9/14 — Another Day, Another Tailwind

September 14, 2012

Another day, another tailwind. What an incredible journey this has been so far. I got off from the campground at Gooseberry a bit late, because we had some problems with the door lock on the camper. Those darn door locks, AAA probably designs them for the RV industry just to keep their locksmiths in business driving all the way from Duluth to unlock the doors of hapless camping enthusiasts. I’m just sayin’.

Poor Diane got away from the campground even later, waiting for the other guy dispatched from AAA to come and jump start the van after the refrigerator in the camper drained the van battery as we waited most of the morning for the locksmith. I’m pretty sure those guys are all in cahoots…

But, as you might well imagine, the down time gave us some real “quality time” together, as we got to experience one another’s grittier side as we waited to get back into the trailer to fix breakfast –about 11 am.

Which brings me to the real point of all this – there are some really gracious, caring people in this world, and I will just mention a couple of them here. Pete and Betty Vos, Campground Hosts at Gooseberry Falls State Park. Locked out of your trailer? Pete was there at 7 am with his tools. Haven’t eaten in 15 hours? Betty came by with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, coffee, bananas, and cookies. In the course of things, we got to know them just a little bit, and it was evident that their gift of graciousness to us was just the evidence of an even greater underlying grace. Thank you, Pete and Betty Vos.

Did I mention the tailwind? I’ve got some meager little photos to share – those obvious moments when I can anticipate something reasonably worthwhile to shoot, stop, get off my bicycle, and get the shot. What I can’t share are those instants when I look up from the endless pavement and see some simply awesome fleeting thing – four big Canada Geese only 10 yards ahead of me skittering and flapping across the shoulder to take flight. Now beside me, they ride the ground effect air just fifty yards to a quiet cove of clear blue water.

And the tailwind – 105 miles of natural push from Gooseberry to ‘Portage. Once again, I find that I could not ask for more…

I will close with a shameless plug for Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Sometimes I find that I have so much, that I could not ask for more. I don’t know, maybe you feel that way sometimes, too. If so, you might think about your own gift of graciousness to them. They help out a lot of hungry people, folks, and you could be right there alongside helping out, too. You can get to their home page to learn more about them at http://www.northernlakesfoodbank.org.  Mention Velo the Lake 2012 when you donate if you like this effort we’re making here.