuesday/Wednesday exerts) The rainy days are less documented. Colder. Windy. No photos. No photos of the way rainwater collects inside the valleys of a fumble strip. Or of that one moment when we were lost/”exploring”: when two horses burst out from behind bushes and ran beside us, manes flowing. The street names that remind me of friends: Parker, Lawson, Holder… How can I best savor these moments? The tour will end in a week and a half. I’m trying to live in every moment, no… Continue

“I want a broken heart”- Derek Webb. “measure your life in loss instead of gain …for love’s strength standeth in love’s sacrifice and whosoever suffereth most hath most to give.” –Hudson Taylor “In the Presence you will delight in the discovery of what it means to live by grace and not by performance.” -Brennan Manning Riding a bike across the U.S. will not earn me man points. ☺ It will not earn me any points, in any way. Instead, it will break me, teaching me how selfish and self-seeking I a… Continue

July 2, 2009 Loving(ton), New Mexico This morning my teammates (namely Erin White) bestowed upon me the award of “awesomeness” for my efforts on our bike ride yesterday. It consisted of water bottles and Gatorade bottles duct-taped together in a sculptural-cactus-looking-form. (photo of piece will follow soon). :) Yesterday we rode approx. 110 miles. The first 20-or-so miles consisted of an 8,650 ft mountain. I made it and it was amazing. Lovington is a little town in New Mexico. There’s not… Continue

“Hey, recreational vehicle, you should try some recreation!” –Lisa Ralph. ------------ It is Sunday. And that means rest. We are staying in two homes in Socorro, New Mexico. What must it be like to live in each of the places through which our team passes? ------------ There are the strong days. There are the days when all fails you—all physical and emotional abilities. The days of massages And the days of only acute pain. There is the wind and the beating sun, the days of grasshoppers and the… Continue

"I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear." -Joan Didion. My words are not/will not be for eloquence’s sake or solely to evoke emotional response. I cannot boast of any skill or talent. I am writing (even though I don’t want to) … and will write through the summer so that I can process, understand, grow and share. Post-it notes from CA: *I am thankful. *“I belong to everyone” –Sons of Lwala *“If you come h… Continue

I arrived in Seoul, South Korea last night after flying for over 28 hours. Am so happy to be home with my family...but am a bit overwhelmed about training while here. I couldn't bring my bike, so I'm going to have to be on a stationary one in the gym, swimming (cause I'm helping out with this life-guard training this next week), running up and down stairs alot and walking all over the place (because Korea is awesome and has public transportation!...) Also, my family's house is on the slope of a… Continue

Yesterday was my first ride on my new road bike. First time on a road bike period. First ride with Erin...figuring out the gears and biking on a highway etc. This whole process and the trip this summer is going to have a lot of firsts for me. Even though I have been sick for the past few days, it was a great ride. Short but sweet. :) After riding with Erin, I rode around with my friend Katie. We stopped somewhere and laid down in the grass to talk. She came up with a name for my bike: Suki! He… Continue

The last couple of nights I can't seem to fall asleep...from excitement, but also simply from an overactive brain: running all the options through my mind, trying to think of creative ways to fundraise, or jumping out of bed at 2:23am to send off another quick email to someone else. (which is where I find myself tonight). After getting back from biking at the gym earlier this evening, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the fear that somehow I will be unable to find a bike. So, all evening I've been… Continue