Imagine if you had no clean water. Imagine sweating and straining to haul contaminated water back to your family. Imagine suffering from preventable illnesses like worms, dysentery or other diarrheal diseases.

While this might seem unimaginable to us, it’s a reality for 800 million people in the developing world.

After learning more about charity: water’s work, we know we can make a difference in the global water crisis. We’re supporting charity: water to help build clean water projects for people in need. 

We are a team of five college students, currently studying at Azusa Pacific University.  We were joined together by a common desire to put an end to the water crisis. By partaking in a trans-continental bike ride across the United States (May of 2013) we aim to raise $40,000 to sponsor water projects that will give clean, sustainable water to people in developing countries!

100% of our money goes directly to the water projects, and when the projects are finished, charity: water will show us the communities we’ve helped. That means everyone who donates will be sent a completion report with GPS and pictures showing you the project you helped bring to life.

Please join in our adventure!

unsanitary water kills more people than all types of violence…including war.

Water Changes Everything

Chase Pritchett

Chase is a senior Business Marketing major from Cloquet, MN. He loves exploring the outdoors and going on as many adventures as possible whether biking, hiking or backpacking. The idea of raising money for people without access to clean water excites Chase because of the necessity for the cause. He wants to ride across America to raise awareness because of a firm belief that the 800 million people without clean water deserve a chance to have life’s most valuable resource. His hope is that the Ride For Water team and all its supporters will work together to give others the opportunity have sustainable wells and a new lifestyle.

Jordan Williams

Jordan is a Junior Business Management major from Stockton, CA. Through different local and global service opportunities working with human trafficking victims, orphaned children, and impoverished areas in Nepal and South Africa, he has been inspired to dedicate his life to serving others and making a difference in this world. Jordan is combining his love for biking with his desire to empower others and watch them soar. He wants every human to have access to clean water, and believes that clean water can truly make a difference in the health, education level, and potential of every individual.

Andrew Earle

Andrew is a junior Psychology major at Azusa Pacific University.  Andrew was sold on the idea of riding his bike across the contiguous United States when Dan first proposed the idea more than a year ago.  Andrew credits his experiences during a semester studying the humanities near Yosemite.  During the semester he spent significant time in a community of around 50 students and faculty who impacted him in significant ways.  It opened his eyes to how privileged he was to be studying at a University.  During this experience Andrew also became more aware of the hurt in this world and how important it was to take his education seriously considering the resources going into it.  He also discovered a passion for exploring and experiencing the outdoors in the Sierras.  All of these factors contributed to making a ride across the United States appealing.  

Brian Terada

Brian is a senior Psychology major from Portland, OR. He loves adventures and being outdoors, and has decided to take advantage of this lifestyle for the sake of helping people in need. He has a passion for social justice at a basic humane level. He believes that water is a human right, and that everyone deserves to have convenient access to water so that they can have the chance to work hard in school, in relationships, and have fun.

Dan Eckman

Dan is a Junior Business Major from San Ramon, Ca.  After spending six months in Africa this past year, and seeing the ramifications of unsanitary water conditions, he knew that he wanted to do something to help bring clean water to those in developing countries.  Dan believes that clean water is the most essential building block of a community. He believes that when a community has clean water they are better equipped to improve general health, education and infrastructure.  Dan sees the global water crisis as solvable and is committed to seeing it resolved in his lifetime.

Alex Piering

Alex is a Junior Business major from Milwaukee, WI. He loves traveling and partnering to serve along side different organizations. His global service experiences during his travels over the past few years have given him a heart for social justice. Alex wants to bring awareness to the clean water crisis that takes the lives of thousands of people each year. He is joining in the effort to end this Crisis of clean water that many of us take for granted.

PLATINUM LEVEL

PLATINUM LEVEL

BRONZE LEVEL

BRONZE LEVEL

Day 36:

We woke up this morning at Whitney’s, and we made breakfast together. We got to talk with her parents again and hear their stories about their dogs and the work that they do. We also finally cleaned our bikes, and got ready to leave. Before we left, we snapped a picture with Whitney and her family, and her dad gave a donation as well! Unbelievable.

We rode in the mild humidity and beating sun all day long, until we hit 100 miles. We realized that the further we rode today, the more chance there would be for us to have time to go to Cedar Point in a couple days (The world’s best theme park - including the fastest, tallest and most roller coasters in the world).

