2005 Rally
By Mike Schweitzer
It’s
kind of interesting that about a week before a big group bike trip, emails and
phones get quiet. Maybe everyone is so entrenched in final bike and trip prep, they’re too busy to chat much. Between all that work we were praying; for guidance, peace, my mother’s
health, and not forgetting the bike stand (Which I did!). However, Prayer was answered when my mother’s
health took a big turn for the better just as we were leaving!!)
This
years CoCSBA Rally visited
On
Thursday, May 26, a group of the Colorado CSBA met at
Came
in and found Bob and Carl and Judy and Mike had their bikes and gear all packed
up. It was getting late. Judy was starting a Bible study when Eric and I and
our families showed up.
We
really were sorry, Judy. We wanted to pray with you all, but the sun was
getting low in the sky and w just had to get some laps in!
The
track guy let us stay and lock up the gate when we left.
The
noisy Texas Roadhouse dinner, kids and all, was a good end to the first day of
the Colorado Christian Sport Bike Association 2005 Rally.
By
Riding
down 149 on a bright, but not too warm day, it is easy to see Gods work and His
love. The snow capped high peaks. Green and rock covered ranges that extend on
farther than you can see in a day. Assure everyone that this beauty is not by
chance. God’s landscape is perfect. He even guided men to build groomed
sweeping roads to enjoy the journey through His creation.
Jim
proved how well he and the FJR could ride on these fast sweeping passes. He
said later he would check his mirrors and there would be this pesky silver
Ducati. Pulsing just off his rear wheel. Our pace and group got broken up by some
unscheduled stops. Eventually, we all made the 280 mile ride and got to our
hotel in
My
wife and kids had enjoyed the drive out, too. She stopped with the kids to take
a short hike to see some grand waterfalls. Everyone had a story from the
adventures thus far. Bob Owens and his wife had made a BBQ beef dinner to be
served at a Baptist church that was our host church. Same as
last year. After a nice prayer to focus our attention back to our God
and His Blessing, dinner was great. (You notice that food seems to punctuate
the chapters of a good group trip?) Stories flew around the tables. The kids
played air hockey in one end of the room. (This IS a great host church!) We
discussed options for Saturday and the weekend.
The
group split up again as my family went horseback riding up some local trails
and onto some high hills. The guides, Al and Jesse, were real patient with our kids.
Our oldest daughter, Elise (9) was thrilled to get her own horse. Along the
way, we had a conversation with Jesse about the Lord. She was just coming to
learn about Him. She said she felt good around people she knew and had met who
were followers. Sunday, after service, my wife, Anne, went back and spoke with
Jesse, invited her to pray to Lord Jesus, and gave her directions to the church
in town.
Another
even in town that weekend was a car show on free display. Pristine chopped out
street rods, late 60’s Camaros, Mustangs, and ‘Cudas and loads of other sweet cars!
Saturday,
the bike group all re-joined together over, you guessed it, lunch!
For
the afternoon, we headed up the hill to find an open parking lot at the college
to play some bike games. We had set up with the school to use an empty parking
lot for a display of maneuvering skills of our bikes around cones in the lot.
Several set up a cool course with everything from slalom, to brake
test, to slow race, to switch-backs and a hard U-turn. I think everyone took a
crack at this course. Later a good natured cop showed up to talk with us. For
reasons several of us joked was Gods way of keeping us paying attention, the
cops felt it was a good idea to cuff Al.
None
of us could disagree with that move! The cop let Al go when he saw that no one
was going to be able to ride his intense RC51 back for him! 8~\
We
all managed to get back to the Days Inn and clean up in time for Bob to drive
up with some excellent local pizza.
Sunday
morning started as a clear, beautiful day. We all went to the Baptist church
for service. The Word is strong the leaders of this church. They talked of
recovery and healing needed for a neighboring pastor’s family as the pastor had
just been lost in a car accident. The wife was recovering, but with significant
financial challenges. We all chipped in when the baskets were passed around.
The Sermon was a teaching from Isaiah, and once again, seemed to have a message
to be humble in our surroundings. He watches over us, and we gave thanks to the
warm welcome shown to us.
Wasn’t too long before the group split up again. Bob’s and my
wife drove out to the horse ranch again. Anne went out to thank Jesse and Al
again for the great ride, and to bring them information on how to follow the
Lord, and advised they visit the church we had been to that weekend.
While
Anne did her ministry to Jesse and Al, I left
Anne
met me in Uray as planned. As it was getting dark and a bit colder up in the
mountains, as we were, I loaded the Ducati in the back of the Tundra, and we
drove home. Memorial day
Monday was colder still at our house. We prayed that the rest of our group had
more favorable riding. This was a real hard storm on the Denver Front Range. I
hoped the rest of the CoCSBA group had a drier ride. Turned
out that they did.
The
2005 Colorado Christian Sport Bike Spring Rally was a great success! We are
planning next year’s rally will be much closer at one of the local ski-towns.
We’ll
keep you posted and welcome other states’ members to join us.
cYa@ the next apex,
Mike
Schweitzer