New York City and the Atlantic Ocean!

It has now been over a week since we completed the cross-country ride in New York City on Friday, August 6, 2010. We started that day in Morristown, New Jersey, having come in to that town (and state) the previous day. The heat and humidity were finally down a bit, for which we were very thankful. The first 15 miles or so were nice, as there was a wide shoulder to the road at that point. Soon, however, the traffic increased as the shoulder decreased. Why was everybody in such a hurry? At times, I feared that this cross-country ride would end tragically somewhere near Patterson, New Jersey. God was gracious to us, and the entire team made it as far as the George Washington Bridge. This is where the real fun began. We crossed over to Manhattan, and quite honestly, the traffic was much more reasonable in The Big Apple. We cycled through Harlem, Central Park, down Broadway, and along the trail by the Hudson River (past Ground Zero) to Battery Park, where we could see the Statue of Liberty in the distance. That activities of the last sentence actually consumed several hours. We were in a celebratory mood, and the weather was really perfect!

Then, we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and navigated through Brooklyn around rush-hour, telling as many as we could that we had started the ride in Seattle. (Most people didn't seem to believe us, or had not heard of Seattle, but we did not care what they thought!) About an hour before sunset, WE MADE IT! It must have been quite a sight for innocent "normal" people who were enjoying their evening at the beach to see these crazy bicyclists all dressed the same way to run and jump into the Atlantic Ocean! Words are not sufficient to communicate the feelings that we experienced at that moment. On Saturday we enjoyed the city by foot. On Sunday we had our last church visit on Long Island. Sandy and Hilary met us there...it was an awesome reunion after seven and a half weeks apart from each other.

We thank God for the incredible experiences that we had over the seven-week tour across the USA. My bicycle odometer recorded 3,306 miles over 14 states. We were in a total of 38 churches altogether. We did not do official presentations in all of those churches. Sometimes we had a meal, or just met our hosts and shared informally about the cause. Then, there were hundreds, or more probably thousands, of other people that we met along the way. Almost all experiences with others were positive. Sure, there were some rude motorists and people who did not want to hear, but generally the vast majority of our people-contacts were positive. Physically, almost all of the team experienced at least minor crashes, but we had only one emergency room visit! There all lots of sore knees, backs, wrists, and sore bottoms! We also have some pretty interesting tan lines.

Thanks again to all for reading and praying. Next time you fly to the West Coast, please don't complain about leg cramps or a "long flight." For one, the trip could be a lot longer if you travel by another means. Secondly, and more importantly, unless you are gagged, blindfolded, and thrown into the luggage compartment, I would assume that you are traveling for pleasure or perhaps for business. There are too many people who travel across borders against their will, and who are bought and sold as property. Freedom is not an option for them. It was for them that we cycled. It was not always easy...there was pain and discomfort...but it was worth it.

The Big Apple on the Horizon!

The last few days on the tour have been, quite honestly, some of the most difficult on the entire tour. When we crossed the Cascade Mountains and the Rockies out West, we had (1) cool temperatures, and (2) low humidities. The combinations of the three H's for the last few days has been downright oppressive: Heat, Humidity, and Hills. There have been so many climbs in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. Going up steep grades when the temperatures have been in the low 90's with humidity to match is not fun! Now, going back down the other side has been fun, at times. I am one of the slower people on the downhills, but even I have gotten up to speeds in the 42-43 mph range! This morning, Karl and I actually CAUGHT UP to a couple of trucks on the way down and had to brake! We are all being a bit more careful, too, after the crash a few days ago. Our team mate is going to be fine...no broken bones, but she has not been riding for the last couple of days. Another team mate nearly had heat stroke yesterday, but she is very determined and has not missed a beat. We crossed into New Jersey today and we are staying at a really old church in Morristown. Tomorrow is the day we have been looking forward to for seven weeks...the ride into New York City! We are all a bit physically drained, but I believe the adrenaline alone will get us there. Also, we hope that the temperature and humidity will be down a little bit by tomorrow morning. For those who have been following and praying, we thank you. Don't stop yet..those New York drivers can be crazy and aggressive. God's blessings to you.

3,000 miles!

Today's ride was from Brookville to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. We started a bit earlier than usual. As we cycled through Brookville, the sign on the bank read "7:48 AM; 80 degrees." The humidity was closer to 100%. I sweated through two pairs of biking gloves today. And, everything else was soaked in perspiration, as well. We had some decent hills in the first fifty miles. On one downhill I clocked out at 41.7 miles per hour! Also came across a group of Pro Life people who were WALKING across America! (They do it in shifts, like a relay.) Near Philipsburg, we turned onto a state road through the forest. It was scenic, but hilly, of course. At the 62-mile mark of today's ride, my bicycle odometer went over 3,000 miles. The last six miles on the forest road were downhill...it was beautiful and fun, BUT a little dangerous with some loose gravel on the turns. (More on that later) Our group of four riders (including Zach) really worked hard to get in the full 108 miles by 4:45 PM. By tnen, it was 91 degrees! It would be over an hour before we saw some of the others. Then, we heard the news. One of our riders crashed on those gravel downhills and was taken to the hospital. The last word we got was that she was bandaged up and will be fine...they are on their way back from the hospital as I write. So, the rest of us have been sitting in our stinky smelly cycling gear for hours because our clean clothes are in the van. Once again, we have had gracious hosts here in Lock Haven. A great meal and offers of showers and BEDS! This will be my fifth time to sleep in a bed since June 16th.

The 108 miles marks our second longest day of the tour. We now have just three more days of riding. Mixed emotions about the tour ending. It will be nice to sleep in and NOT spend 8 to 10 hours on a bicycle every day, but we will miss the team mates, and talking to people along the way; seeing their astonished reactions when we tell them where we started and where we are going. Also, formally presenting the issue of Human Trafficking will be missed. On the other hand, I miss my wife and daughter LIKE CRAZY. Can't wait to see them in New York this Sunday. Seven and a half weeks away from each other has been way too much! (At the same time, I am thankful for a wife who allowed me and Zach to go on such a crazy adventure!)

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings.

Random thoughts of a cyclist.