We ended up in Bowling Green and are staying with a family we met on warm showers.com. They ordered us some pizza, and let us lay on their hammock in their backyard (which is right on the golf course). They will all be gone in the morning, except Lane, who is going to make us breakfast (and we heard from Heidi that he is a great cook)!

Goodnight!

-Brian

Day 35

It was sad to leave Chicago today, with its many friends, beautiful weather, and consistent business, but we were sent off by four friends from APU. These past two days of rest have been so rejuvenating, especially when we can go do things like sight-seeing, and can take our minds off the road for a while.
This was one of our shortest days yet on the trip, putting in only 63 miles. The day held great views of Lake Michigan and a relaxing time of driving. Because of the lack of heavy mileage today, we got started around 1pm and finished in Valparaiso around 7pm, with one lunch break at McDonald’s. I’d say we’ve all had our fair share of McChickens, but they’re killing us with these 49¢ cones! We’re loving it. We arrived just in time for a lasagna dinner at Alex’s aunt Patty and uncle (I forgot his name)’s house. A few of us got to kick the soccer ball around in the backyard (as if the boys need more exercise) and had ice cream yet again. As the boys were getting ready for bed, we discussed our different perspectives that we’ve gathered thus far on the trip. To me, it seems like the world seems so much bigger; there are so many people with unique stories, so many of which we learn names and forget them. On the other hand, some brought up the point that it seems as if, with such a growing population, we would run out of room in the world, however, when we come into towns of a few hundred people, we won’t see another hundred for forty miles! It is great to be able to see all of the beauty the rest of America experiences on a daily basis. I headed back upstairs, was blessed to get a room and bed to myself, and am now tucking in for the night. Tomorrow will surely be yet another adventure!

God bless,
Krista

The Haka!

Day 32,33,24,35

Our arrival into downtown Chicago could not have been any more grand. We cruised on into Wrigley field just as the sun was setting and the Cubs game was beginning. It was the most happening place to be in the city!

We went straight from downtown to Becky Borst’s home in Inverness. Chris Chandler was there waiting for us as well and they had already ordered us some of Chicago’s best deep dish pizza. We hung out that evening with them and got to know their family as well. They opened up their basement for us, complete with ping pong, pool, foosball and fifa!

The next day we had a slow morning for the first time in such a long time. We watched TV and ate a slow breakfast. Then I jumped in the pool and pretty soon we were all playing basketball and wrestling each other in the pool! We jumped off the waterfall and just enjoyed the beautiful weather.

That night we went downtown, but the train to get there was delayed an hour and a half because of winds. Apparently a huge storm was coming in. Eventually, we got onto the train and Alex’s Uncle Jim picked us up downtown. Somehow, we fit eight people into his small car and made it safely to his apartment.

His apartment was three floors down from the top of a sky rise overlooking the whole city. It was a beautiful spot to watch the continuous lightning over the city. It was one of the moments where I ask myself “how did I get here?!” We watched the whole Blackhawks Stanley Cups finals game (happening just down the road).

The next day we had a beautiful day roaming around Chicago. We visited old friends and enjoyed the incredible city.

The next day we rode out of Chicago with Lauren, Kendall, and Lisie (and Allie saw us off). We rode with them for about ten miles along Lake Michigan and sadly said goodbye. It was so amazing to have their support all week long, in Milwaukee and Chicago!

Day 30,31

We rode into the homeland of Alex Piering on a beautiful evening. We were so relieved to see his house because we were so hungry and ready for home made tacos! After devouring the tacos we helped the neighbors bring over some extra chairs and tables in preparation for the party/fundraiser that would occur in the backyard the following night. Alex’s parents had done so much preparation and planning for this party with invites, flyers, planning, food, etc. We set up the big tent the next day in preparation for forecasted rain the next evening. The only bummer about the rest day so far was that it was going to rain during the outdoor party.

The next day we got to go play laser tag with our buddy Jordan Lindstrom, who lives just down the road from the Pierings. It was so great to see another familiar face that was so happy to see us as well. We were predicted to lose the battles since we had so many inexperienced members of our team, until Lt. Sam came in to save the day. He was decked out in his army gear and knee pads, and he gave us all assignments for each game and led us to victory!

There ended up being no rain the next day which made getting ready for the party a lot more fun. We picked up more tables and chairs from the school, and also got some down time to relax.

That evening about 40 family friends of the Pierings came over for food, games, and good conversations about Ride for Water. The Lindstrom family came as well! Kendall, Lisie, and Lauren (all from APU) showed up to party with us as well, which was a huge/awesome surprise for me!

