Child of the Day: WinnLuck Robert Masha
WinnLuck
Sponsored by Becki Eyen
Age 8
Ride to Date Scorecard:
Day: T-6 (launch date is May 23)
Location: Capitola, California
Today’s Mileage: 0
Total Mileage: 0
Today’s Ascent: 0 feet
Today’s Time on the Bike: 0 hours
Total Time on the Bike: 0 hours
If my favorite fortune cookie says, “Don’t be so afraid to succeed that you are afraid to prepare,” then my favorite original thought is, “The feeling of attempting something where the outcome is uncertain is to feel truly ALIVE!”
While I may have ridden 2500 miles in 3 months, maintained my “engine” (both my beautiful “Ruby” and my own body), said a special goodbye to those friends and family I will sorely miss this summer, and outfitted myself with all the items I’ll need in the rain, wind, and heat, I am feeling the goosebumps and anxiety of knowing I’ll be boarding a train on Tuesday and head into the abyss of pain, pleasure, and unknown.
We will not know if I can actually ride 4000 miles, help on 10 house builds and successfully sleep on the floor for the next 10 weeks! ……. And so, it goes… What pleasure I will feel! What joy! what an unknown!!! Thank you for coming along on the journey!!
Meet WinnLuck Robert Masha, age 8, at Nariva Academy, located at the foot of Mount Meru. She is the daughter of my dear friends Robert and Cristina (Molell) Masha. Robert walked up Kili with Chip and me and made about 115 ascents of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Cristina keeps a beautiful home that has been a “work in progress” (the Tanzanians have a saying used frequently — “Polé Polé” meaning “slowly”) where Robert, one brick at a time, is building a guest facility and expanded kitchen for the time when he transitions from guiding. Cristina is a wonderful seamstress! Winnluck has only just turned 8 years old and is a wonderful student! She is very disciplined, like her father, Robert. (We have met Cristina once — she may be equally determined— she is a wonderful cook and made a delicious dinner including fresh, warm, sweet cow’s milk)! Winnluck, her father says, is kind and respectful — he witnessed once as a 4-year-old, she waited patiently in line till all her classmates rushed in line to be served lunch before she asked for her turn. In Tanzania, much more is expected of kids than in the USA. The baby, Shamara (3), rides the bus to school. Her name is “Fearless” in Swahili. Winnluck is largely self-disciplined and completes her homework and house chores without being asked. I think you’d agree with me- she is ADORABLE!!
The Robert Masha family
Robert on the top of Kilimanjaro in an Outrigger Santa Cruz Pirate shirt
Chip and me crossing “the kissing rock” (Mount Kilimanjaro)