Entered Pennsylvania today. Lots of hills. And Amish buggies! Lots of long UP hills. The DOWN hill goes much faster. Thirsty. More hills. Hot. Sun beating down. Peddle, peddle, peddle. Up more hills. Need water. Tired. One week left. Will miss the fellowship of our 12 team mates. More hills. Thirsty. Legs still pumping. Low gears up the hills. Where can I get more water. More hills? Grove City College for a break. Lunch by a river. Better not drink THAT water! Some people do not have clean water. Peddle, peddle, peddle. More hills. Why are we doing this? Why? I could be home relaxing. It is summer vacation. 92 miles of hills. Almost seven weeks now. Almost 3,000 miles total. Thirsty. Peddle, peddle, peddle.

Great welcome at the church in Brookville. Great food and drink! Newspaper reporter. Questions about human trafficking. That's right! THAT is why we are doing this! People are suffering. Worse than me....I chose these hills! I found some water...we even have a support vehicle. Who supports the modern slaves? Who cares for them? Will they be freed? I will sleep on the floor again tonight. But, I am indoors. I am safe. I am loved. Who loves the oppressed? I am indeed blessed. Forgive me for complaining. Hills while bicycling is "nothing." Give me more hills. Give me more thirst. Let the sun beat down. May I get a glimpse of what it is like to really suffer, and may I have true compassion. As You do!

Ohio

We cycled across most of Ohio in just a couple of days, including a 107-mile leg yesterday into Youngstown. Got lost a few times, and that added to the miles and the hours on the bike (from 8 AM to 7 PM). Hosted by the MetroChurch here, and have enjoyed our last day off. Tomorrow we begin the final week of crossing Pennsylvania and New Jersey before arriving in the Big Apple. Far too many stories to share in just a few minutes here before church starts. Thanks to all for the encouragement. We are still generally healthy, and continue to meet some wonderful people along the way. We have seen enough corn fields for a lifetime, but we're not complaining...glad we are so blessed as a nation. Blessings to all.

Illinois-Indiana-Michigan

I see that it has been several days since my last post. Since then, we have left Wisconsin and cycled through parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Chicago was a nice stop. We stayed at Ben's house, one of the members of our team. His parents had some Chicago deep-dish pizza for us, and we got to see Glen and Bridget. Zach's college room mate also payed us a visit. On the way out of Chicago the next day, we cycled past Wrigley Field, and stopped for pictures by the waterfront and "The Bean." Gary, Indiana was interesting...enough said. Our first night in Michigan was in Stevensville, by Lake Michigan. Most of the team enjoyed some time in the lake that evening. (I did not have my bathing suit.) Our girls even got to stay in a very nice Bed & Breakfast! Yesterday's ride (about 96 miles) from Stevensville to Battle Creek was VERY hot and humid. We were drenched in our own perspiration the entire day. Had a good meeting at the church there. Today's ride was much more tolerable. Even though we cycled 103 miles, it was a bit cooler and the humidity was low. We also had some nice, even shady roads to cycle on. We are now in southern Michigan, just outside of Toledo, Ohio. The church here tonight had a community dinner, so we got to informally share about our ride and about the cause. Tomorrow we enter Ohio and continue to go east. Our total milage is up to about 2,642 miles. Close to 100 miles again tomorrow. We are "turning the corner for home" now, with mixed emotions. What are we going to do when we don't have to get up early and put on our cycling gear and bicycle all day? Oh yes...real life!

Rest in Milwaukee

Today was a rest day at the Salter home in Muskego, just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Becky Salter is one of the members of our team. Two other team members have parents here, as well. Zach has been visiting with a college friend. Our 63-mile ride here yesterday was delayed until after noon because of the unsettled weather, but we managed to cycle without the torrential rain that we experienced on Thursday. Parts of southeastern Wisconsin have received up to 8 inches of rain in recent days. There is flooding in several places, and a feeling of dense humidity in the air. So, today was a day to get caught up on some details. For me, I needed to get to a Verizon Wireless store to get a new phone. My old one had kicked the bucket. Cell phones are especially useful while we are biking because text messages concerning the route are often sent to the different cyclists. It has also been a good way to stay in touch with family members. Anyway, the fellow I purchased the phone from had just had a double lung transplant and was proud to show us pictures of his "old" lungs as a result of cystic fibrosis.

It is amazing to think that five of our seven weeks of cycling are now complete. We have been to a total of seven states, but still have seven states to go! (Eastern states are smaller than in the West.) Tomorrow is a relatively easy day of riding, but a busy day with church presentations. On Monday we go to Chicago. Tuesday we swing around the lake through Indiana and go up into Michigan for a couple of days. Then, it's on to Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and finally, New York!

Where is the "Rock?"

Today's catchy title comes from the fact that we are in Plymouth. I finished my first cross country bicycle tour in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This is Plymouth, Wisconsin. No rock here, but we did receive a warm welcome from the church folk here, along with a great dinner! Before that, we cycled a relatively "short" 60 miles...the only problem is that it rained pretty much all day. Also, the wind was in our face and got stronger as the day wore on. I also had a flat tire- the first in quite a while for me. Then, the pastor here asked a few of us to help him set up a HUGE tent for a wedding coming up this weekend. We were glad to do it, except that it rained even harder! I don't think I could have been any more wet! Somehow we managed to get the tent up with all of the water on it...quite a project. Tomorrow it is on to Milwaukee!

Two consecutive "centuries!"

Today, Wednesday, July 21, we went over 100 miles for the second day in a row. Today's ride from Wausau to Green Bay was a bit easier than yesterday's. No flat tires. No thunder storms. No getting kicked off of the highway. We rode on mostly "back roads" of Wisconsin, and the traffic was sparse. The biggest difference was the tailwinds. At times we were able to go over 20 miles an hour on flat stretches of road. We got finished with the ride a lot sooner than yesterday. I failed to mention in yesterday's blog that some people did not get in until nearly 8 PM! Today, most of us were to Green Bay by 4:30 PM.

