A Note of Gratitude

Throughout and after Katherine's journey across the Southern tier of the United States, many people have sent her cards expressing gratitude towards her. The note below is from a woman who Katherine never met.

Dear Katherine,

I am the sister of Julia Burnett of Spartanburg, S.C. She sent me the wonderful article of your cross-country ride across America, raising more than $214,000 for wound/ostomy care. My husband, Jim and I are so impressed with your dedication to this cause. Since we're living in Europe, he did send an electronic check to you a week or so ago. I've had an ostomy since December 2008. I'm very blessed to have the care of nurses at the wound care center of Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. I've even had good care from my St. Louis Center while living abroad for a year!

Though I've never met you, you are an inspiration to me and I'm sure many others who are aware of your dedication to this cause.

I would like to personally thank you for your efforts.

We will be returning to the states at the end of this month. If I'm ever in the Spartanburg area when you're in town, it would be a pleasure to meet you.

Best regards,
Elizabeth Marchbank

Lessons from the Tree of Life

This old tree, that I call the tree of life, is on the loop I ride in the French Broad Valley in North Carolina. Study it for a minute and you will see the place on the right where the tree was broken and fell about a foot from the ground. No doubt that happened many years ago and it was left to die and disintegrate in the pasture. Instead, the trunk that was so grievously injured has given life and strength to eight limbs. They have grown to great height and fullness.

Every time I cycle by I think of the life events that bring us down and the amazing opportunities we have to grow from them and to achieve unimagined stature because of, not in spite of, the setbacks and losses that occur across our personal and professional lifespan. Failed relationships, job layoffs or changes, illness, unexpected and unfathomable deaths. May this beautiful symbol of nature's redemptive powers remind us that we, too, can be successful opportunists and overcomers.

Recollecting and Reflecting

• I asked for prayers for safety for all the cyclists. No one was badly injured.
• I asked for prayers for no rain. There was not a drop of rain on any riding or resting day during our 58-day journey.
• I asked for prayers for no head winds. There were significant head winds and cross winds, but they didn't last too long; and they taught us to pedal stronger and trust God for perseverance to ride through them.
• I asked for prayers for no flat tires. There were any number of flat tires among the 16 cyclists and 2 guides. I had 3 and they were all in the parking lot - a convenient time and place to change them.

God’s grace never failed me. He was on time, in time, all the time. The epic bicycle trip from coast to coast, from San Diego to St. Augustine, was akin to two months in a prayer closet! My appreciation for the companionship, devotional and prayer time, and help with tedious tasks provided by my treasured friend, riding companion, and roommate, Marge, grew to dimensions that remain indescribable. Our minds were emptied so we could fully receive; our senses were quickened so we could relish the sweet and tantalizing aromas of the early morning —fresh desert air, manure on the crops, piney woods in East Texas, magnolias, jasmine, and honeysuckle in the South; rejoice in the beauty of every sunrise and swoon over every sunset. We descended into canyons and climbed demanding ascents; we marveled at vast desert vistas, endured bone chilling cold mornings and enervating Southern afternoons; we enjoyed excitement and stood down exhaustion. We saw helpfulness and hospitality in all 8 states; and we savored solitude and spirituality during every day. We experienced encouragement and affirmation from guides and fellow cyclists alike. We learned the importance of gratitude for something as small as a patch of shade from an overhanging branch to cool us when the temperatures soared, for a good shower in a motel room that was old and grubby, for the use of another’s cell phone when our provider’s service failed, for help with the dinner dishes from a pair who could have been resting in their rooms after an arduous day of cycling. We were welcomed by a Methodist congregation in Crawfordville, Fl for Easter Sunday worship and brunch. We formed friendships that will last a lifetime and made memories that will never fade. By every measure the trip was an enormous success. We all completed it. We all loved it and became stronger and more competent than we ever imagined we would be. Thanks to contributions from so many of you, my Cycling for Scholarships initiative has now brought in $213,513.00 and donations are still being made. I miss the simplicity of the road as much as I adore being in my own bed and close to my beloved Jack. I long for the challenge of every riding day as much as I delight in the slower pace of home. A bicycle trip across America is a marvelous metaphor for life. I learned that there is nothing in the world ahead of me that I can't handle - as long as I acknowledge God's sovereignty in it and the dozens of people required to go through it. This I know for certain: there is no such thing as self-sufficiency! Please be assured of my thankfulness for all of you who invested yourselves with prayers, checks and on-line contributions, calls and cards. You were crucial to the completion of a grand and glorious endeavor. I can't wait to see each of you very soon. In HIS service and care, Katherine

Resting, Recollecting, Reflecting

It's been 11 days since our jubilant arrival in St. Augustine. Not all of my stuff is put away. Not all the mail has been sorted and responded to. My to do list for the days and weeks ahead is growing longer as I try to get my head back home!

