Author Archives: Bike Adventure

Day off in Joshua Tree National Park

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Day off in Joshua Tree National Park
March 8, 2026

By Paul Rouse

God’s creation is so beautiful, but sometimes you have to look closely to see it. 

In the desert where Joshua Tree National Park is located, there are mountain ranges and huge collections of rocks and boulders and lots of sand and dry dirt.  There are many plants growing in these harsh conditions, such as the Joshua Tree, Mountain Juniper, and various cacti. 

These are not the most attractive flora, but they are what you would expect to find in the desert.  Yet if you look closely, there are many beautiful small plants and flowers growing amidst the larger plants.  I saw many blue, white, purple, and red flowers.  I don’t know any of their names, but they are a beautiful contrast to their surroundings. 

All of this, the mountains, the rocks, the Joshua Tree, the cacti, and especially the tiny flowers flourishing in the desert, were all created by God for our enjoyment.  

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Jesse Levinson:

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Final Ride Day
October 17, 2025
By Jesse Levinson

Today, we began in Kosciusko, a charming town named after a Polish-Lithuanian general who fought alongside the Patriots in the Revolutionary War, and concluded in Jackson, the bustling state capital of Mississippi.

Our ride carried us past sprawling farms and lush woodlands, with a serene, extended stretch alongside the shimmering Barnett Reservoir. The final few miles led us onto a beautiful bike path winding through the woods. Thankfully, the route’s gentle downhill gradient gave tired legs a welcome boost, propelling us swiftly and steadily toward the finish.

As we neared the end, an unexpected wave of reluctance swept over me—I didn’t want the ride to end. So, John Borrego and I turned back to rejoin the sweepers for the last few miles. That moment became the highlight of the day: sharing the joy of riding alongside new friends who embody their faith in such genuine, open, and inspiring ways. To me, that’s the heart of the Fuller Center—discovering Him in one another through service and fellowship.

I am deeply grateful to have been a part of this ride and joined the meaningful mission it supports.

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Courtney Finkel: Detours, Downshifts, and Ding Dongs

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Detours, Downshifts, and Ding Dongs
October 16, 2025
By Courtney Finkel
Long bike trips are full of metaphors: the winding road; the uphill battles; the joy in the journey; God on your handlebars. Lessons and illustrations are woven into every mile, and today, Ride Day 5 (Trip Day 6) of the Natchez Trace ride was no exception.

I’m Courtney, a first-time Fuller Center rider from St. Louis, MO, and I’m tickled pink to be sharing this beautiful trek with extraordinary people, both in our group and in the church communities we’ve met along the way.

Teamwork and communication took center stage today as our route required a long detour off the Trace. We began with a joyful send-off from our friends at Parkway Baptist Church, who hosted us for two days (Ride Day 4 and our community service day on Trip Day 5) and shared many wonderful meals and moments with us. As we rolled out together, our bright orange Fuller Center shirts blended into a sea of fire, a powerful metaphor of how the Bike Adventure unites us in service. Each of us adds our own flame of faith to brighten the darkness and help others’ embers glow.

Our very long cue sheet and winding hills spread us out fairly quickly, and I enjoyed some meditative solo ride time, reflecting on our connections, the communities we’ve engaged with, and the Fuller Center’s mission to put faith into action. But solitude didn’t last long… 50 miles into the longest ride day of the trip, we encountered a surprise 5-mile stretch of deep gravel. Another metaphor inbound: seeing it as a call to slow down and look around, we downshifted. Some worked together as a team to make small pedaling passes, maneuvering the path carefully and encouraging each other. For others who preferred to bypass it, our support team sprang to action to coordinate rides while keeping the rest stops humming, fixing flat tires (mine, oops!), and staying in touch with our hosts. Meticulously, all together and in a low gear that distributed the power, we made it through and enjoyed a beautiful reunion with the Trace for the last 20 miles.

Today’s challenge reminded me that sometimes slowing down in the hard moments, rather than sinking into frustration or disappointment, helps us stay safe and connected, leading to a positive outcome for everyone involved. Tackling that stretch as a team (even though we were spread out) turned it into a shared memory of patience, perseverance, and joy. Enter metaphor #3… our post-gravel hugs, high fives, and vent seshes felt a bit like a church service: coming to God as a community, celebrating salvation and experiencing God’s love in action together.

The detour proved to be an adventure, even for seasoned Natchez Trace veterans, some of whom have done this particular ride 10 times! But we all arrived safely at Redbud Springs Cornerstone Church in Kosciusko, MS, and ended the day with an epic dinner of pasta, salad, and Ding Dongs topped with ice cream (as delicious as it sounds).