Actually, we are in the small town of Oneida, on the Oneida Indian Reservation! Our host family, the Falks, made a wonderful meal for us, and then we went to their church to get showers. We are now well-fed and clean, a combination that doesn't happen very often on this tour...at least not during the day when we are grinding out the miles. One of the special things about tonight's schedule is that one of the Falk children has just returned from Thailand, working in the very Community Center that we are raising money for! It will be great to hear more about it and possibly see some pictures! I don't mention enough about our cause on these blogs. The more we talk about it as we travel along, the more my heart goes out to these mostly women and children who are in poverty and have very little to really live for. We are certainly raising awareness for all types of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, but specifically for this one village in Thailand.

So, it was a mostly good day. One big "bummer" was the fact that one of our leaders had his bike frame brake today...that will be a major fix. Tomorrow we start heading south for a few days, as bicycles that cross large bodies of water, such as Lake Michigan, have not been invented yet. It will seem strange going south rather than east. By Monday we will get to Chicago, bend around the southern tip of the lake, and start going east once again. Thanks for thinking of us, and reading these word descriptions. Zach periodically posts photos on his Facebook page, and you can get there through my Facebook, as well.

Tim and Zach

Y2K

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tuesday marked exactly one month since this tour began. Also, it ended up being our longest day in terms of time and miles ridden. Without getting into great detail, we had some interesting events. One of the guys who had not yet had a flat tire got one today. We were kicked off state route 29. (This was OK with me, as it was very busy, and we rode lesser-used roads.) The down side of this was we had more hills and more turns. At one point, we had a thunder and lightning storm. A group of four of us sought shelter on a porch. There was a nice rainbow afterwards! A TV station contacted us and did some filming. We never saw what aired, as we were out too late and did not have access to TV anyway. The last part of the 114-mile journey was the steepest uphill we have had all tour! Nothing in the Rockies or Cascades compared to it! At the top was the Highlands Community Church of Wausau, Wisconsin. The Y2K in the title? That is because we went over 2,000 miles for the tour today, as well!

Wisconsin!

Monday, July 19, 2010

I am actually writing this on Wednesday as we have had some busy days and not much opportunity to write. On Monday we crossed the border into the state of Wisconsin! After an "average" day of 80 miles we arrived in Eau Claire. At a church there, we had a "banquet" followed by a presentation. Then, we were taken to host homes. I was excited about the possibility of sleeping in a bed, and even posted something on Facebook about that. Five of us guys were taken to a host apartment. There were two beds, a sofa, an air mattress, and a small love seat. We decided to flip coins for "first dibs" on the sleeping arrangements. I lost every time. I was left with the love seat. It was far too small to stretch out on, so I took the floor again. At this point, I have still slept in only two beds since June 16th! Not to complain...I actually seem to rest well on the floor.

The Mighty Mississippi!

This morning I got up a little earlier than most of the others. Knowing it was an easier day for cycling, I decided to run. Seeing as how we were only about a mile from the Mall Of America, I headed for that, and then actually ran inside the mall! It was long before the stores were open, and only a few people were there. Not known for my shopping abilities, this suited me just fine! I also had the opportunity to do one of those things that has been on my "bucket list" for a long time...run UP a DOWN escalator! After a shower and breakfast, we loaded up the van and headed back to North Central University in downtown Minneapolis. This was to be an easier ride...along the bike trails in Minneapolis, and then across the mighty Mississippi River into St. Paul. Saw the governor's mansion, the cathedral, and then we re-enacted the "Rocky" scene on the steps of the Minnesota state capitol building! Our videographer was here, and he is continuing to put together some footage for an upcoming documentary on Venture Expeditions. After 12.4 miles, we stopped at the trailhead where tomorrow's ride will begin, and loaded the bicycles back into the trailer. Tonight is the Just & Hope benefit concert, and between tonight and tomorrow the team will be presenting in about six church services. Then, tomorrow afternoon, anyone interested from the Twin Cities bicycling community will be able to join us on the ride along the bicycle path to Stillwater, Minnesota. On Monday we shall get back to the bigger milage days and head into Wisconsin. As I write this, Zach (who IS a shopper) is at the Mall of America with a friend from Cedarville. He purchased a green bicycle tire today at a bicycle shop, so he should be ready for the second half of the Tour!

Halfway Home!

Yesterday (July 15th) was to be a long day for us, so we had a 4:30 AM wake-up call. We had a nice breakfast in a little diner (Freida's) in Willmar, Minnesota, and then got on the road. The storm had passed, and therefore the winds had shifted to a much more "friendly" westerly breeze. As a result, we made some amazing time! We knew that it would be some 96-97 miles to Minneapolis. Our first break came at the 30-mile mark, and we had lunch at 61 miles (11:30 AM), and those were the only re-fueling stops that we made. The only other stop was in Darwin, where we saw the world's largest ball of twine made by one person. This was quite the highlight of the tour! (Sarcasm intended). At North Central University in downtown Minneapolis, we had a chance to shower and, and I got a self-guided tour of the University. North Central is one of our key sponsors, and a few of the riders have attended or are attending there.
In the evening, we had a very unusual experience...this just happens to be the weekend for the International Biking Film Festival in Minneapolis. We gathered first in Gold Medal Park with hundreds of other cyclists. Then, we took a very slow 6-mile ride through downtown Minneapolis en route to the Art Museum. We were really clogging up traffic all along the way (the Twins were home playing the Chicago White Sox), but it was a lot of fun. We probably saw more people in that one ride than we had seen for days in Montana. Our group wore the Just & Hope jerseys, which led to some conversations about our group and the cause. On Saturday evening, we are doing a benefit concert at a local coffee shop, and invited anyone interested.
Today (July 16) was a rest day for our group. We have been staying at the home of a Venture Expeditions board member's house. It is large, comfortable, and is on one of the thousands of lakes here in Minnesota. We have also been fed like royalty every few hours. Reading, napping, and playing on the lake have been the most strenous parts of our day. We even watched the day's action in the Tour de France! A few of the team members did a radio interview. A few others are back at the film festival as I write this promoting our cause and the concert tomorrow night.
So, how are we feeling at the half-way point? Pretty good, I would say. The legs and lungs are strong. Zach is recovering from his recent crash, though he is still lacking some fine motor control in his left hand. My wounds from the crash in the first week are almost entirely healed. (I almost lost control of the bike at one point yesterday.) The team is doing very well. Our personalities, while very different from one another, seem to blend well together. When a group of 14 people spends this much time together, we get to know each other VERY well!
Today marks one month to the day since I last saw my wife and daughter. That, as you may expect, is a "record." We call or text fairly often. They are enjoying the work at Camp-Of-The-Woods.
The next couple of days include rather short bike rides, and numerous opportunities to share about the cause.
Thanks again to our supporters and readers!

