week #2: go the distance

Call us crazy. Call us insane. Call us whatever you want…but we did it!!

One of my favorite places in Utah is Bear Lake. Mostly because of my love for the beautiful blue water. This weekend my family went up there. So I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to do something that I had always wanted to do. Ride my bike around Bear Lake. I mentioned this to my cousin and she decided she wanted to take on the 51 mile challenge with me. We also roped in my thirteen year old brother. I was pumped and excited.

As we came through the canyon, down the mountain, and into view of the lake, I burst out laughing--and could not stop. "Oh, that’s what 51 miles looks like." All of sudden I remembered how big Bear Lake really is. And all I could do was laugh. I was laughing at what we had gotten ourselves into. I was laughing because there was no way either one of us would back out--even after the insaneness of it hit us. Biking around the lake isn’t particularly insane. Lots of people do it every year. The insane part was that we had decided to do it a few days earlier, we hadn’t trained or prepared, and we were on cruisers. Yes, I was laughing at all of it--near tears, I was laughing so hard.

You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh.—Marjorie Pay Hinckley

After a good dinner and decent amount of sleep, the three of us started out.

We made it to Idaho.

Still going

“Dear Mom, I think I might have killed my little brother. Will you please come rescue him.” Caleb made it 28 miles with us. Which make him one of the coolest 13 year olds alive. He also got 100% on his CRTs in language arts. 99% in math. Yeah, he’s a stud.

Love it!!!!

About mile 46. Body hurting, but still smiling. It was about here where I started thinking I should be relaxing this weekend instead putting myself through this. Two more miles. I got another second wind at this point. Finish line. We did it!!! 51miles. Done!

My mom met us at the end with the ibuprofen. After a few of those and resting for a few minutes I was up and playing with my nephew and feeling surprisingly good. Determination and endurance are amazing things. When your body feels like it is ready to give out and your bum is sore, determination will take over and keep pushing you until the end. I am determined to have the same determination and endurance in all walks of life.

Enduring, or carrying on, is not just a matter of tolerating circumstances and hanging in there, but of pressing forward.—Marvin J. Ashton, “Stalwart and Brave We Stand”

We can endure these trials and tribulations because we can draw upon the gifts of heaven, which will help us see them for what they are. As we conquer them, we are drawn closer to our Heavenly Father. We feel His love, gain His knowledge and truth. We are able to meet the test and endure these to the end.--Bishop Richard C. Edgley. “Keep the Faith”

I am so thankful to have a friend/cousin with the same stubborn determination and endurance. I don’t know if I could have done it without her. And even if I could, it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun. Honestly, any journey is more fun when you have someone to endure and enjoy it with.

If you’ve never been to Bear Lake, Google it. I couldn’t find a good picture that captured the whole thing. And if you want to know what the rest of the fam was doing while we were having our adventure check out One "Hale" of a Story.