Summer Update

It’s been a week already since we returned from our very first bicycle tour adventure with Reuben and Heidi, Eden and Harper in Southern Ontario. We enjoyed two full days of camping/bicyling with them from Brant Conservation Area to Valens Conservation Area to Hamilton.  We used a small one-wheel bike trailer (not a “Bob” but similar) to pull all of our camping gear behind us.  We had purchased this trailer on Craig’s list several months ago, with hopes that it would suffice for this summer’s Ontario trip (our “practice run”) and then also for next summer when we are hoping to accompany Reuben and Heidi in Colorado for a week on their cross-country trek. Well, it’s a good thing we practiced in Ontario! We found out that our camping gear weighed more than the trailer could safely carry. Until we were able to unload about 25 pounds of gear,  Lloyd, who was pulling the trailer behind his bike, had a tough time balancing on his bike. Not so bad on lazy country roads (most of the route Reuben had planned), but absolutely terrifying on brief stretches of busy highway with semi trucks whizzing by every few seconds! Sooooooo, we are planning to sell this one-wheel trailer, and are now on the look-out for a used two-wheel bike trailer that will not present the same balance issues. Short of the intense adrenelin rush on the busy highway with the over-loaded trailer,  and another “not quite as intense”  bout with adreneline while coming down the escarpment into Hamilton even WITH a properly loaded trailer, we had a GREAT experience. Weather was actually pleasant, not hot, which made for wonderful camping also. We thoroughly enjoyed spending time in this way with Reuben and Heidi, Eden and Harper.

Eden on her best-dressed day on an afternoon break on the way to Valens

Harper never seemed to stop smiling the whole time (except during middle-of-the-night-crying). By the time early AM arrived, he would emerge from the tent with Reuben, with a huge smile on his face again. He was great coffee-company!

We are so glad that Grand Rapids, MI, is on the way to/from Ontario, because we were able to spend  some brief but very precious time in MI on either end of our trip to Ontario.  We feel very blessed to see so many of our kids and all of our grand-kids during a  5 day long weekend absence from DSM.

Emma and Claire doing crafts at our GR apartment. This afternoon craft morphed into a sleep-over which they (and we) loved.

Levi got into some of the apartment action as well. He sat for the first time in one of our little black chairs and watched Wonder Pets with his sisters and Marley too.

Marley keeping warm in our very cool apartment

We’ve enjoyed being home over the past week. Not much longer for me though, as I’ll be leaving this Friday, with my friend, Lisa, and 4 Pathfinder kids (Prince, Aaron, Uriah and Teri)  for New England.  We’ll be staying with area church families for the first three nights while we explore the city of Boston. Then on Monday, we drive to the White Mountains of NH where we’ll be doing 4 days of back-packing/hiking on a portion of the Appalachian Trail.  Thanks to the Youth Opportunities Program, we’ll have access to free equipment usage (includes everything from hiking gear to appropriate back-packing clothing) out of the Boston YOP office. The kids are very excited. They’ve worked hard to earn their way for this trip, mostly by selling the fused glass jewelry they made at area Farmer’s Markets. We had our final “get-ready” meeting yesterday. Lisa and I hope that all goes well. More on this when I’m back. Meanwhile, Lloyd, Salome and Isaiah will hold down the fort at home while summer continues.