Riding with Esther

Esther is my 9yo granddaughter, the oldest child of my oldest child, Catlyn.

She is the first grandchild to venture out with Marla and me on a bicycle trip. Not necessarily because she wanted to, but that she has been led into. I have decided that I will not wait to get their approval, but begin to make it happen.

That is how we got here, she gets a paper every night showing her what the next days activities are. She has been such a good sport about it. As we got on the trail this morning, she had some initial complaints, but then so did I, I have just learned to not voice them. But when we completed the almost 14 mile ride, she said, “I went 20mph on my bike”. Later as we walked around Wallace, ID for over an hour, I asked her if she felt like she rode 14 miles today. She looked at me confused for a moment, because she forgot she rode 14 miles. Not that it was a memory she didn’t want to have, but that she had done it and just realized that she felt good. Of course she then said, “I went 20mph on my bike”

These grandchildren trips will need to continue, but they may not happen with the ride to fight kids cancer, most of the kids are in school by mid August, but we shall prevail!

Today as we rode and I knew why we try to ride in September, to raise money and awareness of childhood cancer, I thought I am on a ride with a precious child, a descendant of mine who is healthy, vibrant, alive. I prayed for all those giants of optimism that live everyday with cancer and fight against the odds to survive.

Thank you to everyone that supports this effort, not just for the kids and their families, but for me and my family. For we shall be better people for having took this ride and shared our lives with each other.