Completion ~ Hazon 2013 Cross USA Bicycle Ride

The last day. The last perfect day of Hazon’s Cross USA bicycle ride.

At times I had serious doubts that I would ever have this day. There were so many challenges to over come to get to this day: peddling over 3000 miles, mountains, rain, head winds, lack of sleep, emotions, and more.

Unlike most of the ride, the last day started as I woke up in a bed with sheets and blankets and an adjacent bathroom (thanks to a DC area friend). A leisurely 7 am hot breakfast (scrambled eggs, gluten-free toast with butter and honey, strawberries and pineapple) ensued (thanks Adrienne, David and breakfast crew).

A skit performed by the Hazon riders and staff followed. Imagine two people in the center of a circle of Cross USA riders. They are acting out and telling the story of our adventures. Someone in the circle yells freeze and the characters freeze their position. One is replaced by the person from the circle and action continues to twist in different directions. Many of the vignettes are inside jokes or experiences hilarious to this group that has lived and travelled together for nine weeks.

Next up, structured reflection space with time to write our thoughts. What are the moments we will remember?, how have we changed?, what have we learned?, what will change in our lives after the ride ends? We start the process of integrating this adventure and recognizing the ways in which we have challenges ourselves and reached our goals.

Afterward we line up. The first person steps around to face the second who gives the an appreciation, a wish for their future or a blessing. The first person step in front of the third person, then the fourth as the second person turns and faces the third and so it continues until each person (full country bicyclist, Hazon staff and segment riders) has a chance to share with everyone else and receive from everyone else.

There are some surprises, deep emotions and an outpouring of love, recognition and looking forward to growth.

Fresh baked gluten-free cake and brownies is on the table when we finish this closing of the circle and then it is time to ride out with the local day riders around 10:30 am.

Riding into DC together, all in our colorful red, white, blue and orange Hazon jerseys felt great. “We are the champions” blaring on Addriene’s jammy pack. Riders chiming in to sing Adamah V’Shamaim and other songs in Hebrew.

The first stop for lunch is Georgetown park fountain. Riding through the fountain, eating ice cream, using the restrooms in the local theater, lots of pictures of the eight full country riders (Arye, Bernie, Dena, Freddie, Hannah, Ilan, Kim, and Terry) it started to feel real. We had bicycled across the country through 14 states and even more Jewish communities.

For me it was not only a journey across America on a bicycle, it was also a journey to Judaism with a pluralist inclusive community and an inner journey to change my self-image and health while enjoying the beauty around me.

Before leaving Georgetown park we dipped our front tire in the Potomac which flows into the Atlantic. We had arrive at the opposite side of the country. It was the completion of the ritual dipping of our back tire in Lake Washington which flowed into the Puget Sounds and the Pacific before riding through the land.

A few more miles we rode, a kind to victory lap through the Washington monuments to the crowd waiting in front of the White House which has recently had the solar panels installed during the Carter era, removed during the Reagan era, reinstalled.

I did it. I could now shift my image from a quitter of schools, work places and relationships when they get tough to a challenge survivor, thriver, goal achiever, finder of completion, the happy ending.

A delicious barbecue at the 6th and I synagogue followed. Meat from Grow and Behold which supported our ride and lots of people celebrating with us.

One activity involved David calling out categories as everyone in the circle that fell into that category stepped into the center of the circle to be celebrated, applauded. “Everyone who crossed the country”, “everyone who visited a new state this summer”, “everyone who rode their first century (100 miles in one day) on the ride”, etc. “Stay in the circle if you rode 130 miles in one day (Ilan).”

Then an inspiring video with pictures from the ride and brief movie clips of riders in Seattle talking about why they are riding. Watching that video brought the magnificence of what we did to light. Those clips recorded nine weeks and 3300 miles ago seem like a long time ago, a time of uncertainty, of looking towards what was ahead.

Now what is ahead is taking all that we have each learned, the ways in which we have grown, and the strengths we have developed into the rest of our lives and continue to grow and change the world, creating the world we want to live within.

Thank you Hazon, Garth, Adrienne, Danielle, Eli, David, Jeremy, and friends and family for all you love and support, I literally could not have done it without you.

Originally published at https://www.tumblr.com on August 16, 2013.