The Bad, the Good and the Just in Time

This has been a down and up day for me..  This morning I got the results of one of my tests from yesterday and it showed a white blood cell count of 50+ which is way over what it is supposed to be..  it was not a great way to start the day.

This afternoon we went on another bike ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail and although we have ridden this trail 5 or 6 times, today I saw something I have not seen before although we have surely passed it by every time.  I guess I have been concentrating on the trail and missed what was in the farm yards just beyond the side of the trail.  So here is what I saw:

What a cute little pony!  I liked that it was looking right at me.  Kind of chubby but cute just the same.

We went our usual distance and on the way back my husband was, as usual, way in front of me.  I saw something dash across the trail in front of him and learned later that it was a rabbit.  I am thankful that my husband was not close enough to hit it.

We also passed two ladies walking 5 dogs which were on leash..  This was a nice change from the last time we rode when there were a couple of off-leash dogs.  The ladies stopped as we approached and waited until we passed.  I thanked them for doing so.

But the "just in time"  was something that would have scared me if I were riding the trail.  A fellow on a mountain bike came speeding onto the staging area and sped on down the trail at a terrific speed.  I was happy that my ride was finished before he hit the trail.  I do not know why he was going so fast, but I do wonder how the 5 dogs reacted unless he slowed down when he saw them.

You never know what the day will bring.

A Lesson From a Baby Bird, a Big Black Beetle and a Pair of Sheep

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”

John 10:  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.”

Yesterday I saw something which was quite sad but combined with two things that I saw on our bike ride today on the Cowichan Valley Trail, there is a definite lesson for me.

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on a chair in our back yard and I noticed that a paper wasp had landed on something small and pink.  The wasp stayed on the object for quite a time as though it was gathering food.  After it flew away I went over to see what the pink thing was, and was sad to discover that it was a tiny baby bird.  No feathers, surely newly hatched.  We have had quite a lot of wind lately, so I must surmise that the baby was blown out of the nest.  There was not a mark on its little body so I don’t think that it was tossed out by the mother or other siblings.   I wondered at the brevity of this little life, and it made me think of the verse from the book of Ecclesiastes concerning the fact that there is a season and a time to everything.  It was not meant for this little bird to grow, and fledge and live a normal life.
Then today husband and I went for a bike ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail.  It has been a week since we have been there, and I was a little shaky on the way up the trail.  At one point I saw two bike riders coming towards me from a distance so I stopped and got off my bike.  It was then that I noticed a big black beetle making its way across the trail to the other side.  I wondered whether or not it was going to survive two bikes going by.  As I watched, the first bike passed missing the beetle by not more than an inch.  The beetle turned 90 degrees to the left and the second bike passed him by at a greater distance.

I remembered how the baby bird died very shortly after hatching, and marveled at how this beetle had lived in the face of danger.
Husband and I travelled further up the trail and then turned around and headed back.  And about half-way back  I noticed that husband had stopped and then I saw that there were two sheep at the side of the trail, grazing.  I took several photographs of them and then remembered John chapter 10, and the teaching about the Lord Jesus being the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep.

There was a lesson in all these things.  That being, all things are in God’s hands, he gives life, and he takes it away,  the baby bird died, I know not why, but the beetle lived.  The Good Shepherd cares for all.  Sometimes we don’t understand why things happen, but God knows and we just have to trust in him and in his sovereign will for all creation.

Below is a photo of the pair of sheep..  my reminder of the Good Shepherd.
My husband always says that I go too slow on my bike, but which is better? to go fast and miss all the things the Lord has to show me? or to go slow and see them all.  I will continue to ride slowly and marvel at what the Lord has for me.

vcg/May 2016

Bicycle Riding in Living Forest Campground: I Cannot Ride Roads

I wrote in my last post concerning bicycle rides that we were going to Living Forest Campground in Nanaimo for a few days so I could practice riding my bike on paved, quiet roads that are throughout the campground.  My husband has no problem riding anywhere.   Part of the trip was also so we could test out our new screen tent which I am happy to say, went up easily and is bigger and has better roof coverage than our previous one.  This is our second Outbound purchase this year and I hope that it serves us as well as the gazebo we bought a month or so ago has done in rain and wind.  We also took our Copper Canyon tent which we never sleep in, but use to store things and it seemed a good idea to store our bikes in the tent.  Just as well, because there was a sign posted on the washroom building saying that there had been bikes stolen in the campground and to be careful.  Here is a photo of our camp.  The site is large, surrounded on three sides by trees, really a lovely spot.



But getting back to the main reason for our going.. to practice riding on paved roads.  It was clear to me at the start of my ride that this was not going to be easy.  The campground roads are more hilly than I remember, and I haven’t figured out how to change gears and concentrate on my riding at the same time.  Riding at my senior age is not coming easily.  At one point my husband who was in front of me, called out “car coming” and so I went to the side of the road and almost fell over onto the gravel at the side.  Thank Electra for their flat foot technology in moving the pedals forward which enabled me to catch myself.  As it was, I walked the bike up the rest of the hill and then white-knuckled it down the other side, riding the brakes to slow down.  After that it was smooth for a time but then we turned onto another road in the campground and I almost fell off again.  So that was it, shaking I walked the bike back to our camp.  I really think that my fear of what might happen if I fell is most of the reason for my problems in riding on roads.  I am defeated at the thought of  breaking a bone just before I am due to go on Saturday to the hospital for my kidney ultrasound  and on Sunday to my granddaughter’s dance recital.   And how is this trusting the Lord?   I know that my attitude is not good and that an adjustment is necessary.

