What started out last spring as a cycling idea for those who might be interested, translated into a biweekly biking event throughout the summer and on into the autumn. Beginning on Saturday, May 16 with a 27km ride to Harry and Hilda Broer,s place for breakfast, the group concluded on October 31st with a breakfast celebration at Kor and Corry VanTils. In total, the group was able to go for twelve rides together, traveling just under 400 km. altogether. That’s roughly the equivalent of cycling from Aylmer to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Twenty three individuals did one or more of the rides with an average of 10-11 participants each time. The ages of the riders ranged all the way from fourteen to seventy eight. Many of the participants began the season with limited previous riding experience. Most had never journeyed the average 32 km. distance in one sitting before and were somewhat apprehensive, not to mention intimidated by the prospect. By season’s end, however, that distance was “just the norm.”
While an interest in cycling may have been the initial, prime motivator to join in the rides, fellowship with each other quickly became a huge part of the experience as well. Riding and talking together with people that you don’t necessarily “hang out with” on a regular basis, provides a wonderful venue for new relationship building. Throw in a breakfast at the halfway point, where you can pray, talk and eat together over a meal that includes a mixture of eggs, egg casseroles, bacon, toast, hashbrowns, muffins, pancakes, coffee, juice, etc., and you’ve got the makings of a warm, family type atmosphere.
Of the twelve cycling “outings” this past season, eight breakfasts were hosted by members of the congregation, many who were not participants in the rides themselves but were very willing to open their homes and share a meal with us. A BIG thank you goes out to Harry and Hilda Broer, Wilf and Joanne Saarloos, Dave and Leslie VandenBrink, Chris and Al Helder, Kor and Lia Smit, Rev. and Patsy deLange, Tesse and Alice Kuipers at Port Bruce Manor (Ted was too busy cycling with us to help cook), and Corry and Kor VanTil for being such generous and gracious hosts.
Three of the trips, including two to London to ride on the cycling paths along the Thames to enjoy the fall colours, saw us head to Tim Hortons that just “happened to be” at the halfway point of our journeys. For the remaining cycling journery, the 54 km. trip to Wildwood on the July long weekend, a cooler full of drinks and snacks more than amply sufficed our needs at the “pit stops” along the way. (Thanks to Herman Bremer for driving with us and being our ride back home).
What about next year? Just listening to the cyclists themselves, most of them are already talking about next season, and perhaps even participating in a fundraising cause as a group. Two possibilities in that regard, cycling the astoundingly beautiful path along the Niagara River, as well as doing the “Ride For Refugees” north of London, have been mentioned as possibilities to consider. From that, it would appear that the cycling bug has not only “caught” but is here to stay, at least for a while yet. If the truth be told, that is just fine by me.
Pastor Bosma