Windesota!

Yesterday (Tuesday, July 13) was another windy day. We got up at the usual 5:30 time at Calvary Assembly church in Milbank, South Dakota. Our morning routine was a bit different today...after packing our belongings, having our team meeting, spotlight, and devotional, we cycled just a couple of miles to Hardees...the pastor was treating us to breakfast there! By 8 AM, we were back on the road...still US route 12 heading east. It was soon apparent that we would have headwinds again. This would be the third day in a row fighting winds.

After just 11 miles, we crossed the border into Minnesota. For several members of the team, this was a cause for celebration...many call this state home or have gone to school here. I cycled with a lead pack of about 8 in the early miles. As the day went on, this "pack" shrunk down. For those of you not into cycling, it is always easier to cycle in packs, particularly on windy days, so that those in the front can block the wind. Those riders behind then "draft" the leaders. While this makes the riding more efficient, it also increases the possibility of crashes, and we have had a number of those in recent days.

We had lunch in Benson, Minnesota...the usual sandwiches by the side of the road, with fruit, chips, granola bars, etc. I am sure that I have mentioned the enormous amount of eating that we do on this trip...perhaps 7,000 calories per day! The "native" Minnesotans may not like this comment, but most of us found the Minnesota landscape to be rather dull. Plenty of cornfields and not much else! It was a tough day mentally and physically. One rider broke a spoke shortly after the Hardees breakfast, and had to ride in the van for the day, as there were no bicycle shops to be had. A couple of others also did not make it through the entire day of cycling...one was sick and the other had a cycling-related injury. One of the points that we make as we present the ride and the cause at churches is that we are "ordinary people," not professional cyclists.

So, we fought the winds and the boredom hour after hour for 85 miles until the lead group got into Willmar, Minnesota around 4 PM. The last group got in around 6:30. Our destination today was the Evangelical Free church in Willmar. This is Todd's home church (one of our team members). There to greet us were his parents, grandparents, and wife! Also, several of the church staff came, as well. Following a much-needed shower and an awesome meal, we did a Just & Hope presentation for the church folk there. Todd and his wife sang a couple of songs that were related to the modern slavery theme, we showed the video, and answered questions from the congregation. Zach was part of the "panel" to answer questions and he did a great job tonight with detailed, interesting, and sound answers. Then, after 9 PM, we got taken to two different homes so that we could sleep in real beds! (For me, this would be only the second time sleeping in a bed since June 16th!) Several of us are here at Todd's parents house, on a lake in Spicer, Minnesota. Today (Wednesday) will be a much-needed rest day. We expect to just rest and hang out by the lake, and possibly go to a concert tonight. This will be our first full rest day in ten days. The bicycles are locked in the church garage back in Willmar, and we don't even expect to see them today! We are now just about half-way through our tour. Tomorrow we shall have another 90-100 mile day into Minneapolis. There, the Venture Expeditions staff will have a "half-way" recognition for us. We should also get more rest and preparation for the second half of the tour. While we have seen lots of open spaces, small towns, and rural America for the past 3 1/2 weeks, the second half will be more urban in nature, as we go to some of the larger cities along the way between here and New York. As of today, my bicycle odometer is registering 1,697 miles. Thanks for your support and prayers. Zach's left hand is a concern, as he is having some difficulty with his grip. We do not know if it is a result of all the vibrations that are absorbed by our hands each day, or perhaps he bruised a nerve in the crash he had a few days ago. We hope this week will give him a chance to recover some.

Why?

One hundred miles today. Into the wind. Not much scenery in South Dakota. Tired. Hungry. Sore knees. Headwinds. Trucks passing. No shoulder sometimes. Hands going numb. Sore neck. Two crashes on our team today (minor scrapes and bruises.) Sun beating. Bugs. Headwinds. Keep pushing the pedals. Hour after hour. WHY? Children. Women. Slavery. Trafficking. Lost innocence. No way out? Hope... Justice... We are doing our part.

The grasshopper "attack"

Today was a LONG day for us, even though it only had 23 hours. First, we were invited to breakfast at the AG church in McLaughlin by Josephine, a very energeting and interesting Native American from town. Several of her beautiful kids and nephews came early to the church to help her prepare it, as well. Then, it was on to the road for a 100+ mile day. We lost an hour crossing in to the Central Time zone as we crossed the Missouri River. Shortly before that, we went through an area where the road was absolutely covered with grasshoppers! They didn't really "attack" us, but it almost seemed that way. Made stops in Mobridge for some buffalo jerky, and a few other towns for cold water and even an ice cream stop. The sun continued to bear down on us. While we are cycling, it does not seem so bad, as there is always a breeze. When we stopped, however, the mid-90 degree heat was very apparent. Some members of the team had some flat tires and were feeling the heat, and consequently did not get here into Ipswich, South Dakota, until the rest of us had begun dinner at a Baptist Church. The crowd was small, so we did an informal presentation, and had a lot of laughs, as well. Today marked the sixth consecutive day of cycling at least 78 miles, so we are very much looking forward to an easier day tomorrow. After church, we shall cycle only about 26 miles to Aberdeen. All in all, the tour continues to go well. The team members from the Minneapolis area are starting to get very excited as we shall enter their home area this coming week, and have our "half-way celebration." We continue to appreciate your prayers, emails, text messages, and comments.
Tim

Crash and burn!?