Sadly, we had to leave the Pierings the next day, and put in a good ride on into Chicago :)

-Brian

Day 29

The family had bagels and coffee waiting for us in the morning. They showed us great hospitality before taking off. The ride from Madison to Milwaukee was absolutely beautiful. We were all looking forward to another two-day break, so we were moving pretty fast that day. When we were thirty miles out we started to go through some really cool towns that were right on some smaller lakes. Even though we were a little ways out we all started to get really hungry knowing that a warm dinner was waiting. About 15 miles out my parents greeted us on their Harley and rode a little ways with us. We then were riding through my hometown, which was a lot of fun. We rode right up into my house and had a fantastic dinner of tacos. After dinner we all relax knowing that we had two full days off.

-Alex

Day 28

Today was a sort of a leap of faith. We had deviated away from our cycling maps and had now found out that the local law enforcement wasn’t going let us ride on the highways. Alex and I decided to use different map features on our iPhones. We inputed our route into google maps “bike” feature (sounds simple enough), then we tried apple maps “walk” option. The following morning we opted for apple maps because it was shorter.

When we began our ride there was an overwhelming feeling of “here goes nothing” as it seemed the fate of our trip relied on the reliability of apple maps.

We couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome. Our new route took us through beautiful backcountry on quiet, well-paved roads. The weather was nice and, for once, we didn’t have to listen to cars and semis whizzing past us constantly. I can honestly say this was one of my favorite days yet. After spending so much time on highways I was reminded of how much I love the quite backroads where your focus can shift to the scenery and the guys around you rather than just making sure your tires are between the rumble strips and gravel.

Wisconsin revealed its beauty today and as I began to fall in love with this state I started falling in love with my bike again. I hadn’t seen a canopy of trees for over 1,000 miles and it couldn’t have come soon enough. The smooth backgrounds and breathtaking views were exactly what I needed today. Biking today seemed like a privilege. So happy to have said goodbye to the plains. To top it all off we had the pleasure of staying with a family in Madison who cooked us an awesome meal and shared stories with us till late that night. It’s always refreshing to meet nice people after a long day on the road. The family we stayed with was from New Zealand, and they shared with us little tidbits from their home culture and even preformed the haka for us (video soon!) they were incredible hosts and we wished we had more time to spend with them. I don’t think I’ve ever met a family with so much spunk! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds.

-Dan

Day 27
A
fter waking up, we had the privilege of having breakfast at the home of local Wisconsinites, Donna, Lynn, & Kari who served us a mouthwatering meal of perfectly fried pancakes with homemade pork sausage, fresh fruit, orange juice, and milk. After some good morning laughter and conversation, we dressed and hit the road hoping to put in a lot of miles. A combination of tiredness, rainy weather, and Andrew’s sickness made it a tough day of riding however. Still, despite those factors, we pressed on through the rain. After a late lunch break of PB&J in a Walmart parking lot, we made our way back onto the 53 south to put in another fast-paced 15 miles to end the day and get to dinner as quick as possible. Not long into our last stretch, Dan & I pulled over on the side of the road after hearing the sound of a siren and turning to see the flashing of blinking red & blue lights… It was a highway patrol officer. Although my first instinct was to keep riding and attempt to outrun the officer, I quickly realized that an average speed of 20mph wouldn’t get me farther than a quarter mile before the office caught us once again. After a short discussion regarding the law about riding on divided highways, he escorted us off the freeway and put an early an end to our day.

Krista drove back and picked us up, we strapped our bikes to the van, and we went to drown our sorrows in the popular Midwest fast food restaurant, Culver’s, where I had my first custard experience. Although the custard was a much smoother consistency than most ice cream, I still could not proclaim custard to be superior. After a lengthy dinner and my first time Culver’s experience, we arrived to our home stay for the night just outside of Eau Claire where we would be staying with friends of Krista’s dad that he met in the drag racing community. We quickly prepared for bed, & were soon sound asleep ready to continue out journey towards Alex’s home in Milwaukee.

Day 26

We wrapped up our rest days at the Pritchetts cabin. We played badminton, ping pong, went on pontoon rides, shot hand guns, split wood, ate great food, had fireside conversations, and late night sauna sessions leading straight to a plunge in the lake!

Needless to say, we were rejuvenated by the chance to forget about bike riding and just take the day slow. We are great food, and ate a lot of it!

