Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent reminds me of cycling trips to La Baie de Sainte Marie on the French shore. Maybe it's because I find long distance cycling a spiritual journey. It's also a reminder that even beautiful things involve hard work. Cycling here is just the best. I have cycled and re-cycled the same route multiple times. Not for martyring purposes. I just can't get enough of it. It's my 'hear God' route. And, yea, it takes a 300 km drive and hundreds of kilometres of riding to get there.
I remember this particular ride in these pictures. I had planned a new route and had woken that morning feeling tired from not having slept. The heaviness in my limbs indicated something else wasn't right, too. Somehow, I pulled myself out of bed (pretending not to be sick) and rode in the heat for about 60 kms. My goal was 100 kms that day but the fever was starting to make me dizzy by about 30 in. It was Saturday, I knew I had the next day to try to crack the rest of the 40. I turned around. I pushed, I rested, I pushed again, I thought about flagging the next truck down, I rested, I wondered about having a faster bike, cursed my heavy metal, averaged under 15 km/hr and got home.
"One fever at a time..."
Lent, to me, is a call to cycle La Baie. Only, this time, every day for 40 days for those 100 kms/day. We are being called to self-examine, love harder, pray deeper and fast. This will be my first attempt to fast in Ramadan style. Well, kinda. I'm nervous but also ready to possibly feel all those thoughts and feelings I had during that feverish ride. I don't know if I can do it, but I'll try. I've also asked myself, "why?" and then, "Is this a holiness project?" It's definitely starting out that way I have to admit. But, maybe, I can take it one fever at a time and delight in the outcomes.
