For you, baby brother...

Yesterday, I found out that I was chosen to participate in a Bike & Build ride this coming summer, specifically from South Carolina (my home state) to Santa Cruz, CA (where I lived for two summers with CRU). I was at work when I got the acceptance email, but that didn't stop me from giggling and celebrating and, yes, crying tears of joy. 

This opportunity means so much to me: 1. I will be accomplishing my personal goal of riding my bike ACROSS THE COUNTRY! (To make matters more excellent, I get to start in my favorite place in the world and finish in my #2 favorite place!)2. This organization will allow me to help other people as I do so. (It's not just my dream that will come true!) 3. I know, in the depths of my heart, that I will be taking steps to move forward in life and, prayerfully, find some amount of healing regarding the death of my brother, for HE WILL BE my inspiration.

Let me take a moment to explain why I so closely associate my brother with cycling. Admittedly, I never even owned a bike before he died. Perhaps, that's actually one of the biggest reasons I own one now. I bought my bike approximately one month after the motorcycle accident that took his life. (I mean, let's be real, what girl wouldn't resort to some sort of retail therapy at a time like that. And when I go, I go big.) I was only riding for about a month when my brother's would-be 21st passed. On his birthday weekend, my family and all of his friends gathered in downtown Greenville to eat dinner and release lanterns in his honor. His friends and riding buddies presented my Mom with a gift that night, something called a motorcycle guardian bell (this one in particular, engraved "Harry G"). My Mom didn't know what to do with the bell so she gave it to me and I decided to put it on my road bike. Sure, a road bike isn't a motorcycle but I'm hoping they'll make an exception, whoever they are.

An aside: There is a superstitious legend about gremlins causing motorcycle wrecks and protection found by simply possessing a small bell from a true friend that has become a very popular and meaningful tradition in the motorcycling world. (PLEASE: STOP AND GO HERE -Motorcycle Guardian Bell Legend- to find the full legend AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE.

To pull out one specific point about motorcycle guardian bells before I move on: "Whenever you see a biker with a bell, you'll know that he has been blessed with the most important thing in life -- friendship from a fellow biker. If you buy your own bell, the magic will still work but if you receive one as a gift from a friend or a loved one the magic is doubled because out there somewhere you have a friend looking out for you."

Whenever I ride now, I think about my brother. Granted, there's a lot of time to think so it would probably come naturally. I am reminded though because of the constant metal "tink...tink-tink" of his bell against my bike.

Yesterday, I found out that I was chosen to participate in a Bike & Build ride this coming summer and I cried tears of joy. But I also cried tears of sorrow because there's one very important person who won't be a part of my journey anymore, at least in the physical sense. 

I dedicate this blog and my ride this summer to him.

This is for you, baby brother.