With somehow only one ride day left, I’m in awe of our group and deeply grateful for this experience. My first Fuller Center ride has infused my spirit with a sense of community and service I’ve been seeking for a long time, and I can’t wait to see what joys tomorrow and future Bike Adventures will bring!

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Scott White: Kosciusko Bound

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Kosciusko Bound
October 16, 2025
By Scott White

Thursday the Fuller Center Bike Adventure group left early in the morning after spending Wednesday on a Local Fuller project finishing a house. The Baptist Church in Ridgeway was very accommodating and went out of their way to prepare a great dinner and breakfast and were a fantastic host for the Fuller Center Bike Adventure. This was my first day working support with Stephanie in the mini- van.

Pat took Jessica with him in the Fuller van and trailer. We set things up a little bit differently with three rest stops and we had one restroom break at a Piggly Wiggly about halfway through the ride due to the lack of restrooms  along the Trace Thursday was the first day we had any sort of injuries as we hit some gravel which turned out to be quite deep and challenged our bikers balance and coordination skill for five miles. Some riders listened to WhatsApp advice and jumped into the van to get through this section. We did have several scraped elbows and knees as they got waylaid by the detour.  The gravel had to be a foot thick in places, but that’s where the word Adventure comes from.

We also had our first flat tire of the route which so far God has blessed us and we’ve only had one flat tire and it couldn’t have happened at a better place. Courtney was leaving rest stop number three and didn’t even manage to get across the road when her tube started hissing. Stephany pulled off a NASCAR pit crew worthy tire tube change. This was the longest ride so far but the day off the saddle with our build day had everyone enjoying the great weather and beautiful views the Natchez Trace had to offer.

The day was progressively warmer as we headed south. The third rest stop was a long one as the distance between the Fabulous Fast Four and our sweeps Bill and Ken opened up during the day. After packing up we headed on to our nights stay at Kosciusko. Try saying three time fast. There we unpacked vans and lined up to use the shower before dinner. Once again the local chefs had a great spaghetti meal ready. God has truly blessed us with great weather , great team leaders, and no accidents.

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Alice Little Caldwell: Full Stomachs and Fuller Hearts

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Full Stomachs and Fuller Hearts
October 15, 2025
By Alice Little Caldwell
The Fuller Center Bike Adventure Natchez Trace team rolled into Houston, Mississippi yesterday after riding 78.7 miles. The Parkway Baptist Church welcomed us with open arms and filled our tummies with snacks and drinks and a delicious dinner.
 
Today, we woke up to a full breakfast before setting off on our workday. Our goal was to help put the finishing touches on a new home for the Parkway secretary, Tammy Whitt, who lost her trailer home after her husband died about five years ago. Her new house, which has been under construction for the past four years with the help of the Fuller Center, has three bedrooms and two baths. 
 
Upon our arrival at the house, we found a tractor trailer sized pallet of turf parked in the front yard. The main goal of the day was to prepare the yard by pulling weeds, filling in irregular areas from a big pile of dirt, and laying the turf – first around the front and back porch – then onto the front lawn. An additional crew worked on pulling weeds and clearing the back yard of brush while another team did interior work on the windows, hung shelves, and put cabinets together. Two industrious Fuller Center bikers put the mailbox up.
 
The weather was beautiful but it did get pretty hot as the morning progressed. After lunch, while some people worked to finish projects inside the house, most of the team pulled together to get all the remaining turf placed on the front lawn.
 
The end product was a beautiful, welcoming home with a tin roof, front and back porches, and a beautiful flowered covered mailbox to greet Ms. Whitt and her family.
 
Tomorrow, we head out of Houston toward Kosciusko, MS. Word has it that we will have to detour off the Trace due to road construction. We pray for God’s blessings, safe travels, clear skies, and friendly motorists!
 

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Brad Birky: Miles of Smiles

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Miles of Smiles
October 13, 2025
By Brad Birky

The parking lot of Liberty Christian Church in Dennis, MS was filled with Fuller Center riders wearing orange, surrounded by the sounds of cycling shoes on pavement and tires being topped off by air pumps. After a final blessing we set off, a colorful peloton united by faith and a shared love for the open road.

The beauty of the Natchez Trace Parkway in fall is unparalleled. The usual verdant greens are still hanging on but are just starting to give way to fiery reds, brilliant oranges, and deep yellows. The cool breeze on our faces as we started the day was invigorating, but we knew warmer temperatures were coming as the hours counted away. With 78 miles to go, this ride was going to go well into the afternoon. 

