Written by: Curt Wildemann
The over whelming open arms and support by total strangers on this ride has astounded me. We started this journey in Carlsbad, Ca., at the Faith Community Church, thank you. We went up to Oceanside, took pictures in the ocean and on the beach, then off to Temecula United Methodist Church, thank you. Palm Springs was our first build where the satisfaction definitely comes in the reaction of the homeowner.
We stayed in our first hotel there in Palm Springs and were hosted by Lee & Cindy who were incredible, thank you! Desert Center where the Eagle Mountain Baptist Church where Renee took care of us, thank you! Mike and I were sweeping that day and at one of the rest stops, Joey Hernandez asked us about our ride. After much discussion and answering all his questions he opened his wallet and donated $20, thank you! We bypassed Blythe, Ca., to Quartzsite, AZ, where we were greeted with open arms at Isaiah 58 Church, thank you! Wenden, AZ, was our next stop at the Centennial Community Center where the good folks there made us a tremendous dinner, thank you! Off to Wickenburg and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church where dinner was made for us again, again it was awesome, thank you! After a grueling ride up, up & up, plus the heat, we made Prescott, AZ, where I bought my first pair of cowboy boots and hat nearly 35 years ago when I was teaching up in Seligman.
The Heights Church welcomed us there where our dinner team made a fantastic spaghetti dinner. Up the 89 to Ashfork East on interstate 40 to Williams, gateway to the Grand Canyon and St. Joesph Parrish where we stayed, thank you! Met an old buddy who works for the town of Williams, it was good to see him. North on 64 to the Grand Canyon, it was a heck of a sight, seeing 30 bicycles at the entrance to the park. We made it and camped at Mathers Campground, saw the sunset, Grand Canyon Village and all kinds of stuff, had a blast. We cooked hotdogs, had s’mores, and slept in tents and under the stars. Tuba City and the Tuba City Boarding School was next, it was my birthday, thank you! After a long ride and unbearable heat, we made Page, AZ, with the Faith Bible Chapel welcoming us with a fantastic Sunday service, thank you! Wow, going to Kayenta, AZ, through the edges of Monument Valley was unbelievable. That was a great day because the Valley was tremendous, we crossed into Utah, went on the very road that Forest Gump was running on when he decided to turn around and go home.
Monument Valley High School let us crash there, thank you! So now, as I said, we’re in Utah and went to Bluff. St. Christopher’s Mission hosted us there where some high school kids from Los Angeles were doing a bible study and cooked us a feast for a King, thank you! Who would go to Monticello, Utah, you ask? I’m glad I did, First Baptist Church rolled out the mats, cooked a dinner that some had 3 helpings and took us up in the nearby mountains for a view that no picture can justify, thank you! That brings us to here, Cortez, CO, where we finally hit another state and there was much celebration, many pictures and high spirits. St. Barnabas of the Valley Episcopal Church granted us passage and cooked an incredible dinner and breakfast, thank you!
