Segment 1 Begins near the Gulf of Mexico on Lake Pontchartrain and then transitions to a northerly path that follows one of the historic paths of the Underground Railroad.  Starting your journey on the Tammany Trace Bicycle Trail and with a build in Hammond, LA — an area hit hard by hurricanes in 2021 — we’ll get off to a great start before traveling north. Get experience putting faith into action as we partner with families and communities in our journey.    

Experience southern hospitality, smell lush pine forests, and tackle rolling hills as we travel to Leland, MS for our next build as we make our way to Clarksdale, MS for the end of this segment. 

Hello, Segment 2! Once segment riders have arrived, we’ll host our weekly team meeting on Sunday night. If you missed out on the chance to ride our Natchez Trace in April of 2021 and want to skip the cooler weather of fall, this may be your segment to ride.  This section will be travelling along the Natchez Trace Parkway for 190 miles from Saltillo, TN to near its trailhead in Nashville, TN.   If you haven’t ridden the Natchez Trace before, this route is full of history.  Numerous descriptions of historical events line it’s pathway.  

This time of year often brings tailwinds from the south, although uncertain of that forecast, you can be certain of rolling hills along the journey.  Smell the pines and experience the warmth from our church hosts — relationships we have built up over ten years of riding the Natchez Trace.  This will for sure be one of our most sought-after segments of the ride so sign up early or for this segment to experience this treat.  We will begin with a build in Clarksdale, MS and end with the Music City, Nashville, TN.

Segment 3 starts off the week after taking a day off in Music City.  Enjoy the beautiful rolling hills of Tennessee and Kentucky as we continue our journey north into the historic city of Louisville to serve another family on a build day, then “bat” from Louisville north to Cincinnati, OH a state and location that has begun to put a significant focus on cycling.  

More builds and more miles in Segment Four!  After a taking a day of rest in Cincinnati, OH you will approximately follow the Ohio to Erie Trail across the entire state all the way to Cleveland! This 300-plus-mile path is composed of 70 percent of off-street trails and many cycling-designated roads, a unique cyclist experience.  Our journey will include a build day in Aurora to remind us once more of why we ride.

Finish the route by putting your tire in Lake Erie, giving you the sense of a a coast to coast experience without the cross-country ride’s 10 weeks of time commitment and Rocky mountains to traverse.  Even if you are unable to join us the entire way, this section will be a delight, incorporating bike trails and builds in one.