July 9, 2010
These creative titiles are designed to draw you in. Today we cycled out of North Dakota into South Dakota! One of the first towns we got to there was Lemmon. Two days prior, I (Tim) had given some information to a motorist about our tour, and he then explained that we ought to stop in his town (Lemmon) for a visit and some publicity. Since we had a big day ahead, we could not stay long, but a reporter from the Dakota Herlad was there and interviewed Josiah and took some team pictures for their issue coming out next week. (It is a weekly paper.) While there, we enjoyed visiting the Grand River museum and seeing the fancy art work made from scrap metal...very cool.
Shortly after leaving Lemmon, Zach had a crash...he just lost concentration for a few seconds and went down. Pretty nasty scrapes on his left elbow and knee, as well as a few other places. When he got to the lunch stop he was pretty bloody, but he is fine and did not miss any of the cycling. The "burn" part refers to the burning heat that we have been experiencing, along with some sunburn. We miss the clouds and rain that we had at the beginning of the tour!
Most of our day was spent on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. At the end of the day, we stayed in the high school gym in McLaughlin, South Dakota. We DID get to use the swimming pool before a nice dinner by some of the team members in the kitchen of the school. Altogether, it was a 93.5-mile day.

Out of Montana!

July 8, 2010
The folks at the AG church in Baker put on perhaps the best breakfast we have had so far! From Baker, Montana, we finally reached another state- North Dakota. We had cycled over 750 miles in the state of Montana. Saw some badlands and some "modern almost-ghost towns." Had a lunch visit with a pastor in Bowman, ND. Then, we took advantage of great cycling conditions to do the last 40 miles in under two hours, to get to Hettinger, North Dakota. It was an 85.7-mile day. I even went for a little jog around town before we had a church dinner and presentation.

Still in Montana!

July 7, 2010
Today our ride took us from Miles City to Baker, Montana. Does it seem like we have been in Montana for a long time? The answer is "Yes!". Now, the North Dakota border is only 12 miles away! Today's 80-mile ride was actually fairly easy. There were some rolling hills, and we gained 600 feet in elevation, but that wonderful westerly breeze was still at our backs! Also, the traffic was minimal. It was actually about 67 miles to the first town (Plevna)! At one roadside stop today, a camper with a South Dakota plate pulled over as we were eating (we eat a LOT). I walked over, wearing my World Vision jersey, and the man asked if we were riding for World Vision. "Not exactly," I explained, but went on to tell him about Venture Expeditions and our cause. Turns out he is a pastor in Lemmon, South Dakota, and we will pass through that town on Friday morning...one of those "chance" encounters that we have had.
Now we are at the Assembly of God church in Baker. Tonight we shall have a bar-b-q, followed by a presentation for the Just & Hope campaign. It will probably be informal, but every group or person we can talk to is one more that will be informed! While we have this amazing freedom to bicycle across some incredible landscapes, millions do not have any freedoms at all. Thanks to all who are praying for us. We have been safe and we have been having a blast doing this "crazy thing." God bless!
Tim

When the pavement ends...

July 6, 2010
What should we do when the pavement ends and we still have 25 miles of gravel into the town (Miles City) we are going to? That decision faced us on Tuesday as we were having, until that time, a relatively easy ride to that point. After some discussion, we loaded the bikes up into the trailer and went BACK about 8 miles to the last turn-off, unloaded the bicycles, and took a different road. For part of that distance, we needed to get on an Interstate Highway (legal in Montana). We did have a few flat tires to repair on I-94. Zach had one of those, and another member of the team had a couple. It turned into a longer day than we expected. Fortunately, the temperature and humidity were down significantly from what y'all are experiencing back east. It was all worthwhile when we got to the Bible Church in Miles City, and had lots of Gatorade and Pizza Hut pizza waiting for us! An 85-mile day!

On the trail of Lewis and Clark

July 5, 2010.

We left Billings this morning and continued to head east along the Yellowstone River. As it was officially a holiday, and we were heading OUT of Billings, AND there are not very many people east of Billings, AND we were traveling a road that paralleled the interstate, we had a good day in terms of traffic...not much. We are certainly out of the mountains by now, but there was still one significant landmark that we were looking forward to...Pompeys Pillar along the Yellowstone River. It was about 30 miles into today's journey. It was at Pompeys Pillar on July 25, 1806 that William Clark (of Lewis and Clark) carved his name into the rock. His signature is still visible today! I was again able to tell the National Park staff member a bit about the purpose of our trip and give her a Venture card.

Back on the road, we had mostly tailwinds again, and we made good progress. Also, I (Tim) had no flat tires today, but Zach did have two. Around the 55-mile mark we got onto a very interesting road with a sandstone ledge containing some awesome erosional features to our left and agricultural fields to our right. Went the last 26 miles with Zach and Ben. We got to Hysham around 3 PM, and we are staying in the school. The K-12 school now has about 100 students...10 in this year's graduating class. The town appears to be fading away, with lots of empty storefronts along main street. I went for an easier jog in the late afternoon. No presentation tonight, but we had a spaghetti dinner prepared in the home ec room.

Today's totoal distance was 78 miles, and we officially went over 1,000 miles for the tour! Tomorrow we go on to Miles City, Montana, and finally get to another state (North Dakota) on Wednesday.

Independence Day!

It was a nice day off from riding for us! We still got up early and cleared out of the church so that they could set up for the service. We had breakfast in the parking lot of an Albertson's here in Billings. I invited three homeless men to join us. They appreciated some food. One was in Federal prison for some 20 years, he claimed.

Then we went back to the Harvest Church for the 9 AM service.

In the afternoon we took a drive in the van down (or up) US route 212 past Red Lodge to the "Beartooth Highway." It was awesome...we eventually got close to 11,000 feet above sea level and saw plenty of snow! Had a conversation with a woman there and she gave a $20 donation to the Just & Hope Campaign.

Back in Billings we went to a 4th of July festival sponsored by the church. There was food, music, and face-painting!

Tomorrow we should go over 1,000 miles for the trip. Just a couple more days in eastern Montana before we finally get to the Dakotas. I put a new tire on my back wheel...hopefully that will lead to fewer flat tires!