We paused at various historical markers along the way, taking moments to reflect on the stories of those who had traveled this ancient path before us—Native Americans, European settlers, and soldiers. These brief respites offered not just physical rest but also a chance to connect with the rich heritage of the Trace.

As the miles accumulated, so too did our camaraderie. We supported each other through challenging climbs and celebrated exhilarating descents. By late that afternoon, a sense of eager anticipation mixed with a comfortable weariness settled over the group as we approached Houston, MS. The promise of rest, fellowship, and a good meal spurred us on. Parkway Baptist Church did not disappoint. From the moment we rolled into their parking lot, we were enveloped in warmth and genuine hospitality.

Our generous hosts had prepared an incredible feast, a spread that perfectly matched our cyclist-sized appetites. Tables groaned under the weight of a wide array of delicious foods. The aroma alone was enough to make our mouths water! We ate, we laughed, and we shared stories from the day’s ride, feeling truly cherished and welcomed by our new friends at Parkway Baptist.

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Nancy Fish: Life Lessons Learned on the Ride

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Life Lessons Learned on the Ride
October 12, 2025
By Nancy Fish

Day 2 of the Natchez Trace Ride was a blessing in many ways. We were hosted by The Shady Grove United Methodist Church in Duck River, TN. 

We enjoyed a delicious dinner and Sunday breakfast before attending church. Minister Janice Shipp encouraged us with a message entitled “The Race of Faith” and our need to stay focused on the Bible and Jesus. 

Our next order of business was to circle up for prayer and last minute details before beginning our 55.1 mile ride to Collinwood Freewill Baptist Church in Collinwood, TN.

It was an amazing day; blue sky, temperature in the 70s, and not much traffic on the parkway. BUT there were hills and that made the ride challenging. As I struggled to not give up, I called on the name Jesus, as I often do. I wanted to know if there was any purpose in what I was doing. And He answered!

This ride is a picture of what life is like walking with me. It isn’t always but there is a reward if you run a good race. The uphills are difficult, but they make you stronger and  grow your dependence on me, because when I am weak, He is strong. 

I also remembered what Minister Shipp said about focusing on God. When I am on a hill and I keep looking up the hill it seems insurmountable, but if I look down and focus on the road, it looks flat and my hope grows. In life, when I am struggling with a difficult task, if I keep focusing on the problem I lose hope. But if I focus on Jesus, I am encouraged and hope grows. 

And the downhills are a respite from hill climbing. I can rejoice that I made it to the top and be refreshed for the next hill. Life does this too. 

Struggles will come and they will go. But if we invite Jesus to go through it with us and He will help. But we have to focus on Jesus, and not the struggle.  The struggle will pass and healing and refreshing will come. 

We finished the ride and felt the rush of success. For me every hill was worth the lesson God shared with me. 

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Libby Birky: Finally Riding the Trace

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Finally Riding the Trace
October 12, 2025
By Libby Birky

I was supposed to be on this ride a year ago.  In the spring of ‘24, Brad and I were lucky enough to meet Ruth Ann and John Hamilton on a community ride in Venice, FL.  They told us all about the Fuller Center and we were immediately hooked. We signed up for the Natchez ride, started fundraising, and got to work training.  

When Hurricane Helene and Milton came through our town in FL,  leaving 5 Ft of water in our house, we made the tough decision to post-pone our Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure.  Little did we know at the time,  God had interesting plans for us. It wasn’t that long after the hurricanes that we saw a post that Fuller Center was looking for a bicycle adventure coordinator. Long story short, Brad took the job and we are grateful that God brought us to Americus and to the Fuller Center.  

It’s such an amazing organization that does impactful work around the world. I got to see this first hand when I helped the local Fuller Center with a blitz build.  A huge group of local volunteers built a four bedroom home for a single mother of six.  It was an impressive thing.  When the home owner, Tiffany got her house keys, she exclaimed, “What a miracle!” We are blessed to play a small role in making those everyday miracles for neighbors happen. 

Today was a great second day on the Trace. We enjoyed the hospitality of Shady Grove last night. This beautiful space welcomed us with open arms, filled our bellies twice!, worshipped with us, and sent us on our way with more prayers and sunshine.  During the church service, we were graced with a gift when Ruth Ann played the piano for us.  Our 55 miles were filled with gradual ups and some amazing rides down. One couldn’t help but smile! The weather was incredible and so was the scenery.  I had an amazing ride buddy today (Thank you, LeeAnn) who cheered me on and encouraged me when I was struggling. I was so grateful for the support. We rolled into Collinwood Freewill Baptist Church and were once again greeted with open arms, and this time with breakfast for dinner!  What a treat this second day has been! 
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