Holy Rollers

It’s hard for me to believe, but I’m going to be riding with John on the Holy Rollers ride this year.  The Holy Rollers is a group of United Methodist clergy and laity who cycle throughout the year for fun and exercise and then ride a long distance to our Annual Conference in June.  This year the group is riding from Lynchberg, VA to Conference in Norfolk, VA.  About 3,000 people attend the Annual Conference from all over Virginia, but most of them arrive by car.  About 25 will arrive by bicycle this year, having ridden up to 250 miles over 3 days.  Ugh!

I will be riding up to 30 miles each this Friday and Saturday.  John will ride with me (quite slowly by his standards).  Then I’ll get in a support vehicle and drive the rest of the 100 miles each day while he cycles it (much faster).  We will not be riding on Sunday, as we want to be at our churches for Sunday services.  We’ll go to Norfolk by car that evening.  

But our friend Chet will ride the entire way.  Here’s a picture of us today as we prepare for the ride.  Putting three bicycles together in a triangle makes the logo for the Holy Rollers.  I’ve been told this picture and the story I wrote will be on the front page of our local paper tomorrow.  (John and I are center and left–Chet’s on the right.)

You can see a short video on the Holy Roller website from last year’s ride from Mt. Jackson, VA to Roanoke (only about 160 miles!).  John’s in it, but you have to watch carefully.