Tim

Some days are like that, even in Australia

July 3, 2010

Today started off as a good day of cycling...a strong tail-wind got us through the first 23 miles in one hour. Plus, there was very little traffic. Then, some rain came along. Then, at the 34-mile mark, in the rain, I had my first flat tire of the day. Yes, first. Without going into great details, I had three flats today. Consequently, I was near the back of the group arriving in Billings. Much of the group had been there over an hour. As I was ready with my alibi for being so late, I learned that Zach actually had FOUR flat tires! (But he still beat me in.) Two others had one each. So, on a day when the team had 9 flat tires, 7 of them belonged to the Murphys. I really do not want to sound like I'm complaining. It was, in fact, a good day of riding. We even caught an early 4th of July parade in the very small town of Lavina...that was a fun experience! The winds were with us most of the day, and the 97.4-mile ride seemed almost effortless. When I think of the people we are doing this for who have NO freedom, and we had the freedom to ride 97 miles across central Montana today, I am humbled and grateful. Also, as Independence Day approaches, I am even more grateful for the freedom and abundance and beauty that God has blessed us with. As we arrived here in Billings, one of the largest cities in Montana, we saw a heard of some 20 pronghorn antelope, right here within the city! Not sure if we will blog tomorrow- happy 4th of July to all!

Tim

Hail in Harlowton!

I suppose that was a catchy titile for the blog. Truth is, from the safety of the public library in Harlowton, Montana, a hail storm just came through about 15 minutes ago...these hailstones were BIG..marble-sized! Glad our ride for the day was done. Actually, Zach got caught in some rain and hail today as he was in the last group to finish. My group had some very stiff north winds. Since we were cycling east, we had to sort of lean over at about a 70-degree angle from the road so that the wind would not blow us over! Before, that, we actually had a good day of cycling, with some tail-winds and very low amounts of traffic. We have another church dinner tonight at the Assembly of God church here, with a presentation to follow.
Yesterday's ride into White Sulphur Springs was a bit more difficult than expected. We had an eleven-mile climb through the Big Belt mountains between Helena and White Sulphur Springs. We also were racing against a thunder and lightning storm yesterday afternoon to get into town. After the ride yesterday, we actually got to enjoy the sulphur springs- geothermally heated water, before another hail storm forced us inside. We then did a presentaion in a Lutheran-Presbyterian Church. After that, most of the team was given a private "tour" of the museum in WSS...very interesting histroy in this part of the country!
I reckon the key is to get the riding done as early in the day as possible. Tomorrow we have a 90-plus mile ride into Billings. They had a tornado there a couple of weeks ago...we have been told that is a very rare thing!
Altogether, we have now cycled over 850 miles. The group has been very supportive of each other, and we manage to have a lot of fun, as well. Thanks for reading...we have a "system" down now...I write most of the words, and Zach posts pictures on Facebook.
Thanks to all who are thinking and praying for us!
Tim

Rest in Helena

We had sort of an "unexpected" rest day today in Helena, Montana. We got to sleep in, and then made a nice breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon. At noon we were scheduled to do a short presentation at the Rotary Club lunch on the 6th floor of the "Montana Club," one of the older buildings in downtown Helena. Josias was able to give a brief description of the tour and our purpose. There was other business to attend to, however, so we didn't realy have much time. This lunch was the result of a "chance" meeting a few days ago in a laundramat in Missoula. One of the interesting things about the dinner for us was the fact that we ate off of Syracuse china, and the main speaker, for Americorps, was from Auburn high school! For the afternoon, we had some time to run errands and get some needed supplies for the days ahead. This evening, we have been enjoying some restful time in downtown Helena as the church we are staying at has several Wednesday activities. I am currently in the Helena library as I type this blog. Tomorrow we are back on the road, headed to White Sulphur Springs. As we approach Billings over the next few days, we expect the terrain to begin to level out. While that is nice on the legs, it also means that the tremendous Rocky Mountain beauty is going to turn into some rather "boring" plains and prairies. We hope to spend the 4th of July in Billings, and then it will be a few more days before we finally got out of this HUGE state of Montana. Thanks to all of our followers for your thoughts and prayers. Comments are welcome, although we may be outside of range for the next few days. Blessings to all.
Tim

Over the Continental Divide

For the past two days we have cycled from Missoula, Montana, into the capital city of Helena. Yesterday, June 28th, we headed out of Missoula on Montana State route 200, and went up-river most of the day. The sun was shining brightly, the scenery was mostly awesome, and the grade was not too steep. It was for the most part a good day of cycling. 72 miles later, in the mid-afternoon, we arrived in the little town of Helmville, to the ranch of Randy & Mo Mannix. They had just finished constructing a "boarding house," so we were the first group to use it. It was a bit "cozy" for fourteen of us, but cooler than the surroundings, had running water, and provided refuge from the mosquitoes! Randy spoke to us about ranching life in this part of Montana...trying to manage hundreds of animals over thousands of acres. We learned some interesting things about genetics, grass-fed cattle, dealing with wolves and grizzly bears, and raising a family in the wide-open spaces. It almost felt like a National Geographic article about this way of life. It also was our 24th wedding anniversary. Perhaps it was one of the least romantic for Sandy and I, but we are not complaining, as we chose this for our summer. Got to text her a few times during the day, but not in Helmville...no service!

Today, June 29th, we cycled from Helmville down to Avon, turned east on US route 12, and made the climb to MacDonald Pass. Zach had a couple more flat tires along the way. Most of the team agreed that while the elevation at the Pass- 6,325 feet above sea level- was the highest we had seen thus far, this pass was a bit easier to cycle. This was probably due to the fact that the team is stronger at this point, and the actual net elevation change here was less than the cascade Mountains in Washington. Also, this pass was part of the Continental Divide, so from this point forward the waters drain toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Halfway home? Not by a longshot, but it was a significant landmark. Coming down the eastern side was a rush! One of our team members registered 55 miles per hour on his bicycle computer! (I topped out at 41 mph) We were very quickly down in Helena, where the First Assembly of God church has opened their doors to us. We were happy to get here relatively early in the afternoon, as storms were predicted, possibly with some hail. We just finished some worship and prayer time as a team. Tomorrow is sort of an "unscheduled" day off for us. We are doing a presentation about the Just & Hope Campaign at noon at the Rotary Club. We want to time things so that we are in a larger town (Billings) by Sunday. There aren't many larger towns around. So, tomorrow will be a good day for people to rest and heal up...a number of team members have various injuries. Zach and I have been mostly healthy, although I banged my arm again today and started bleeding again.

