by Sam Vandenheede
Today was another beautiful ride down the west coast, we left the incredible state of Oregon and entered California. We were greeted by a fine mist of fog rolling off the Pacific Ocean into the mountains, through pastures of cattle. Just one of todays gorgeous sights. As we peddled on through the winding roads of the countryside the sun peaked over the mountains to our left and melted away the fog, revealing incredible vistas of the Pacific. We all gathered for lunch at a local “hole in the wall” diner, Alta’s. We feasted on some of the best burgers we’ve encountered, then settled in for the remaining 12 miles to Crescent City, our home for the night.
Now this ride has many purposes, of course raising money and awareness for the Fuller Center, and also just awareness of the need for affordable housing in our nation and around the globe. This is also a time to reflect on one’s self, and to be grateful for the opportunities granted to us. Hopefully we are able to help grant some of the opportunities that we have had onto others less fortunate than ourselves, by offering them a hand up. Also through this journey we can learn to live more simply, and think that maybe we don’t need all of the luxuries we take for granted every day. It helps us to realize that through working together, people are capable of so much. It’s amazing to see all the people that welcome us into their communities and provide us with food and shelter. This helps keep the cost of the ride low, so more money can go to building affordable homes for those who have no home to return to. There is so much love in the hearts of the people we meet along the way, it’s quite refreshing really. All in all, this is a wonderful ride, for a great cause, and an amazing journey of self-reflection, learning to live more simply so that others can simply live.
