Slightly in two minds about this. You can go the way of getting caught in detail or you can go the way of experience. Please bear with me as I try to find a balance. 

Here is all the information you need to know about the trip, the specifics if you will. I’ll give you a break to go read it… read it yet? I trust you have, if you haven’t, then I don’t know, I’m quite literally talking to you through a screen.

Moving along swiftly, day one was confronting for me. It was the flattest day of the tour (if you read the information about the trip) however, because B2B started taking shape a year before the event, a lot happened between day one and day one (if you catch my drift). 

Consistency was a bit of a struggle for me in preparation for the event. A lot was happening at the same time, dealing with circumstances and growing out of some harmful patterns. Things started to look good closer to the time until just over a month out the bolt that held my right pedal to the bottom bracket snapped off. I was now faced with faith. I didn’t have the finances at the time to pay for the full fixing of my bike so to God I went. Two weeks later the full amount needed for my bike was put into my account, a glory story in and of itself. Until things went left… the same Saturday of the week my bike got fixed I had my first fall. Around the corner from my house I fell on the road at around 15-18km/h. Deep tissue damage in my left elbow from the elbow to my wrist, spasms in my tricep, a broken phone screen, and a bruised ego later, I was now faced with an indefinite time off the saddle. This is three weeks away from day one. To God I went again, this time standing in faith for my healing. I was slightly doubtful that I’d be back on the bike in time or if I was even fit enough having been out for practically a month, the most important month of preparation mind you. After some conversations, I repented of my doubt, took steps of faith, and found myself riding practically pain-free the week leading up to B2B. The healing power of God was at work in me, I needed only to believe. 

My faith was stirred up and I was searching inside myself for what my expectations would be for this trip. I had a few, one being that I would be able to finish the ride but the main one ended up being patience. On trips like these where a lot is happening, you need patience. My asking before the Lord was that patience would be cultivated in my heart, not for Him to give it to me. Having already overshared I’ll spare you the details but this was a genuine ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ journey. Beautiful scenery,  riding bikes in the most fun places, spending time with beautiful people, and sharing community with them. For some, we explored every inch of the pain cave and others may have experienced pain differently. All in all, it was an amazing time, a God-filled time, a time for learning and growth in the most painful but beautiful way possible.

If you’d like to see some photos from the event click here. If you’d like more information about the  event click here, and if you’d like to know more about the Inhloso Heritage Foundation and all the projects we’re involved in and/or get involved click here.