There is, of course, much more we could write about...every day has so many adventures, disappointments, and laughs. For those hoping to see pictures, Zach has posted bunches of them on his Facebook. Thanks for following!

Tim

On the seventh day they shall rest.

We are currently in Missoula, Montana, enjoying our first rest day of the Just & Hope Tour. We are staying in Atonement Lutheran Church in Missoula. After attending the service this morning, many of us went to Kmart to restock on diminishing supplies. Now, some of the team has gone off to see Toy Story 3, while one of the leaders has gone to the airport to pick up the 14th member of our team. James' sister was married yesterday, so he was not able to join us until now.

How can I summarize the first week of the Tour? It has certainly been exciting and tiring at the same time. Much of the scenery has been awe-inspiring. Even outside the window right now I can see snow-capped mountains as the temperatures here get into the 80's. Some of the downhill rides have been exhilarating. The uphills have been long and "never-ending." There have been crashes, but nothing serious. We have eaten more food in a week than some people would eat in a month! We have had the opportunity to share the message of hope for the enslaved four times formally in churches, and numerous other times individually along the roads or at rest stops. We have had a lot of fun together as a team, too.

Sometimes the stretches of road get fairly tedious, and there always seems to be something that is hurting or aching...the legs are a "given," but sometimes we get pains in the neck, shoulders, rear end, etc. Finding a bathroom is always a challenge when the need arises. "Looking for birds" has become the team code phrase for going off to the side of the road. Yesterday, in the little town of Dixon, Montana, a couple of us went into a bar (don't tell anyone) to use the facilities. The men's and women's rooms were labeled "guns" and "holsters." We had to think about it a minute, too. Sorry if I am providing too much information, but sometimes people ask about these things.

We have really met a lot of wonderful people along the way! Most of the time we have been hosted by churches, including ones in Spokane, Washington, Harrison, Idaho, and Thompson Falls, Montana over the last few days. Today after the church service one family has offered to take us all out to dinner tonight! One rule of bicycling: NEVER turn down free food!

Thanks to those who are "following" us and/or praying. We do appreciate it very much. God bless!

Tim

Four full days!

It has been some four days since we were able to get to a computer to blog about the tour. They were certainly very full days. We had some strong headwinds Wednesday across central Washington State. A way to combat that is by "drafting," or having one rider block most of the wind for everyone else. As we were doing just that, the lead rider dropped a water bottle, causing a chain reaction swerving maneuver. I (Tim) was in the back and caught the back tire of the rider in front of me (Zach) and went down pretty hard on my right forearm. It looked pretty bad at the time, but I didn't miss any riding and my arm looks much better now.
Yesterday (Thursday) we crossed into the Idaho panhandle, and today (Friday) we crossed over a 4,800-foot mountain pass into the state of Montana. We shall be in Montana for a good 9 or 10 days, I believe. Today's ride was 94 miles, not quite our longest so far, but close. The first 30 miles or so were quite level on the Coeur D'Alene Lakes trail in Idaho. It was nice to not have the automobile traffic, but also to see the beauty and the wildlife. At one point I got off my bike to go back and see a moose that was in the trees. That moose eventually wandered on to the trail between me and my bike! It was not very aggressive, however, and soon I was back on the trail. The calf was hiding in the swampy water across the trail. I got to thinking about how free these moose were, and how protected the babies were by the mom. We are riding for some people who lack both the freedom and the love that this "little" moose had.
We have done church presentations the last two nights. In Harrison, Idaho, the team outnumbered the audience, but they had good questions and left knowing more about the issue. Tonight's crowd in Thompson Falls, Montana, was larger.
Tonight we are staying in host homes, and actually get to sleep in a real bed!
From here we ride to Missoula tomorrow...another 90+ miles. Then, we will get to have a day off from riding on Sunday. That will be good, as many of the team members are getting injuries or just plain tuckered out. This first week of the tour will probably be the toughest physically, but also perhaps the most beautiful in terms of the geography. Also in Missoula the 14th member of the team will join us, as he has been dalayed due to a family wedding in Texas.
All in all, we are well...eating TONS and getting to know our teammates very well. Thanks for following, and feel free to comment or ask us questions...justy realize that we may not get the opportunity to answer very quickly.
Tim ans Zach

Crossing the Cascades!

June 21, 2010
Today was the summer solstice..."longest day of the year." For many on the tour, it may have seemed like the longest day of their lives! From the high school in Sultan, we hit the road around 7 AM, in the rain, of course. It rained for the first 20 miles or so. Once we started the long climb up toward Stevens Pass, the rain subsided. We climbed, climbed, and climbed some more. Zach, Karl, and I led the way up to the Pass- 4,061 feet above sea level. The three of us took a number of rest breaks, but still got to the pass around 12:24, nearly an hour before any of the others on the team. It was quite cold up there! Snow was not falling, but there was still plenty of snow around from the past winter. The three of us ate a hearty lunch, as the support van was there for us. Then, we gathered up some snow to build a snowman for the rest of the team as they arrived at the pass.
The descent from the pass was a different story! At speeds up to 40 mph, we descended quickly. Then, and only then, did the skies begin to clear up, and we saw significant sun for the first time since arriving in the state of Washington. This time, Mike D. joined Karl, Zach, and I as we headed toward Leavenworth. It was not all downhill, but most of it was. This time, we stopped primarily for the scenery or to remove layers of clothing. It was almost like we went from winter to summer in just about an hour!
We got Leavenworth about 4 PM. The town made itself into a Bavarian Village some 40 years ago, and it is indeed quite quaint. John Romine has graciously taken us into his home for showers and lots of food! Then, tonight we went back to the Firehouse in town for a presentation about Venture Expeditions and the human trafficking issue.
A long day, with a lot of sore bodies. Zach and I also each had a flat tire today, just to make it a bit more interesting. Thanks again to all of you for your interest and prayers!