This morning it was back to the daily grind! We woke up early and got all our belongings together to drive back down to Cloquet. We met back at Gordy’s Restaurant where the Cloquet Christian Motorcyclists Association (who are part of a larger Christian Motorcyclists network -CMA) met us to pray for us and see us off. If was so encouraging to meet with them and see how excited they are about our adventure.

From there we began our ride down to Lake Superior. We were confused about directions, and then it began to rain. The closer we got to Lake Superior the lower the temperature dropped. We were not prepared for this temperature drop and so these twenty miles were some of the most miserable miles some of us had ridden.

We got to Lake Superior in the town of Duluth. The quaint town looked a picture that puzzles are made out of. The lake looked like an ocean, and chase walked his bike out to dip his front tire in the water. We took pictures, ate lunch, and said goodbye to Chase. We prayed for him and sadly watched him drive away. The role he had played on this team has been vital and he will be missed for the next three weeks.

From there we crossed the bridge into Wisconsin. It remained cold as we rode along the lake, until finally we turned away from it. As we rode away from the lake, the temperature rose.

We are spending the night in Solon lake at a church we called a few hours ago. Right now we are eating all you can eat French toast. Krista just announced that she has finally become a dog person (because of chase’s gold retriever Parker). The Pritchetts should be proud they have raised a dog that brings adamant day people over from the dark side.

We met a man at the gas station who was excited to hear about or journey and cause, and have already had a few great conversations with some people here at the restaurant as well.

-Brian

Day 24, 25:

Cloquet Weekend

We pulled into Cloquet, MN last night, hometown of Ride for Water team member Chase Pritchett. We came straight into the Famous Gordy’s Hi Hat Restaurant. Friends and family of the Pritchett’s were all there to greet us. The Pritchett Family treated us all two bacon cheeseburgers each, and ice cream as well! We celebrated with everyone, sold shirts, told stories, and had a good (warm) time.

After Gordy’s we came back to the incredibly homey home of the Pritchett’s. The whole team went to a friend’s house to use their hot tub, but I stayed back to go to bed early- still feeling sleepy from the 200 mile day.

The next morning (this morning) we woke up to go to Chase’s Church. The Pritchett’s fixed us another AMAZING meal for breakfast, and we took off for church in a rush! We got there in time to set up our table with our signs, shirts, wristbands, jerry can, bike parts. Chase got up on stage during church to tell the congregation who we are and what we are doing- and did an excellent job!

After first and second service, we had the chance to pass out fliers, have great conversations, accept donations and sell T-shirts. It was a great time! On the van ride back to Chase’s we counted the money (because we couldn’t wait) and found that we had raised around $1000! That is enough for 50 people to gain access to clean water, all raised in one morning! And what’s more, we spread the word around Cloquet about the Global Water Crisis, and directed a lot more people to our website where they can follow and support our cause.

We went straight from church to a Mexican restaurant for lunch where the Pritchett’s treated us to ANOTHER MEAL! (They have already blessed us so much in such little time). It was a good time of getting to know each other better, and for storytelling.

Today we are giving the van a much needed deep cleaning, enjoying the rare Minnesota sunshine and 65 degree weather, and then heading up to the Pritchett’s Lakeside cabin to NAP! I can’t wait to go back to sleep!

We are all so excited that we aren’t riding our bikes today. I am so excited that I don’t have to wear full body spandex all day. And we are all ecstatic that tomorrow will be another day off.

Our first days of rest are well deserved, and even sweeter because of the hardships we have undergone. 

-Brian

Day 23

Today was the long awaited day that we were to arrive at Chase’s hometown, the Promised Land of Cloquet, Minnesota. Because I fell asleep in my bike clothes out of pure exhaustion, morning prep was a breeze for me and gave me the opportunity to cook a breakfast of 2 dozen eggs and toast for our team to compliment the cereal. Afterwards, our team drove to the ending point from the previous day, which was about 30 miles west of Grand Rapids, and anxiously began our 85 mile ride to Cloquet. Thankfully, the weather was in our favor today and we had a bit of a side/ tailwind to help us make it to the arrival party Chase organized at Gordy’s Hi-Hat Restaurant for our team at 7:30pm. After a great day of riding along a diverse mixture of trees, a unique terrain I had never seen before, and a glorious sighting of a large Bald Eagle, our team finally pulled into Gordy’s to be met with a wonderful Cloquet welcome. It was not only special that we had rode over 1800 miles and finally made it to Chase’s home where two days of rest were planned to follow, but it was also the first time where Chase’s home world and college world collided into one party full of Gordy’s famous Double Bacon Cheeseburgers and Ice Cream. We celebrated there and shared stories of our travels with Chase’s family and friends before arriving to the extremely cozy Pritchett househould where we were greeted by Parker and Atlas, the family dogs. We then made our way to a family friend’s house to hot tub and finally relax after 23 long, challenging, and memory-filled days of riding. Our team could not believe that we made it to Cloquet on June 1 like we planned, but it was a beautiful arrival and was worth every effort and pedal throughout each long and often grueling day of riding.