Katherine writes up a long to do list after she arrived home.

My body is thrilled to be back in my own bed and close to dear Jack. I'm amazed by the interest of so many people, people I don't even know. They don't want to hear much, but they do want to express congratulations. So nice.

The question most often asked is, "Did you ever think you couldn't go on? Could not or would not finish?" The answer is, "NEVER, NOT ONCE!" The most salient memories are of WOCN members, friends, and family who turned out at the beginning in San Diego, all along the way, and at the end. You know who you are and where you were to provide encouragement, support, smiles, hugs, help cleaning the SAG Wagon, help with washing and drying the dinner dishes, wound dressings, cool drinks, fruits, coffee, sweet treats, and contributions to Cycling for Scholarships fund. I cherish each memory of your collective kindness. I do want to give a special thank you to the WOCN leadership, the staff in our National Office, and Robbie Sharp, BSN, CWOCN, who mobilized most of Florida!

I will be able to do anything I set my mind to in the future if I have God's blessing and dozens of people lined up to help me get the job done; this I know for sure. In the case of this wondrous journey, we relied on support provided by so many people, too numerous to count and in roles too diverse to delineate. I learned for certain that there is no such thing as self-sufficiency.

Until the WOCN Conference concludes on June 8, I will plan to post a few more recollections and reflections. In the meantime, my coach insists I rest! Thank you for continuing this amazing trip with me.

According to Katherine: Day 55 Recap

We're poised in Palatka after a 73.5-mile ride for tomorrow's 47-mile ride into St. Augustine. It will be quite a parade and a glorious reunion. We'll celebrate as we put our front tire in the Atlantic. Thank you all for your love and support. It has meant the world and made the trip the defining life event that it was.

Welcome to Palatka! Soon we'll be on our way to St. Augustine, FL!

According to Katherine: Who Do You Admire?

One very famous woman has demonstrated two traits throughout her career.

 (source)

Oprah has shown generosity and gratitude and because of her, I’ve worked to strengthen those traits in my own life. The number one lesson I learned from her is that it's not necessary to give big to be big givers.

That lesson has changed my life. I may not be able to reach the $200,000 goal myself, but I can help contribute and inspire others to give whatever they can to support such a great cause.

Oprah impacts millions of viewers, and I hope she would be glad to know I am one of them. She’s become a positive force in my life, and an inspiration. 

Who inspires you?

According to Katherine: Living Life in the Fast Lane

(source)

You’re probably wondering why a retired, 72-year old woman would want to endure a 3,100-mile, cross-country bicycle tour when she could easily be relaxing at her home or skiing, an activity she thoroughly enjoys.

Well, there is a lot to my story, from all different angles. It began when I was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago. Continuous evidence from doctors shows a low fat diet and physical fitness help prevent the recurrence of cancer. I have always been active, but am in much better shape at 72 than I was at 40. It’s true you know more and understand more the older you get. I now understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

I would love to inspire other elders to engage in physical activity, because it will enrich their lives. Being able to fend for myself by placing my own bag in the overhead on a plane or skiing down one of nature's gigantic mountains makes me feel like I have purpose at this age. 

Cycling lets me interact with others while enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. After about a year of enjoying the sport with family and friends, I wanted to take it to the next level and cycle cross-country. I wanted the trip to serve a purpose besides an accomplishment for myself.   

The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) has been near and dear to my heart since its founding in the 1960s. I want the WOCN to flourish years after I’m gone. Scholarships which entice nurses into wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) care provides the community with intelligent people who can help the organization continue to shine.

I want to encourage people to do better for themselves by living life to the fullest. Combining that with contribution to a great organization, the WOCN, makes my plan worthwhile.