July 22-23 on the TransAm

We left Walden at around 8:00. So much for an early start… I think it was hard to get out of those soft, cumfy beds. In any case, we headed out of town well rested and ready for a good ride. The morning would be a steady climb up to the summit/Continental Divide at Willow Creek Pass and the afternoon would be a steady descent to either Hot Sulphur Springs or 17 miles further to Kremmling, depending on the church situation. 

The first leg of the ride brought us to Rand by 10:00 where we stopped at the Rand Store for water and the use of the restroom. As we rested in the shade for a few minutes a car went driving by and then backed up and parked on the opposite side of the road. I looked more closely and Karolina was gettin out of the car and walking over to us with a smile. She’d stayed in Walden with a couchsurfing host named James, who was now giving her a ride to the bike shop up the road in Granby. I told her our plans for the night and we agreed that we would hook up in one place or the other. 

From Rand we started the more steep section of our climb up the pass. The map showed a gradual incline and the summit was 10.5 miles from Rand so we expected we’d have a pretty easy go of it. By 12:08 we reached the summit, took a selfie with the sign and headed down the other side glad to be on the downside of the day’s ride. The ride down ran for a good ways along the Denver Creek and we were awed by the beauty. We kept looking around and soaking it all in. It was absolutely beautiful. People were camping all over the place by the river, many were fishing, and the scenery was captivating. At one point we had a horse across the road running in pace with us. When we stopped to see if we could go over and pet him, he ran off. Guess he just wanted to run. It was near there that we also caught sight of a moose with her calf. What large animals they are! 

We arrived at Hot Sulphur Springs around 2:30 and stopped at the gas station to ask about the churches in town. The attendant was very little help so we rode on. Stopping at a Community Church we went to the hotel across the street and asked if he knew how to get ahold of the pastor. He lent me the phone book so I could look up the number and call it. The number was disconnected. He said the lady down the road at the motel went to church there and could help us. We went to see her and she said the guys name was Mark but couldn’t help us further. I thanked her and decided we’d better bike on another 17 miles to Kremmling, a much larger town with, I trust, more options for church. It was mostly downhill so we weren’t too bummed to have to ride further. Besides, it would be 17 miles we wouldn’t have to do on Monday and it would get us 17 miles closer to where we plan to meet the family on Wednesday night. 

But what a surprise the Lord had for us riding out of Hot Sulphur Springs! We suddenly found ourselves riding through a canyon with a river and railroad track down below us. It was 4-5 miles of stunning beauty. I could hardly keep my eyes on the winding downhill road. I looked left, then right, then left, then back behind me, then ahead of me. I grabbed my phone, held the handlebars with one hand and snapped shot after shot with the other (don’t worry, we’ve gotten pretty good at that 🙂 And as soon as we came out of it and looked back, all we could see were grassy foothills. The entire thing was hidden behind uncomely hills. What a privilege to ride through there. 

We rode into Kremmling at about 4:15 looking for churches as we rode down the main road through town. Seeing none for quite a while we decided to stop into a coffee shop to ask. Of course we had to give them our business so I ordered a coffee and the boys got some ice cream. The lady barista was very helpful. She told me there was a Baptist church in town (which we’d apparently already passed) as well as a Community church, among others. I figured I’d call the Baptist church first. She found the number in the directory and gave it to me. Turns out the pastor was on vacation until Aug 6. I explained to the lady that we were looking to find a place to worship on Sunday but were also hoping to find shelter at the church for 2 nights. She said she couldn’t authorize that and the deacon who could was on vacation as well. She suggested I call her back in 15 mins. While waiting I could see that there was a church two blocks from where we stood outside the coffee shop. So I decided to check it out. The church was locked but a building similarly painted stood next to it and a jeep was parked outside. Looks like someone’s here. I walked in and met a man named Marshall. The building served as a Food Pantry for the Community Church next door and Marshall was doing some bookkeeping for the church. I explained who I was and what our need was and Marshall immediately offered a cool room in the basement of the Food Bank and all the food in the kitchen. Wow! How many times does God exceed our imagination and requests!? Moreover, there was a shower downstairs for our use as well. And they had wifi! Could it get any better? 

