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All My Exes (Ex's?) Live In Texas
Texas forgot to finish their roads.
Instead of putting down gravel, then a layer of tar, and then a layer of gravel, and then a layer of smooth tar, like they do in Minnesota and most normal states, they stopped at the layer of gravel and called it good enough.
False! It is NOT "good enough".
Imagine your bottom is Mike Tyson's speed bag and you get an idea of what it feels like to ride on a "chip seal" highway, as the TDOT calls these unfinished roads. If you go slow (10 mph), it's just bumpy. If you start picking up the pace, it becomes the speed bag, pounding your bottom and elbows and wrists and knees until you hit about 20 mph, at which point it becomes a constant buzzing.
This is annoying. We rode 98 miles on these highways and for the first time in the whole tour I wanted to get my butt off the bike. I've loved riding, and even on the horrible days, like Payson, something in me has enjoyed riding. I think it's that I love the challenge offered by hills and distance. It's been great. But today, riding my steel bike (beautiful, comfortable) and my Brooks saddle (leather, comfortable) along these buzzing, violent roads, I realized I just wanted to stop getting beat up and get off my bike.
I didn't, though. I rode harder, pushing myself in the heat and frustration of riding, and broke a spoke on my back wheel.
13 miles short of my goal, I broke a spoke, which ended my ride. The nearest place I could get my wheel fixed is Amarillo, which is 120 miles away. That is too far away. Therefore I'm out until I can get it fixed. And that's a little frustrating.
But I've been talking with my small group about growing into what God is shaping in us, and I think what He's shaping in me is a deeper resolve to do what He calls me to do, regardless of pain or frustration or how much I might hate it in the moment of its happening.
This is good. I love Him, and I know I can trust Him. And by His help I WILL trust Him. Amen.
About the title: We're in Texas. It seems appropriate. Happy 4th of July! God Bless America!
Instead of putting down gravel, then a layer of tar, and then a layer of gravel, and then a layer of smooth tar, like they do in Minnesota and most normal states, they stopped at the layer of gravel and called it good enough.
False! It is NOT "good enough".
Imagine your bottom is Mike Tyson's speed bag and you get an idea of what it feels like to ride on a "chip seal" highway, as the TDOT calls these unfinished roads. If you go slow (10 mph), it's just bumpy. If you start picking up the pace, it becomes the speed bag, pounding your bottom and elbows and wrists and knees until you hit about 20 mph, at which point it becomes a constant buzzing.
This is annoying. We rode 98 miles on these highways and for the first time in the whole tour I wanted to get my butt off the bike. I've loved riding, and even on the horrible days, like Payson, something in me has enjoyed riding. I think it's that I love the challenge offered by hills and distance. It's been great. But today, riding my steel bike (beautiful, comfortable) and my Brooks saddle (leather, comfortable) along these buzzing, violent roads, I realized I just wanted to stop getting beat up and get off my bike.
I didn't, though. I rode harder, pushing myself in the heat and frustration of riding, and broke a spoke on my back wheel.
13 miles short of my goal, I broke a spoke, which ended my ride. The nearest place I could get my wheel fixed is Amarillo, which is 120 miles away. That is too far away. Therefore I'm out until I can get it fixed. And that's a little frustrating.
But I've been talking with my small group about growing into what God is shaping in us, and I think what He's shaping in me is a deeper resolve to do what He calls me to do, regardless of pain or frustration or how much I might hate it in the moment of its happening.
This is good. I love Him, and I know I can trust Him. And by His help I WILL trust Him. Amen.
About the title: We're in Texas. It seems appropriate. Happy 4th of July! God Bless America!
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3 Comments
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Comment by Erin McDermott on July 7, 2009 at 12:06am -
this is a great post tyler. the title caught me because of how many times we sang this song and played it in the mother falcon while we were in texas last year. it's a good one to have stuck in your head...sometimes. other times it can get old. haha.
also, oh man do i ever remember those west texas roads. definitely not my favorite. but you get used to them, and the slightest change of road makes you so happy after a while. you have probably experienced this to some degree already. i think, if i remember correctly, that it gets better in east texas, but dont quote me on that.
also, this last thing that you said about "growing into what God is shaping in us"...this is exactly what i have been learning. it's all around me. I just laughed and shook my head when i saw it here on your blog. it's really cool to hear that you all are talking about it, and working through this lesson too. at my church we keep coming back to the truth that this whole story we are a part of is God's story, and He has given us each a unique role in it. He shapes us, and the growing part is painful. but how amazing that we get to be a part of this story of His. 120 miles is not so bad. you'll be riding like the wind again in no time. =]
im glad i read this right now. thanks for writing it.
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Comment by Erik Pelttari on July 5, 2009 at 11:57am - make sure you check out the picture of you and the Texas sign and that rock...
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Comment by Andy on July 4, 2009 at 7:32pm -
Great blog, dude. Really enjoyed reading it. Amen to trusting. He is good.
Happy 4th of July. God bless Texas!
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