The ride begins! (June 20, 2010)

This morning we attended two church services at Sammamish Presbyterian Church, our host for the last several days. We were introduced as a team, and there were some sighs of disbelief when it was announced that we intend to bicycle to New York City. We spoke with several of the church members in between, including one man who had lived in Cazenovia!
Around 12:30, we were ready to go. It was raining (of course), but that would not stop us. Something else did. Just as we were rolling out of the parking lot, we got called back...one of the team members had a flat tire! When that was fixed, we were off. Four of the men from the church, all older than I, led us through some of the quieter roads for the first 20 miles or so. It was raining pretty much the whole time, but nobody melted. We encountered some mild hills, but the last 12 miles were quite pretty, passing farms and horses on a quiet road along a river.
We got to Sultan, Washington, around 4 PM. The entire ride was only about 34.5 miles. I (Tim) actually went for a little jog around the town of Sultan before taking a shower in the high school locker room. We ate dinner in the Home Ec. room, and slept in the gymnasium, excited but nervous about the big day tomorrow.

June 19, 2010

Today was our final training day for the big Tour. Yesterday's training was mostly about the cause: modern slavery and human trafficking. This "Just & Hope" tour is helping to raise awareness for the issue in general, but specifically five projects- one in India, one in China, one in Indonesia, and two in Thailand. Specifically, we learned about the community center that is being built in a village in northern Thailand. We actually got a "Scype" from the missionary there, and spoke "face to face" for about 45 minutes.
Today we went for our training ride together. It was only about 23.5 miles, but it helped us to bond together as a team. By the way, our team consists of 14 cyclists- 10 male and 4 female. While I (Tim) am by far the oldest, I am not the only one who is married. There are two other young men who are married. We all have unique personalities, and we ought to compliment one another well on the tour.
In the evening, we had our team photo taken in front of the Space Needle, and then went for some New York pizza! New York, of course, is our ultimate goal! Tomorrow, the Tour begins!

Seattle at last!

June 17, 2010

We finally made it to Seattle after some 8-9 months of planning! It took a little bit longer than we expected, too, as we spent some extra unexpected time in Washington...the city, not the state. After the craziness of finishing up school, getting the bicycles boxed up, getting to the airport in a driving rainstorm, and saying good-byes, the first leg of the journey was very un-Murphy-like. In other words, things went smoothly! The flight to Washington DC was on-time and event-free. Once we arrived, we learned that the ongoing flight to Seattle was cancelled. It was the ONLY flight out of Dulles that was cancelled. We got re-scheduled for a flight at 6 AM, so we settled in for a long-winter's nap in Dulles airport.

Eventually, morning came, and we got on the flight for Seattle, arriving about 8:41 local time (11:41 Eastern time). We then had a WONDERFUL visit with Cathia, Lila, Iraj & Manijeh! It was Lila's last day in 1st grade..she was excited for the start of summer. We had a nice "Persian lunch," and then came here to the Sammamish Presbyterian Church to meet the rest of the team. We put the bicycles back together and "chilled" while waiting for the last member of the team to arrive from the airport.

Soon we will have our first meal together as a team, and spend some time getting to know one another, and rest up for our first official day of training together tomorrow morning.

The weather is cool and cloudy...temp in the 50's.

If I can figure out how to put pictures on this thing (in other words, ask Zach), perhaps we can do that soon.

Thanks, Svoboda family, for being our first official followers! Many have mentioned your prayers on Facebook, and we do thank you for that, as well!

Tim

June 15, 2010

In 24 hours, we shall be on a plane headed for Seattle! Still much to do...packing, cleaning the classroom, grading one last set of final exams, saying good-byes. How am I going to survive nearly eight weeks without seeing my girls...my wife and daughter? That is going to be one of the worst parts of this journey. I suppose one consolation is some fairly intense time with my son! Thanks again to all who have supported us through prayer and/or finances. I don't really know what to expect on this journey, except perhaps to "expect the unexpected." One fun thing that happened today is that several of my students signed my helmut with different color Sharpie pens. Now, Zach and I will not confuse our helmuts, since we had the same kind. Also, we had a nice photo-shoot this evening with the family...by the lake, and Zach and I with the bicycles. Thanks, Jessica!

An intersection- June 12, 2010

Today felt like a bit of an "intersection" for me. The day was a crossroads between the academic world that I work in and the bicycling trip to begin later this week. I was up early and out on the roads by 6:30 AM for some training miles on the bicycle. By 7:00 AM, however, the thunder and lightning sotrm had arrived, and I got back home before getting too wet (or electrocuted), having gotten only 7.5 miles completed. Then, my attention was directed to graduation day at Faith Heritage. They are always special, but particularly this year as Hilary was one of the honored graduates. So many mixed emotions for me as our youngest gave her speech and walked across the stage to receive her diploma. I am very proud, but also going to miss her this summer and next school year. We stopped briefly at one grad party, and then I stopped home for a "break." I decided to take advantage of the "nicer" weather, and got 25.2 more miles in on the bicycle...all the while my brain was thinking back to the morning's festivities and the 18 years of having Hilary under our roof...what a blessing she has been! Also, I couldn't help but think ahead to the opportunity I have with my son Zach this summer, to bicycle across the USA. While today's 32.7 miles is far less than we shall do on a dialy basis on the tour, I am sure that we won't have graduations and grad parties to attend, either. After a shower, it was back to another graduation party. While the seniors are done with school, I still have final exams to administer and grade, along with packing and good-byes. And, of course, one more family graduation party!

June 9, 2010

Tomorrow is June 9, 2010. It is Hilary's 18th birthday, so I probably will not have the time, or want to take the time, to write a blog. Twenty-six years ago, on June 9, 1984, I began my solo cross-country bicycle tour in Newport, Oregon. What an adventure! 3,600 miles and 48 days later, I made it to Plymouth, Massachusetts. One month later I would be back in New England for my first teaching job in Barrington, Rhode Island. There, I would soon meet Sandy! Within two years we were married. Then, 18 years ago, on June 9, 1992, our wonderful daughter Hilary was born in Kijabe, Kenya. Now, she is getting ready to graduate from high school this weekend....time flies. A few days later, Zach and I will be (Lord willing) heading to Seattle to meet the rest of our Venture Expeditions teammates and prepare to cross the country together on our bicycles. We will carry a message of despair and a message of hope, for the millions in this world who do NOT have the freedom to ride a bicycle wherever they want. If you gave financially for this "adventure," we thank you. Thanks for reading along as we ride along. God bless you.
Tim