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Grace here! As I lay in bed (yes! A real bed that I didn’t have to use a foot pump for!!), I can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for how generous people near and far have been towards my team and me.
Yesterday I had the joy of being in the SAG with none other than the SAG QUEEN, Sarah Evans. Sarah has been in the SAG since day one, recovering from an injury. She has selflessly served the team day in and day out, without a complaint or breath of negativity. We are all so grateful.
If you’re new here, the SAG is the Support and Gear vehicle that follows the team down dangerous roads, sets up rest stops and calls every restaurant known- to-man in search of the next donated meal.
Day 11 was a short day for the girls riding with only 25 miles to make it to infamous Newport. As Sarah and I drove ahead of the team into town, we were greeted by some serious angels, Doc and Marcy. After a few short minutes of introducing ourselves, Doc and Marcy handed us the keys to our BEAUTIFUL beach house for the next few days, a menu to order lunch for ourselves off of and gift cards for dinner that night.
Sarah and I were both a little speechless. All this?? For us?? We didn’t do much to deserve any of what they had gifted us. They didn’t even know us!
People like Doc and Marcy have greeted us at every turn on this ride. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised by the generosity of the people we meet, but I am truly blown away by their willingness to give 10 random, smelly and severely bruised up girls whatever we need to keep going, day in and day out.
Whether it’s host homes, donated hotel rooms, meals or words of encouragement, the people we have come across make moving from city to city each day almost familiar. These kind humans bring a strange sense of family and community to our wandering bodies and minds. I’m not sure if I would be able to keep going if not for the love from strangers (who are now friends) we have been so lucky to experience.
I can’t help but make the parallel between the generosity of people each day towards our team, and the team fighting for the girls at The Refuge.
I have never seen The Refuge Ranch. The odds of me ever meeting a girl recovering at The Refuge is very slim. So why dedicate a summer to strangers?
I think that’s the point. I’m learning more and more that selflessness is the whole point. Why not use our resources, in Pedal’s case, the platform and our bodies, to serve others? Why not use your resources?
Once Pedal the Pacific is over and feels like just a mere memory, I’ll remember the way people opened their homes, hearts and wallets to our team. I’ll remember all the times I thought, “I can’t wait to do this for someone one day.”
I’ll remember the whole point of it all- be generous and turn strangers into friends. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be handing the 2040 PTP team keys to a beach house.
-Grace
