700 KM in 07/07

Pass the 700 KM mark for July this morning. That's the most I've ever done in a single month. Given that I lost the first week recovering from a 22 km hike, I'm quite happy with 700 KM.

- Peace

Edmonton at 1800 KM

Went to Edmonton for the weekend. Took the bike and did a ride Sat morning. Passed the 1800 KM mark on the High Level bridge.

Other notes from the weekend:

Chris at Pedalhead in Edmonton has an amazing memory. While it took him a moment to remember my name, he remembered the exact bike I bought back in 98.

My Mom is now a Mac user. Gave her an iMac back in Febuary, but it wasn't till this weekend that she felt comfortable shutting down the PC.

Power Grid is a great game. Not only does the game change depending the chosen playing areas, but in the three player game you randomly remove eight power plants. In out case most of the green plants (wind, solar, fusion) were removed. This made resources very scarce and opened up new strategic opportunities. The game also self balances making most games close.

I miss Mike.

- Peace

1700 KM Blur

Passed the 1700 KM mark last Wed night. Didn't get a chance to upload the pics till last night.

- Peace

New Neighbourhood Blogs

New blog annoucements hit critical mass this morning with Melissa starting a new blog to share her creative writing. Check out smalltownmelissa.

The DHLs have started Chicken and Egg to keep us up to date on their pan Asian tour that starts in the fall, though Debbie blogs that she's fallen for Dr. Who!

The 2007 Version of Teresa Running Here, There, and Everywhere... is well just that. Currently Teresa blogs her day trip to Morocco from Spain. Update: When I got home yesterday there was a post card from Theresa waiting for me! Thanks Teresa :)

A friend highly recommends Doctor in Denial. I once worked for two MDs and swore to never do that again. Doctor in Denial gives one hope that Docs can be people too.

- Peace

We know Bartimaeus by Name

Part of my sermon on Mark 10 compared Bartimaeus the blind beggar with the man often called the 'Rich Young Ruler'.

One detail that escaped me until I was biking home through fish creek. We know Bartimaeus by name, the name of the 'Rich Young Ruler' has been forgotten. I'm sure at the time few would have known Bartimaeus and many would have know the name of the 'Rich Young Ruler'. "This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first."

- Peace

Flatery at 1300 km

1300
Originally uploaded by D'Arcy Norman
I think it's cool that D'Arcy Norman has started his own every 100 KM set on flickr.

- Peace

Dear Melissa

Lisa Smith has written a post to our good friend Melissa Lowen. It starts

Dear Melissa,

It has been several weeks, and some days I still don't believe that you're gone. It is too much of an impossibility that someone so vitally young and alive could somehow not be anymore. And I don't think you'd ever realize how big of a gap you left.

I still feel ill at the fact that I didn't do more. In the rush of preparing to rush off to yet another foreign country, all the funeral details passed me by. I couldn't even find a moment to write of how much I'll miss your steady, gentle, organized and hilarious presence in my life. But maybe the seeming unreality of it all kept me from this moment. I think I'm still in shock. However, I'm writing to you now, with apologies for the tardiness.

I've also added it to my page dedicated to Melissa.

- Peace

1600 KM Last Climb

Most of my rides in Calgary end with this climb after I've come up out of fish creek. There's still a km to go after the top but it's the last significant climb.


- Peace

1500 KM

Hit the 1500 KM mark yesterday on the way to work. The shot is on Elbow Drive. It's the majority of my normal ride to/from work I'm surprised it's taken this long for Elbow Drive to show up in my every 100 km project. In fact I was afraid most of this project would be boring shots of Elbow Drive. With any luck I'll pass the 1600 KM mark today.

- Peace

One Thing

Mark 10:17-22

As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"

Jesus said, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, honor your father and mother."

He said, "Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!"

Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, "There's one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me."

The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

I think the one thing in this quote has two parts, give away your wealth and follow me. We tend to focus on the giving up of the wealth in the story cause that's as far as the man in question got. I think the rest of Mark 10 shows a great deal about the follow me and helps make sense of this request.

I'll be following that line of thinking when I preach on Sunday at South Meadows.

Update: I'll also be teaching at Xalt Sunday night. Melissa was scheduled to speak but will be in BC this weekend for a funeral and doesn't know if she'll make it back in time.

- Peace

Revelstoke, 1400 km mark

Spent the weekend in Revelstoke with 20 some friend. Had great time, passed the 1400 km mark too. Forgot to take the camera with me for the 1400 km shot so this view of Revelstoke from Mount Revelstoke will have to do. Hit a new personal speed record of 71.9 km/h while coming down Mount Revelstoke :) Average speed of 42 km/h for the 25 km trip!

Doing something with 20 people far more complicated that with one other friend. Mostly the communication costs shoot through the roof. Something to work on for next time.

Went swimming at Williams lake, did synchronized cannonballing off the dock and an event we called slime surfing.

Shawnti, Kevin, Calvin and Dave Kerr all to bike spills, but no serious damage suffered. Shawnti gets the best newbie on a technical trail award and Dave Kerr gets the fastest recovery award.

Laurel put her knife in the Katchup. Yeah, I can't believe it either.

- Peace

1300 KM

Just path and big sky at the 1300 km point.

- Peace

Hay Sky

Just North of Rosebud, on the way back from Drumheller. Took the road via Rosebud cause highway 9 was under heavy construction. Sun was low in the west shining under the clouds and these hay bails were on a small wedge created between the curve in the road and the fenced in field. I had to climb down into the ditch as not to cast a shadow.

- Peace

1200 KM

Passed yet another milestone in Fishcreek. Yesterday was my first day riding in July, I did a 22 km hike last Saturday, and I'm just not used to doing that, took me most of the week to recover.

- Peace

Stampede

The Stampeed started yesterday. I know most cities have annual exhibitions, but Calgary takes the Stampeed to 11. It's almost like a holiday, indeed for Corprate Calgary most people get the morning of the parade off, plus a company party, plus invites to other people's parties. Besides a free breakfast, the Sneak a peak pre stampeed day on Thursday get my vote for best deal, $3 dollars entry fee and that includes seeing Jan Arden at the Coke Stage.

- Peace

Transformers

Saw Transformers last night. If you read Patse's review of Transformers where it gets one star you'll be in good shape to enjoy the movie. Here are the main points

• Lot's of cool action,
• F/X and animation is very well done
  
• some awful 'romance'
• bits of other movies/shows thrown in: Men in Black, Herby the Love Bug, Batman, Voltron off the top of my head
  
• Not just an add for toys, now sells GMC and the US Air Force
  
• Funny in a meet the parents sort of way

I enjoyed it, but low expectations helped.

- Peace

Rejoice and Mourn

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn - Romans 12:15.

Those words have come to me the last couple of weeks as we've lost Melissa, I've said good bye to Kris as he's left for Ontario, as Sheona has left for Vancouver as we've celebrated Warren's 40th Birthday. While it's advice we often ignore, we don't want to mourn we want to cheer people up or rain on their parade, I think it's great short hand for community. Community is who you celebrate and mourn with.

Indeed the Romans 12 has a great deal to say about community. Here's a bit:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

- Peace