Day 44 – Erie, PA, Rest Day 14 Jul 2014

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Miles 3217 to 3217, 0 miles, Beautiful weather, I wish we were riding today and then have the rest day near Niagara Falls.

St. Joseph Home for Children, Erie PA

I don’t want to sound weird, but Erie is eerie. We are in an old downtown hotel. At Route-Rap last night I asked if it was safe to walk around the city. We were warned don’t go out alone and never take our hands off our bikes outside lest it get stolen. What a stark contrast from the 43 days of goodness since we left San Francisco. Yes, there are very bright spots in this town such as St. Joseph’s Home for Children and the dock district. We were also told that Presque Island is fabulous and the Greek Festival is awesome. The concern is getting there, and what to do with your bike while enjoying it. The idiom ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ can work the other way too. Never judge a city by its innards.

Bus Station down by the city docks

After getting the more urgent telework done I decided to be brave and took public transportation to Sam’s Club for lunch. My buddy Lloyd and I had always reserved Monday for pizza and dawgs, and with that on my mind I was compelled to venture out. There sure was an assortment of folks on board and I imagined all the stories that were contained within the bus. For 30 minutes I overheard conversations that ranged from outrage to ‘just getting by’. Some folks seem to have natural smiles and others self-inflicted scowls. The happiest guy on the bus seemed to be the driver. When a Hispanic lady in a wheel chair joined the crowded adventure I was repositioned to ride next to a young lady named Angel. She was I-Phone occupied for ten minutes but eventually pulled the plugs from her ears. I asked her if she was going to work, and yes, a waitress at the mall. I asked her which was her favorite tattoo, and she showed me one that wasn’t normally visible, and then told her story of its emotional attachment from a difficult time and a friend that helped her through it. She wanted out of Erie, hoping to move to Norfolk and work for the Navy once her child was old enough for day care. She asked what brought me to Erie and I told her of my bike adventure, today being my rest day and now on my way to buy some essentials at the mall. All the conversations around us went silent as she asked more questions. Eventually she asked what I did for a living, and reluctantly I told her. She commented that she had secretly wondered why I was holding on so tightly to my laptop bag. Questions then came from everywhere, not just her. I was not expecting any of that, wishing to discover their goals and dreams, not explain mine. After she got off at her stop I could not help but think that God could shine that tarnished Angel into being one of His favorites. I hope my words encouraged her, and then felt a bit silly for thinking that. She already is one of His favorites.

There is so much goodness around me yet to be discovered. While shopping I saw children that listened to their parents (and some that didn’t), a saw a mother feeding her baby a bottle with such gentleness that it caught not just my attention but others too. I already mentioned the bus driver that treated his riders with dignity, respect, and a smile. When he missed a signal bell to stop, that rider got upset and said something ugly to him, but that passenger could not squeeze anything out of the driver but a sincere apology and a kind word in return.

Happy Times and Sam's Club

Sydney swam in the deep end of the pool today! Her dad Chris and her younger brother Dean can swim too (and they don’t use water wings at that pool). They are also expert Sam’s Club pizza eaters, and their giggling and joy around the table next to me was so irresistible that I was compelled to ask to join them. Chris is an educator specializing in sports, and when I mentioned my long bike riding adventure was when the pictures came out. Little Dean was so cute. They had just returned from a pilgrimage to Disney World, and he had the ears on his hat to prove it. Sydney’s also now rides a bike, and with her recent swimming achievement she earned the gem of the day honors.

Bottom Line: Good is all around, but sometimes you have to look for it. If you can’t see it, share it.