Category Archives: 2018 Port to Port

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Written by: Ginny Hughes

We finished week four in the capital of ND, Bismarck over the weekend. The Grace Lutheran church welcomed us warmly and provided a bountiful Sunday 
breakfast. Even though it was a rest day some of us chose to help out with painting the school rooms in the basement as they had had trouble finding 
volunteers for the task. 
The first day of week five took us from Bismarck to the little town of Strasburg ND. The crops in this part of the country are corn, sunflowers, soybeans, 
wheat and I’m sure others. I was told that this is a very rich growing area because of the exceptionally deep topsoil. The welcome we received in Strasburg was over the top. The first thing I noticed was someone yelling to me from the other side of the road. That was Teri, the local newspaper reporter getting 
pictures for an article about the Fuller Bike Adventure. The mayor had been very generous in arranging for us to stay in a school and to prepare our dinner in the senior center. I’m on dinner team this week and we opted to make a baked potato bar and salad. After dinner arrangements were made for us to be 
picked up by a school bus and transported to Lawrence Welk's family homestead. The Welk's and others in this area emigrated from Russia after having first 
moved from Germany to Russia. The homestead is in a beautiful setting on a lake. The barn is bigger than the house. Next we were transported to a large 
Catholic Church built in the early 20th century and is now on the National register of historic places. Visiting a sod house was next on the agenda, but we 
were all too tired after a long day of riding. 
Today was the hardest day of the trip so far. Everyone agreed. We conquered 83 miles with head and cross winds. It was relentless. Temps were in the 80 and it was humid. But it was the winds that did everyone in. I almost gave up at the last rest stop but somehow found a second wind. 
Once again we arrived into a community that has opened its arms to us. We crossed the South Dakota border and are now in Leola, the rhubarb capitol of the 
world.  We passed high grassy plains with the occasional pond. Bird life was abundant and I loved the smell of the roadside wildflowers. We are thankful to be in a school gym with air conditioning and bellies full after a wonderful meal provided by some of the folks in town. I’m continually amazed at the 
outpouring of love and support we receive from so many. 
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July when we will celebrate and reflect upon our many freedoms. And do a bit of biking.

Home

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Written by: Erin Smethers

 

Two months ago, if you asked me what home was I would say my house in Illinois, but after 4 weeks on the road with FCBA home has a whole new meaning. Home is where you know how to work the shower, can flip on the bathroom lights with no random wall slapping, and where you don’t have to pack up your belonging every morning.Continue reading→

The Secret to Sweeping

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Written by: Jack Cutler

 

Today I rode the entire way with my new friend JW on a century (100 miles) journey from Beach ND to Hebron ND. Normally on a Fuller ride, we all ride at our own pace, and although we will often ride with fellow Fuller riders who travel at the same pace, we may not ride the entire day with the same people. In fact, sometimes we ride alone for some or all of the ride. So what was so special about the way I rode during today’s ride? Today JW and I rode together the entire way because we were the “sweeps” for the day.Continue reading→

Discovering new insights

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Written by: Diane Maidt

Eastern Montana is not flat. My husband, Dave and I have backpacked in western Montana and I always had the impression that eastern Montana was flat and dry. Today we biked from Miles City to Baker with an elevation gain of 3,800 feet. We started the day with 800 feet of elevation gain and saw hills and trees in the distance. I pondered as I rode how this relates to other things in our lives. We get impressions of people or places that stick unless we really get to know them.

As we got closer to Baker it did get a little flatter. I climbed a big bale of hay to celebrate our getting near the town. Then, we had another surprise. We found out that there is an oil industry around Baker.

We had a warm reception in Baker. The Baker Assembly of God church provided a wonderful barbeque dinner with lots of homemade salads and desserts for us. It was fun to meet and talk with one of the local women, Sherry, who had just completed a cross country ride from San Diego, California to St. Augustine, Florida. Two of the church members, Allen and Marissa, took a few of us on an informative tour around the area explaining how the equipment we could see in the fields extracted the oil.

