Rich keeps going:

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Wonderful weather blessed most of Rich’s Ride, but the morning after Monte’s outreach we awoke to the most miserable weather of the entire trip.

Low-forties temperatures, wind, rain, sleet – at home, such conditions are a prescription for a warm fire and another cup of hot coffee.

Becky advised waiting, but I was determined. I wrapped myself in layers, donned rain gear, and started cranking. It certainly wasn’t the most pleasant ride, but the day reminded me of an important principle:

Dream-following tests and expands your limits because it’s more about character than comfort.

Character is a long-term issue, often developed and tested in uncomfortable settings. I could have chosen the short-term comfort of a hotel lobby. Everyone who watched me get ready thought I was nuts for venturing into such miserable conditions. Perhaps they were right.

But this difficult ride took me past the thousand-mile mark. I rode faster than any previous day of the entire journey. I proved to myself I could continue to follow the dream in the face of difficult circumstances.

Those things matter. They were worth sacrificing a few hours of short-term comfort.

A flat tire helped us decide to cut the ride a bit short. I didn’t want Becky to change wheels while we both got soaked and chilled, so we called it a day.

I swapped certain comfort for a thirty-four-mile bike ride in crummy conditions. Riding in cold rain has costs, but from my perspective the cost of not riding was too high. I’m glad I didn’t exchange a difficult, rewarding, satisfying ride for a small bit of short-term comfort.

I wonder how often we pass by remarkable experiences to avoid temporary discomfort. I wonder if we understand the price we pay for the safety net.

I think God cares about character and invites us to reject “comfort at any cost.”