…with Gary Moss

It was 1982. I needed some time to clear my head and get away from the madding crowd and the responsibilities of daily life. I had noticed others who had taken time for themselves by swimming the English Channel or climbing Mt. Everest or walking across America.

I decided that I could ride my bike from West Bloomfield, Michigan to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in a month of days, during which I could get my head on straight again. (31 days x 50 miles/day)

I almost forgot to share with you that I had never ridden my bike any distance prior to this adventure. But I did do my homework. I went to a well known bike shop and had talks with the owner. He pointed out that the bike I owned would never get me to my destination. So, I bought a brand new bike as advised. He helped me outfit the bike and myself. He helped me plot out a map for safe travels, avoiding major highways. While at the bike shop, I met several other long distance bike riders and listened to their stories. I asked for their advice too. I never mentioned that I had never ridden more than 5 – 10 miles in a single stretch before.

I picked a date for my departure, circled on the calendar, and planned out my training program. I would ride my bike (without all the gear) to and from my home to work, every day for 2 weeks, and then I’d set out. (My home was only 1.8 miles from office.) Each day when I arrived home after work I felt quite confident that I could do this.

The day for my departure arrived. I mounted my bike, with 60+ pounds of gear. It was 8AM on a Saturday morning. All the kids in the neighborhood and many of their parents surrounded me on my driveway and spilled over onto the lawn. Some had made banners that read, ‘Good Luck’ and ‘Safe Travels’. My kids clung to my side and gave me last minute hugs. My ex held a camera and captured the scene for posterity.

With a wave and a “goodbye” I drove away down the street.

The first 5 miles were relatively easy. At mile #10 I was already HUFFING and PUFFING, but I kept on keeping on. By mile #45 I had reached Monroe, Michigan. It was 1PM and my body was numb. I pulled over at a burger joint and ate some lunch. I gave myself permission to lay down on the grass for 10 minutes. My goal for the first day was to reach Toledo, still 25 miles away. Getting back up and onto my bike was one of the most difficult things that I’ve ever done in my life. At 4PM I was at the edge of Toledo. I found a phone booth and called a friend (cell phones did not exist yet). My friend invited me to come to his office and then have dinner and spend the night with his family. It sounded great, so I did.

The morning came all too quickly. I managed to roll out of bed and into a HOT shower. The hot water melted my aching carcass. But I couldn’t get to Ft. Lauderdale by standing in a shower. So sooner than later I put on my riding clothes again, said my thanks and goodbyes and headed south on Hwy 25.

After about a hour of pedaling, like a motor running out of oil and grinding to a stop, my body quit. I felt a snap in the calf on my right leg, like a rubberband, and an incredible pain shot through my body. I slowed to a stop and layed down at the curb with my bike on top of me. No one stopped to help me. After a few minutes of laying there with eyes closed, moaning and feeling like a failure, I sat up and looked around.

If I had ever doubted God’s existence before, things changed for me in the moment. I was directly in front of a UHaul franchise. I immediately changed my agenda to ‘PLAN B’.

Because of my presence on the internet and the long standing popularity of my scrabble clubs and tournaments, scrabble enthusiasts are always seeking me out. Some of these people show up at club and expect that they will be instant champions, in the same way that I believed I could ride my bike for a marathon of days.

Everything that we choose to do in life takes some level of preparation. To do things well requires even more practice. To MASTER things we must pay our dues like all of those who came before us.
~ Gary Moss

Come play at CLUB #350 and the 1st Sunday Tournament. Just do it at a realistic pace. CLICK HERE