One of the fun things about these trips is getting to meet the friendly people in the communities where we stay and find out what they do and what is happening in their communities. Another fun thing is discovering new insights about the areas we ride through.

 

Newbie to FCBA

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Written by: Alice Myk

 

We have completed three weeks of our 10 week adventure. Once I got over the cozy creative sleeping arrangements and laundry duty, the fun finally began! Riding my bicycle everyday is so relaxing. Then, add the beautiful landscape and you have a perfect day!Continue reading→

Back with the Family

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Written by: Michael Wieser

The last four years I have been an all-the-way rider and the bike mechanic on the FCBA. So, this year, being a segment rider is a bit different for me. I didn’t start out with
this group in Astoria because I was on a different bike adventure when this ride started and besides I’ve ridden the sections from Billings, Montana to Astoria, Oregon and from
Waukegan, Illinois to Portland, Maine in previous years; so this year I simply decided to ride those portions that would be new to me and free up the remainder of the summer for other
things.Continue reading→

Unexpected relationships

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Written by: Bob Wenger

Earlier this week during morning devotions my fellow cyclist spoke about mundane moments in our lives that very well could be an open door to recognize a situation of a person that is seeking help. As I was riding the first Monday morning of our bike trip, I came upon the two youngest cyclists, Erin and Zach, looking at a flat tire. Little did I know that from this moment on these two were going to change the plans I had and God’s plan for me to have a relationship with these two young cyclists that I never saw coming.Continue reading→

Stumbled into something great

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Written by: Breanna Booker

Three weeks ago I was talking to my family about my summer internship, no one really knew what I was getting myself into. At one point my mom made a joke that I was going to be spending my time with a group of people who only talk about bicycles. It’s safe to say I was more than a little apprehensive about the 10 weeks I would be spending with a group of complete strangers. I was afraid my summer would be spent keeping to myself, unable to strike a conversation since I would be the outcast among a group of bikers.Continue reading→

No turning back

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Written by: Zach Rundell

 

Last Friday I woke up at 5:30 a.m. just like any other morning. As I was midway through my routine, I had a revelation: for the first time, in nearly two weeks, I wasn’t sore. My legs didn’t ache and my back wasn’t stiff. Then, I thought about all of the mileage I had ridden so far. We had biked nearly 700 miles through three states. It was the first time on this trip that I felt I had the strength and mental fortitude to finish the long haul to Portland, Maine.

I did not possess this confidence when I arrived in Astoria, Oregon. When I met the crew and saw my fellow riders I was very discouraged. I was told that my bike was too heavy and my tires were too big, and I wondered if I really had what it takes to ride more than 3,000 miles this summer. I reflected on all of the challenges, big and small, that I had given up on when things got hard. I carried this self-doubt along with me for 700 miles. My Friday morning revelation was more important than you might realize; it was the moment that I decided this would not be another dream I talk myself out of.

My newfound confidence was immediately challenged when I stepped outside with my bike. We had a 60+ mile trek ahead and it was pouring rain. It was as if God himself was pushing us away from Missoula, Montana. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating and it was only sprinkling, but any amount of rain for 60 miles of riding is too much rain.

Then, I gritted my teeth and buckled in. Four and a half hours later, with a lot of help from my new friends, I was able to roll up to the church in Missoula.

This isn’t easy, but with the support of Fuller Center’s awesome support crew and my fellow riders, I know I will be able to push through these next eight weeks.

 

P.S. will someone please mail Scott and Bob some of those breathe right anti-snoring strips...

What should I blog about?

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Written by: Dave Maidt

 

So, here I am, on my knees, in a strange bathroom, sprawled across a toilet bowl, with a crow bar in my hand, prying tackless strip from the back corner of the floor behind the bowl, thinking to myself, ‘darn, I gotta Blog tonight.’ What in the world could I blog about? As the SAG (Support Aid Gear) driver I’ve never blogged on any of my previous 4 FCBA trips before. What could I possibly blog about?Continue reading→