Tag Archives: cross country

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.

 

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...

Round Two

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Written by: Mark Murphy 

Wow, back on the FCBA cross country ride again!!  I rode across the USA last year with this wonderful group of strangers that became friends.  I am so excited to meet the new people who have joined our merry band as well as catching up with some of the great people who have also returned from last years ride.

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Angels in the O-to-O

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Written by: Jim McCracken
The start of a Fuller Center Bike Adventure is a flurry of activity as people arrive the first day from all parts of the the USA, and sometimes from other countries. Greeting old friends and meeting new ones, assembling bikes that have been boxed and shipped to the starting point, beginning the process of becoming a tight-knit, efficient team that will ride across the country together building and sharing the mission of the Fuller Center.

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How do you….

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Written by: Macy Holsinger

How do you tell those who ask, “How was your summer?” How do you explain the feelings, the emotions, the little moments, the day to day grind, the early mornings, the long days, the exhilaration, the pain, the thrill? How do you tell them that 21+ perfect strangers have become like intimate family at the end of nine weeks? How do you recount all of the ways that God provided time and time again? How do you help them grasp the sights, the sounds, the smells? How do you describe the countless meals and snacks provided by generous souls? How do you help them visualize the never-ending list of daily chores that keep the ride moving forward? How do you illustrate the spectacular sunrises and sunsets? How do you explain what it feels like to be pelted by sleet and roasted by the sun? How do you convince someone that a build day full of hard work still feels like a day off? How do you help people believe that sleeping on an air pad really is comfortable? How do you tell why sharing a dinner table with 20 other people is pure joy? How do you compress all of the memories of a wonderful summer on the back of a bike with people you love into one little blog?

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When your Garmin fails

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Written by: Jennifer Wells

Every morning we gather up and review the route for the day, discuss any pertinent information, and do our devotion. This day was no different. So after our circle up I struck out on my bicycle with my Garmin. I turn right, left or go straight whenever my Garmin tells me to do so. My Garmin is my bike friend and has reliably gotten me to all my destinations for the last three to four years. I have ridden over 10,000 miles with my Garmin. I trust my Garmin. This day I am going to tell you about was different.

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Shaping reality

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Written by: Kian Ellis

Once upon a time, René Descartes, a 17th century French philosopher, found himself searching for a phrase that could not be doubted. The phrase he came up with was “cogito ergo sum” which means “I think, therefore I am.” This phrase could not be doubted because something that doesn’t exist can not ponder its own existence. And while the main purpose of this phrase might simply be to speak with utter confidence, to me the logic behind it makes some heavy implications.

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Americus’ grand welcome

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Written by: Ryan Iafigliola, Founder of the Fuller Center Bike Adventure

Whew, what a day!

Eight weeks ago I was with this incredible team of volunteers when they pushed off the coast in San Francisco. The routine was new. The miles felt long. The other riders felt like little more than strangers. Only able to join for a week, I left in Nevada.

Now, here we are seven weeks later, and I’m back joining them for a day. Now they’re a team! They’re strong! Now I’m the one huffing and puffing to keep moving along. The rain we got this morning hardly even fazed them. They’ve got the routine down pat, and they know each other all too well. That’s exactly how we like it, and it’s awesome to see.

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Journeying with the FCBA

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Written by: Mike Wieser

Today we entered Georgia, our twelfth and final state to cycle in this summer. There are just five ride days remaining on our FCBA cross-country journey. If one listens hard enough, I think you can hear the Atlantic Ocean calling out our names.

At the conclusion of this year’s ride, I will have ridden more than 15,000 miles with the FCBA. I love the mission of the Fuller Center, participating in the build days, seeing where the money I raise/donate goes and how it impacts families and communities.

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