We settled in, got a shower, and began looking through the cupboards for dinner when I got a text from Karolina. She was in town at the local pizza place and had pizza for us. So we walked down to meet her. We ate the pizza and got caught up on how her day had been. But then the conversation turned to spiritual things. She was still thinking about some things I’d said to her last Sunday when we were staying at the Episcopal church in Dubois, WY. She’s very sensitive to the LGBTQ community and believes love is an overpowering feeling and not a choice. She also believes that if something exists (say, a loving relationship between people of the same sex) then it’s natural–because it exists. Besides, her moral compass tells her steps a good person and that same sex relationships aren’t wrong. I listened and then posed this question: What if your moral compass is wrong? What if it’s broken? And furthermore, how can you know for sure if it’s not broken? Does your feeling it’s right make it right? Does your friends agreeing with you–or even the whole world agreeing with you–make it right? Your feeling a thing is right doesn’t make it right. Your wanting a thing to be right doesn’t make it right. Right is what the Righteous Judge of all the earth says is right. You’re gambling your eternal condition–which is a matter of heaven or hell–on the biased judgment that your moral compass agrees with the moral compass of the Judge of all the earth. But what if you’re wrong? In the Bible God teaches us that we’re fallen creatures with a fallen moral compass and He tells us what’s right and what’s wrong. How do you know you’re not calling good evil and evil good? “Then how do you get your moral compass corrected?” she asked. By surrendering yourself to Jesus Christ and asking Him to change your heart. Your sinful actions aren’t the essence of your problem. Your fundamental problem is your sinful condition. ––It was an awesome conversation and she listened intently the whole time. She said, “You make a lot of sense. I’ve never been challenged in that way before. You’ve gotten right down to the foundation of all that I believe and questioned it. I need to think about this.” I told her that’s why God brought her on the TransAm, so she could meet us and I could share the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ with her. She smiled and gave me a big hug. Last Sunday I’d reommended she read Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield. So after our conversation I again reommended it. She downloaded it immediately on Audible and committed to give it a listen as she rides. Please pray for God to open her eyes and save her soul. We hope to see her again later this week but she biked on ahead of us today so only God knows if and when we’ll meet again. 

We walked over to the church at 9:00. I thought there would be Sunday school but the worship team was practicing and a few other people were standing around visiting. Marshall was there and introduced us to his brother Mike. We had a nice conversation and then took our seats and waited for the service to start at 10:00. The singing was very contemporary though more than half of the congregation were over the age of 60. At last one of the church elders came up to speak (the pastor was preaching at a church in Canon City). He’s involved in business management and spoke to us about stewardship from the passage in Mt 25.14-30 about the talents. His message hovered on the surface of the text and was often more business than text but it was good to be reminded that we are stewards before God. Everything we have and are is a gift from God and we are accountable to use it for His glory. It’s a good call to self-examination. After the service we spoke with a few people about our travels and they wished us Godspeed, which was a blessing. 

We’ll be hanging out at the Food Bank today catching up on things and doing some reading. Also, I’ve downloaded Rosaria Butterfield’s book and will begin listening to it today as well. I hope I can finish it before Karolina and I meet again. No, I’ve never read it. I’ve always wanted to and everyone I respect highly recommends it. So it looks like Providence has found me the time… 🙂 

I reached out to two warmshower hosts yesterday and secured some lodging ahead of us. We’ll be staying with Paul Mattson in Frisco, CO tomorrow night. Tuesday night we’ll be camping out in Hartsel. And then on Wednesday night we’ll be meeting up with Chantry and the kids at a warshower in Canon City. Yes, you heard that right. I asked Susan and Mark Helms in Canon City if they would not only host us but allow my family to crash the party–for 3 nights! Crazy request I know. But, thanks be to God, she said, “We have 36 acres. I’m sure squeeze you all in for a few days Bring the family!” Wow. What an answer to prayer. We really wanted to spend those days together before the family heads back to the Cape but we can’t afford a hotel in Pueblo for 3 days (which was Plan A). Please pray for God’s blessing on Mark and Susan Helms and that we’ll be a blessing to them. Note, they have two Great Danes and two horses 🙂 Not expecting anything…but it’ll be awesome just to pet them all! 

The stats: from Walden, CO to Kremmling, CO we cycled 78 miles in 6:19 with a total elevation gain of 2664 ft. 

That’s all for now. Thanks for praying and thanks for following. 

Until next time… 🙂