Riding with my lil' Sister

This was the first day I had a cycling partner, and we had such a good time I may try to recruit another for the rest of the trip. My sister Cathy wanted to join me for a day, and I couldn’t be prouder of her. She has run two marathons with me, so I knew she could handle it, but I think she performed even beyond her own expectations with minimal training and on a new bicycle. We originally set our goal as reaching Michigan, but soon realized that we’d have to bike almost 100 miles to make it. We ended up cycling from Van Wert, OH to the Bixler Lake Campground in Kendallville, IN, a grand total of about 75 miles. I’m especially pleased that she experienced what an “ordinary” day on my adventure was like.

Jim and I started off the day by dropping my rear tire off with Ed Reinemeyer at the Van Wert Bicycle Shop. Ed showed us that there was no possible way we could have replaced yesterday’s broken spoke, proving once again that knowledge and the right tools trump willpower. He fixed my tire and instead of charging me, asked that I apply the money to Kyle’s Memorial Scholarship Fund. Thanks, Ed, for opening up your shop on at 8am on Mother’s Day morning just for me, and then donating your services. Jim promises to buy everyone in the family a new bicycle in gratitude.

Mike “ZZ Top” Roop cruised past the bike shop on his big bike (a nice Harley Davidson) to make sure we woke up on time and got the tire fixed, which was really cool. Then, while Ed was working his magic, I even had a chance to get my Mom and wife Mother’s Day Teddy Bears. Of course, like any good son/husband, I said I purchased them two weeks ago in Mississippi.

Cathy and I were on the road before 10:30 Mass, and when we stopped a car for directions they asked us if we were Jim’s brother. That could only happen in Van Wert, don’t you think?

We met a number of interesting people along the route, but none more interesting than Denise and Lindsey Helmer, who were working in a hometown café called Jitterz in Auburn, IN. Denise open it on September 11^th last year with two friends. It had always been their dream to open a café with homemade ice cream. And you have to live out your dreams, don’t you. Lindsey was helping her mom out for Mother;s Day – what a great daughter! They told us about the Bixler Lake Campground and we were off and running (so to speak.) Denise also gave us her address since we would be riding by her house, so I could moon her husband, but we never found it. Thank goodness.

Dennis (Cathy’s husband) arrived with submarine sandwiches about 9:30pm and we sat around the campfire talking until they had to leave. Some people have to work tomorrow.

Here is my rough schedule for the rest of my adventure. It will not be much like to previous three weeks; instead of meeting strangers and sleeping in remote cemeteries, I will be traveling through Michigan visiting friends and relatives. Once again, these plans are tentative. If you want to talk call me on my cell phone (989-350-9286) or send me an e-mail at charliebono@hotmail.com.

Monday, May 14: I will be visiting Kalamazoo College (to see if they will print excerpts of my blog in the quarterly alumni magazine Lux Esto) and spending the eving with my Uncle Larry.

Tuesday May 15: I plan to cycle to Grand Rapids and visit my friends at Blue Care Network, whom I hear are taking up a collection for Kyle’s Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Wednesday, May 16: I will be traveling to Okemos through the state capital to spend the night with my college buddy Hawkeye.

Thursday, May 17^th: On to Saginaw to spend the night with Cliff and Julie Leibold. My brother-in-law and his family.

Friday and Saturday, May 18 and 19^th: To Dennis and Cathy Keppers’ cottage in Alger, just to chill out and play a round of golf at the Dream. Call me if you want to join us!

Sunday, May 20^th: Spend the night in Roscommon

Monday, May 21^st: Go to Roscommon High School in the morning to visit with “my” students, then finally, after a long venture, return to Gaylord.

Addendum from my sister, Cathy Keppers, about our day together:

This was a great day – very fun and very exhausting! (But, definitely memorable). Amateur cyclist note: We went 55 miles before I realized I was shifting wrong – doh! Once Charlie showed me how to shift, the last 20 miles went a lot smoother! How in the world has Charlie been doing this for 24 days??!! I am so happy that everything came together so I could experience 1 day in the life of Charlie’s bike adventure. Stopping in small towns, meeting a lot of really nice people – it was a really great life experience. But I wouldn’t want to get up and do it again tomorrow! I did decide that it would be really cool to bike through some of the National Parks on my list, though.

Thought for the Day: Life is about the journey, not the destination!

(I put that in there because I couldn’t make my Sturgis, MI goal!)