So after a couple of hours, I wanted to come home.  The campground is only an hour away so at least it was not a long drive.  My husband was not happy with me but this morning I made him some pancakes for breakfast, and today we plan on going to a farm market that is starting today in Chemainus and then riding this afternoon on the Cowichan Valley Trail which is our familiar place to ride.  Husband says it will be a long time before he suggests going camping again, but next time we will leave our bikes at home when we do go camping.

Riding the Cowichan Trail: Dappled Light is not Much Fun

This past Sunday we had our fourth bicycle ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail.  One thing I am learning is that the look of this trail is ever-changing, as are the challenges and obstacles you might find.

As usual, there were several avid riders on their expensive mountain bikes who were ready to take on the trail,  I wonder what they think of old fogeys such as us who wear everyday clothing and ride cruiser bicycles.  Also there were hikers and people riding horses (although all we saw of them was fresh piles of manure), and this time there was a family of four: mom, dad, and two small children one in a stroller.  They also had a Jack Russel Terrier that was not on leash at the time we saw it.  Thankfully this dog did not bother us but seemed more interested in the smells and sounds at the side of the trail.

I must admit that off leash dogs are one thing I do not want to run into on this trail because I still am very insecure and drift from side to side on the trail.  We had previously ridden this trail to a spot where Sahtlam Road has an entrance to the trail and we decided to go to the road instead of riding our bikes into the heavily forested area.  This is a quiet dead-end road with a gradual incline but as we were heading up the road there was the sound of large dogs barking loudly and running towards us.  Thankfully there was a high fence which kept them in, but this incident showed me that I still am not ready for riding on public roads.  I wonder if I ever will be?

Riding the Cowichan Valley Trail 2: Was it or Wasn't it?

Was it or wasn’t it a bear?  Yesterday was our second time riding our bicycles on the Cowichan Valley Trail and it turned out to be a bit exciting.  First we followed the route west towards Lake Cowichan again, this time going farther than before.  As we rode past the farms and entered more heavily forested area, I grew a little uncomfortable going further that way.  We had travelled 5 km along this road, so we headed back to the parking lot and decided to cross the highway and go east on the same trail.  And that is when the trip became kind of scary.

This part of the trail is very peaceful, there is a stream at the side of the trail down an embankment and it sounded lovely riding beside it.  About 1 km along the trail we came to a forested cul-de-sac and stopped to decide if we wanted to go farther.  By this time having traveled 11 km in total, I was getting a bit tired.  As we stood there, I heard a low throaty growl, not a dog.  Didn’t see anything but I told my husband I wanted to head back and he told me that he had heard a growl, I had not told him that I did.  So we mounted our bikes and as we started back I could smell a strong animal odor.  I was nervous riding behind my husband so I kept calling him and asking me if there was anything behind me as we rode back to the parking lot.

We could not say for sure what animal had made that sound but today we decided to buy rear-view mirrors for our bikes, so we went to the bike store where we had purchased our bikes and asked the fellow if they sold rear-view mirrors.  I expected him to chuckle but he went right to them.  I told him that thus far we had just travelled the Cowichan Valley Trail and didn’t mention our experience of the day before, but he spoke right up and said “there are bears on that trail”..  Good grief, that is what I did not want to hear.  So we asked him where they were and he said that someone had seen a black bear on the Sherman Road section, and that is exactly where we heard the sound the day before.

So was it or wasn’t it a bear?  I do not know for certain but it is not going to keep us from riding this trail.  I have a personal alarm which is extremely loud and I think that it would deter any bear.  At least this time of year there is lots of Spring grasses for them to eat.   Hopefully we will not see a cougar or a wolf.

It will be more comforting being able to see what is behind me now.  Nevertheless, I wonder what future rides will bring?

First Bicycle Ride on the Cowichan Valley Trail

Last Friday we picked up our new 7 speed Electra Townie bicycles at a local bicycle store called Cycle Therapy.  It has been 25 years since we last owned and rode bicycles, and let me say I was very nervous as these bikes are bigger and differently shaped than the 21 speed Norco bikes we owned then.   But they do say that one never forgets how to ride, so we set out in a quiet area to ride our new bikes.  I was white-knuckling it and was very shaky at first, but it slowly came back as we traveled the roads of this quiet residential area.

I am not ready now, and it will be some time before I am ready, to ride my bicycle on the roads near our home.  My reason is that I tend to drift towards the middle of the road and that could be deadly.  Also, it has been my experience when walking this road, that some people who use bicycles as transportation and not for pleasure or sport, do not possess any bicycle manners.  They do not let you know that they are coming up behind you, and they are going way too fast.  A few times I know that if I had stepped further into the walking lane I would have been hit and seriously hurt by some of these people who do not let you know that they are coming.

I remembered that there was a trail head to the Cowichan Valley Trail about 10 minutes from our home, so yesterday we loaded up our bikes and went to the parking lot.  And what a wonderful experience it was to ride part-way up this trail.  There was forest on both sides so the path was shaded.  The surface was tightly packed small gravel, quite easy to ride on.   It was up-hill but it was so gradual that I could barely notice except it was a bit harder to pedal at times.   I rode to the sound of sheep baaaaing in the distance,  at one point a horse and rider passed us, and a few bicycle riders who were obviously more experienced than we were.  (We being my husband and myself)..  and it was then that I saw the difference between a sport rider and the transportation riders that I have seen.  One man who was riding up behind me called out to say “rider coming, passing on your left”..    what a pleasure that was, to know that someone was coming.