Join My Ride - Prayers and Fundraising

I know people have asked how they can help be a part of this ride. There are several routes you can take.

One way is through donations. I have to raise $3600.00 (a dollar a mile). The overall group goal we have is one million dollars. The money goes to various Fuller Center projects throughout the US and the world. None of the money will go towards me, but strictly to the ministry. If you are interested in donating you can go to this website: http://fullercenter.org/bikeadventure/meettheriders. Once on the website, you can scroll down to my name/profile and click on “sponsor her ride.”  This is a secure website and the funding goes directly to the organization. All donations are tax deductible.

The second way you can join my journey is through prayers and support. There will be a lot of learning, praying, training (mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually), and preparation that will go into this ride. Prayers for training and even throughout the ride would be appreciated.

I hope you can join my ride and see all the things God is about to do through my learning and growth as well as the way this team will serve. God bless and hope you join the ride!

“For every house is built by someone, but the building of all things is God.”

Hebrews 3:4

Small Treasures

3/28/2014

I have been very blessed to have a wide group of friends that are willing to bike with me, to help me, to put up with my random bike times because of my busy schedule.  Today the first part of my ride was with my friend Beverly. We left earlier in the day and took off on a familiar country bike path. I’m trying to get as many miles as I can while also sharing great fellowship. Round one resulted in a good ride with a few sprinkles. The temperature finally got above 50. My last ride was when it was 45, windy, and overcast. Today I gladly enjoyed 60s and sprinkles. I rode 12 miles, had a delicious chocolate milk, and improved my mean voice of yelling “no” to an approaching dog. I am beginning to think they are listening now. Lately when I yell at them they stop and some even go home.

The second part of my ride was to be with some gentlemen who have also been very helpful in trying to prepare me for this ride. This section of my ride was going to be a new route. I love new routes! We were destined to bike to Gold City, KY. It was slightly warmer for this section. The gentleman that I biked with is a strong rider and what I would consider a quiet soul. We rode most of the ride in silence. It was very nice and reflective. The route had some hills. I was familiar with some of the roads until we entered Simpson County. Yes, the hills were more challenging but a weird part of me enjoys those hills.

When I worked in Montana with the Forest Service there was a coworker who taught me something valuable that I still think of and use even today after 7-8 years have passed. We were on our first hitch of the season (meaning it was the first time we went back into the back country for an extended period).  Of course coming from Alabama to Montana it takes a little bit to get acclimated to the higher elevations. I was also not in ideal shape. As we were climbing up the mountain he kept pushing and hiking as fast as he could. I was gasping for air and stopping along the way. When I caught up with him I asked why he was hiking so fast. He said that was the only way he knew how to get in shape. To push now will only result in preparing your body for these types of climbs so in the future you can more easily take on the climbs and enjoy them.

So, with that quick digression, I think of that advice whenever I start training for anything – whether a hike or biking trip. I love the challenging hills because I am able to push myself. Yes, it is hard and legs burn, but every time I take on a hill I know I will be stronger and be able to take on the next one with a little more ease.

We twisted and turned on these country roads past small ponds and staring cows. Fourteen miles later we arrived in Gold City, KY. A place I would probably never visit or notice if not for this ride. This is why I love biking. Our goal of ending at a mom and pop gas station was amazing. We stopped as locals were extremely friendly, all of them knowing each other. One sign hanging on the wall said, “We don’t call 911 here” - right next to a picture of a gun. I stopped a moment and took it all in. Small treasures like this store made my day today. The ride, the newness, the rawness and simplicity of this small town – I am glad I got to experience it.

The ride back was great probably because it was mostly downhill. The sun came out and that always makes days better. The more we rode the stronger my legs felt. Hopefully the days will continue to get warmer and I can get back on the roads on a more consistent basis. The ride is approaching quick. I am getting more excited for it. I’m sure some of it is a little bit of nervousness. I hope that I am ready in time.

Hebrews 3:4

Bike Roots

BIKE ROOTS

Eleven years ago I was able to break away from the fast pace of life and go on an extended adventure through the woods. There is not a day that goes by that something doesn’t remind me of that period in my life. I’m so thankful that God allowed me to hike on the Appalachian Trail. I didn’t know if I would ever get to live or experience anything similar to that again.

I moved to Bowling Green, KY almost six years ago. It is odd to think I have been living in Kentucky that long. The longer I am here, the more and more I love the Bluegrass State. I was able to find a church home right away through State Street United Methodist Church. I quickly found a group of young ladies that took me under their wings and introduced me to a thing called road cycling.  They invited me to come along on some of their bike rides through the neighborhoods every morning around 5am. For some reason I agreed. I took my heavy mountain bike and joined their group, always being the last person struggling to keep up. I look back on those mornings and I cherish them deeply! I learned quickly one of the reasons I was always left in their dust was because all of them had road bikes. Little did I know that the difference in bikes would matter that much. Over the years I graduated to a hybrid bike and eventually got a Trek road bike.

The morning neighborhood rides evolved into longer rides over the country roads of Warren County. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I caught the bug and road biking became a new passion for me. Two years ago I was able to take my first “tour” – a 7 day, 460 mile ride through North Carolina (Mountains to Coast) bike ride. It was an eye opener to so many things and made me hunger to learn more (so I would hurt less) and possibly one day bike across the United States.

This vision of a long bike ride is finally becoming a reality. This summer I found a bike ride that will allow me to combine road biking and ministry. What an amazing way to share Jesus with others! I will be participating in a bike ride across the United States through an organization called the Fuller Center for Housing. This organization was founded by Millard Fuller, one of the co-founders for Habitat for Humanity. One way this non-profit organization ministers here in the United States is through this bike ride adventure. I will be joining 45 other cyclists from all over the United States and some from different countries. Some of those 45 cyclists will be doing sections along the route while the others will be joining me biking the entire route. We will be starting from Atlantic City, NJ and biking through 15 states, traveling about 3,600 miles and ending in Astoria, OR roughly a little over two months. We will be averaging about 75 miles a day and taking about 8 days off building, remodeling or repairing homes along the way.

I am really excited for this ride but also know the amount of time and effort it will take to put into the training. One of the things you have to focus on for an experience like this is the mental preparation. On the Appalachian Trail there were so many strong hikers that would average hiking about 30 miles a day. Ironically, those hikers were some of the first to quit because they couldn’t mentally handle the day to day life, the rain, the pain and the small things that could mentally drive you crazy. My prayer is that when I start this adventure  I can be in shape physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally so when it is time to perform – whether through biking, building, or just living with others - I am at my best.

God Bless!

Hebrews 3:4