Mile 0
Every journey, they say, begins with a single step — or in this case some serious training about how to ride and how to build a community with a group of 13 other people.
I thought at first that this whole adventure was just a ride from Minneapolis to Chicago. I’m finding out really quickly that it is much, much more than that.
Sure, a part of these first days is some important training we will need one our ride but another, more important aspect of these first two days is building a community of people who are passionate about doing something, in some small way to restore this world back to the way that God intended it to be. It’s called justice.
We spent some time last night and today looking at Isa 5:8 which, to me,
is a clear promise that if we care about justice and using our resources to help those who are victims of injustice that our life will be different.
Isa 5:8: and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
The expectation of Venture Expeditions is that this ride is not a one time event but is actually a first step in adjusting to a more “justice centered” existence — something that continues along after the we cross the 500 mile mark.
The entire Venture Expeditions Midwest Tour team in Downtown Minneapolis
In talking with some of the group that has been on other rides it became obvious that this experience is also meant to touch people we meet along the way in the gas stations and 7-11s and at the churches that have so graciously offered to host us each night. It is meant to explain to them what God means by justice and that justice is, indeed something to be done not just read about of thought about.
But, fear not… the first day is not all serious study. We had a great training ride around the city and along the river along with time out for some group pictures.
It’s nice to see that Minneapolis is a city that has seriously invested in their cycling infrastructure. Not only are there lots of bike only trails and lanes but there are a lot of people who use them. Saturday morning on our training ride the trails were crowded with all ages and types of cyclists. As a proponent of biking, I have no doubt that Madison has a true cycling rival in Minneapolis.