-Jordan

Day 22:

We woke up around 7:30 to an awesome breakfast prepared by Heidi & Barry.  It took us a while to exit our food induced comas, but we eventually were packed up and ready to go.  Before leaving we took one last stroll in the back yard which just happened to be the Mississippi River! At the same time a group of canoers came downstream and we introduced ourselves. Turns out it was a fellow group of adventurers making their way all the way down to the gulf (Hmmm next summer maybe?). We talked with them briefly, admired each others journeys, and then parted ways. 

After driving back about 12 miles east of Bemidji, we began our ride. It turned out to be another day of foul weather and unfavorable westbound winds. We needed to complete 83 miles to put ourselves in a good position to make it to Cloquet, MN for what would be our biggest fundraiser so far. The weather turned out to be not as bad as we imaged, the threat of rain remained just that, a threat. The winds were also tamed by the trees lining the highway so we managed to make it to downtown Bemidji fairly quickly.

We stopped by the second most photographed statue in America (next to the statue of liberty) which was Paul Bunyan and Babe. There we fortunate enough to be interviewed and photographed by the local news where we elected Chase as “Spokesperson”. Chase nailed the interview and we all got really excited to see ourselves on the news!

We continued riding throughout the day and, although we lacked motivation at times, we eventually made it close enough to Grand Rapids, MN and reached our 83 mile average. We decided the only thing that would re-motivate us would be if we got seven large dominoes pizzas (one for each of us). So we did just that. 

Luckily we found a church that allowed us to stay the night and the pastor even offered us any food that was in the fridge! We finished the night off with sprite and a Bible trivia game we found at the church.  It was an exhausting day but we fought through it and put in the miles. 

-Dan

Day 21

Stuffed to the brim with a pizza each from the night before, we left Turtle River State Park this morning with less of an appetite than other days. The boys, ever hungry, split up the remaining slices between the six of them before we took a brief stop in downtown Grand Forks, ND, at the third Starbucks we had seen in three weeks. After relaxing for a few minutes, we loaded up again and drove a few miles past it to our ending point from last night, just inside the seemingly safer boundaries of Minnesota. Even though it’s slightly rainy, it’s good to be home. I was born and raised in Maple Grove, MN, so the thick forests and frequent mosquito bites are making me slightly nostalgic. The riding passed by with frequent van stops to shed layers, and even though we didn’t finish until 8pm, our homestay could not have come any sooner. I had contacted my dad’s cousin, Heidi, and her husband, Barry, just two days ago, and they graciously provided for us more than we could have asked for. We ran from the mosquitos and rain into the house to find a beautiful dog, hot chili, and seven beds waiting for us. Exhausted as ever, we managed to pack down a plateful of food a piece and, to Alex’s delight, Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies and cupcakes. We cleaned up and are currently sprawled out across a couch watching SportsCenter and arguing over whether Kobe Bryant or Lebron James is a better player. I won’t embarrass the individual who is a James fan, but there is no doubt we have a clear winner. As I start to doze off with the buzzing sound of a mosquito in my ear, I could not feel more blessed by the love I’ve been surrounded with on this trip, from strangers, to family members, to new brothers. It has definitely been three weeks I know I won’t be able to forget.

God bless you on your journey!
Krista

Day 19:

Big Miles Day

We are completely at the mercy of the wind. It impacts our ability to travel more than any other element. It can restrict us to 40 miles, or it can push us to 120, as was the case a few days ago.

Today we knew we would have a tailwind, and we have now learned how valuable these tailwinds are. It is not just here one day gone the next, but it is here one day and the complete opposite the next.

We woke up at Jim’s house (who we had met on warmshowers.com), and packed up as quickly as possible to drive out to our starting spot. Jim was so gracious to have cooked us dinner, let us take showers, do our laundry, and use his house/materials to clean our bikes.

