It was the morning before the pedal pilgrimage. I suggested during coffee in the St. John’s Darwin Church basement that we cancel the bike ride because of weather reports of inclement weather. I was ready to postpone the pilgrimage or cancel it all together. However, the church-going bikers at the table thought a little rain would not hurt anyone. And when one of the church ladies sipped her cup and said, “Mike, did Jesus cop out on you?” I knew there was no stopping the 30-mile bike ride from St. Gertrude’s in Forest City to St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.
Despite my trepidations the pilgrimage turned out to be a powerful day of prayer and biking. It was overcast, but dry, when eight pilgrims and two drivers started out from Forest City. We did get rained on between Watkins and St. Nicholas. However, we dried off at the Cold Spring Bakery, had Mass in the little stone church at Jacob’s Prairie before arriving at Collegeville, and all you can eat university buffet.
At the end of the day everyone was glad that they participated. Some people enjoyed seeing the different churches. Others enjoyed the food and joining the monks of St. John’s for evening prayer. We all felt a sense of accomplishment for pedaling the entire trip rain or shine.