Outrageous goals add color to our lives. Last summer I established a really big one for myself – to bicycle the entire length of the Mississippi River from its headwaters in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to New Orleans! For a “serious” bicyclist this goal would not have been outrageous, but for me it was. I was both excited and apprehensive.

I did not know if I could do it. Do you ever ask yourself “what if” questions? I did. Mine included – what if the weather was bad, or the bicycle broke down? Did I have it in me – could I bicycle for that duration? I had never bicycled more than 35 miles at a time. And if the trip took many years, would my health be good enough later to complete it?

And then there were the logistical issues, because I did not know how I would do it.

I made four decisions early on. First, I would go with one person or a group of people. So I enlisted the help of a friend and more experienced bicyclist, Charlie Bass, who also got excited about the idea and wanted to go with me.

Second, I would not abandon my other responsibilities. We would break the trip up into manageable pieces, perhaps in intervals of 1-5 days each, and spread those intervals over several years.

Third, we would do it safely, even if there were no bicycle trails. I was fortunate to find maps of Minnesota that told whether or not the roads were paved, or if there were other special road conditions.

Fourth, I wanted the trip to be fun, not an ordeal. Therefore, we would stay overnight in motels, rather than camping. We would also decide as we went along just how much biking was feasible and fun. That could depend on a variety of factors – our bodies, the weather, etc.

We set aside 5 days in June from our busy calendars for phase one of the trip – from Lake Itasca to Brainerd, Minnesota. It really happened. And it worked wonderfully well. It helped that Charlie was such a great biking partner.

On the trip there was rain, but not much when we were biking. When the weather became unpleasant, we stopped.

If you have ever been to Lake Itasca, you have probably seen the mouth of the Mississippi River start as a clear-water creek heading north. It then heads northeast to Bemidji, east to Grand Rapids, and south and west to Brainerd. As you travel along, the River turns dark brown from the silt it carries with it.

The scenery was beautiful. I particularly enjoyed seeing it because I do not get out to the countryside very much. Even vacations lately have been either urban or more sedentary. Of course, biking and walking both slow you down so that you can appreciate the outdoors so much more.
I loved the wooded areas and the farms of cattle, hay and sod. My favorites were when we were up close to the banks of the River.

The next phase in our trip will be from Brainerd to Minneapolis. The plan is to continue this journey next year, God willing. And then we will see.

Do you have outrageous goals? Are they large enough to motivate you to accomplish them?

I hope that this story will inspire you and encourage you to do what is in your heart. My story started quite literally with my heart. Five years ago I had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery. I was urged to increase my regular exercise. I got bored with a treadmill and remembered how much I used to enjoy bicycling and exploring when I was a kid. So now I have come full circle with my recent biking expedition.

I have particularly enjoyed the outrageousness of this bicycling venture. To me it is a “cool” thing to do. It has definitely added color to my own life.

I hope that sharing this story will add some color to yours.