And so, the journey
begins!
A number of years ago Sheryl
and I saw the movie, “Bucket List.” On
the way home, we talked about things that were on our bucket list. We had a list together, and we also formed
our own separate bucket list.
Much of my list included
adventure. One such adventure was riding
bicycle for 3500 miles across the United States. On Friday May 26th, I begin what I
thought might only be a dream.
Friday, Sheryl will take me
to Cleveland Airport where I will take my bike and gear and head for Portland,
Oregon. I arrive in Portland around
11:00 am. Sean and Stephanie Stephens,
friends of Sheryl and I, will pick me up and take me to the coastal town of
Astoria, Oregon.
My hope is that I can ride
for several hours during the afternoon on the 26th, to try and get
to warmer temperatures by mid-evening.
There is a difference of nearly 30 degrees from Astoria to
Portland. The distance between the two
cities is just over 100 miles.
This adventure would not be
possible without the support of so many.
First, Berlin Mennonite Church has given me the gift of a three-month
sabbatical for renewal. They have been
active in supporting pastoral health in so many ways. My hope is that this part of my sabbatical
will lead to renewal physically, psychologically, and spiritually.
Second, I have leaned hard on
several friends who are far more experienced in biking than I am. Both Titus Dutcher and Eric Yoder have not
only offered wisdom to this venture, they also took me out on Sunday afternoon’s
and forced me to ride the hills of Holmes County. There were days when I wondered if I could still
consider them friends.
I am also grateful for the help
of two bicycle shops. Bill, from Ride On,
in Wooster, Ohio helped me find the bike that works best for this journey. Leroy, from Hiland Bikes, only two miles from
my home here in Holmes County, has helped me find the accessories that I will
need for the Journey.
Most of all though, my family
has offered unconditional support. Sheryl, and my sons Adam and Jarrod and
their families, have been my greatest encouragers. Sheryl’s support is unwavering. I look forward to spending time with Sheryl
at several points along the way.
The first week of the journey
I will be by myself. The second week I
will be joined by Michael Stutzman. The
following week Titus Dutcher will ride with me and Deb will support us for the
week. The following week Jeremy Kaufman will join me for the ride. Jeremy will
ride with me to my brother Herms’ home in Nederland, Colorado. From there, as far as I know now, I will ride
to Yorktown, Virginia alone.
As many do who attempt this
journey, I will raise funds for the Fortress of Hope, a Child Protection Center
in Nicaragua, of which I serve on the Board of Directors. For more information on the FOH, you can
check out the website at http://www.fortressofhope.org/
If you decide to support the
FOH, you can send a check payable to BMC, earmarked, “Bike Ride FOH,” to:
Berlin Mennonite Church
P. O. Box 217
Berlin, Ohio 44610
Thank you for your support
for the Children’s Home and your ongoing prayer support for my safety while on
the road. I will attempt to update my
blog after every day’s ride. There may
be some days where I do not have internet, so I will update the next day.
It is good to be alive!
Myron
I'll be keeping up with you. I'll share the sage advice that Paul Stutzman gave me. It was profound and wise. I followed it strictly: "Keep going east."
ReplyDeleteGood luck Myron. With you in spirit.
ReplyDelete