I think we all underestimated how fortunate we would be with the wind, because it was pushing us very quickly. We soon realized that this day had a lot of potential. We glided over North Dakota between 15-25 miles an hour with minimal effort (which is a gift from above). We took quick breaks because we knew that every minute off the bike was more miles lost than usual. In these kinds of conditions, it is much easier to have good conversations with each other, because we can go so fast without losing our breath. I rode with Jordan until about 4:00 PM, and before we realized it, we had ridden 100 miles.

It was about this time that we began to do some strategizing. We knew we could make up for a lot of lost ground today, and that we could increase our chances of getting to Cloquet, MN by Saturday. So we met at the next van stop to discuss what the rest of the day would look like.

Positive attitudes about the potential of the day were expressed, and big numbers were estimated as to what could be accomplished by the end of the day. Maybe we could do 150? Maybe 180!

“If I get to 180 then I’m going to 200.” –Dan

And so the bar was set.

At 4:00 PM, after riding 100 miles, we decided we would aim to complete another 100 miles before we slept. As soon as the decision was made, we took off. We were separated at first, but came back together about 15-20 miles in, after we realized that our tailwind had dissipated for the most part.

We stocked up on food and water, basically stopped taking breaks, and rode eastward as quickly as possible. As the sun began to set and we neared 170 miles, Andrew got a flat tire, and we had to quickly change it. (The picture above is where the sun was when Andrew had his flat).

After his tire was fixed, we rode on into the night. Eventually, it was completely dark and we still had around 20 miles to go, which would take over an hour. We decided to have the van drive behind us on the shoulder, with the brights on so that we could see and be seen. Fortunately, there was not much traffic this time of day.

The last 20 miles were the most difficult for me. Instead of feeling tired, I literally felt sleepy. I felt like falling asleep on the bike. It wasn’t because I was hungry- it wasn’t dinner time- it was bedtime! We all had different sore spots come up because of the unbelievable mileage we covered during the day, and we just had to push through them in these last miles.

We began counting down the mile markers next to the road, getting so excited for mile marker 279, because we started out that morning at mile marker 79. It drew closer and closer, and my eyelids grew heavier and heavier, but we made it.

Someone pulled over where we stopped just to chat with us in the bug infested night. I jumped in the van to escape the bugs, and eventually we headed back to the church to sleep (an hour drive, since we had gone so far past it).

When we got to the church, Krista had prepared an amazing dinner for us. It was an amazing blessing to end such a wearisome day.

-Brian

First day in North Dakota.

Day 18

After being warned plenty of times about the dangers of North Dakota today was they day we would enter it, and trust me it lived up to the talks. Once we entered North Dakota we immediately were greeted by many oil trucks. Over the past three years there has been a great oil boom and it has basically been a gold rush. Men from all over the US travel here to get rich. Knowing of the dangers that were ahead, we made sure that we would all stick together and watch each other’s backs. We stopped at the Wall-mart in Williston for a quick lunch. The town was filled with men, and no one was getting a good vibe from the place. We ate as fast as we could and tried to get out of the town. As the day went on it started to rain and get cold. Our contact for the night feel through and we were left homeless at 4pm. We then try to find someone on a website called warmshowers.com. We contacted a Jim who enjoyed cycling himself, and was completely welcoming. He lived in Stanley North Dakota by himself. He had dinner prepared for us when we arrived which was such a blessing being cold and wet from the ride. We shared stories with him and had a great night.

-Alex

And we all have a bed.

-Chase

Day 16

After a long night’s sleep in Glasgow, Montana’s Lutheran church post our first century ride of 118 miles and a wedding reception, we woke up prepared for another long day of riding and were anxious to see which direction the wind was blowing. Unfortunately, however, our team was saddened to hear reported strong headwinds again for our team. In addition to the news about the strong headwinds, it was particularly tough for Alex, Dan, & myself to get on the saddle because it was the UEFA Champions League Final, one of the largest Soccer games and sporting events in the world. Despite the discouraging weather and the fact that we would miss watching the game, our team began preparing for the day with a cereal breakfast, the usual bike cleaning, and finished packing the van as we began our journey onwards. It was a typical ride full of good conversation, music, and great scenery even with the wind until we began a long stretch on the highway that had a very eerie feel in the air. The sky quickly became overcast and raindrops began to drop although our team pressed on. The only thing that stopped our team was a large dead snake that we found on the side of the road whose size caught all of our attention. After our quick roadside Safari, we began riding again to be stopped shortly after by a thunderstorm. We immediately called Krista to come pick us up as we began seeing multiple flashes of lightning and knew that we were primary targets to be struck in a large plain of nothingness.

Although we considered waiting the storm out, our team decided to call it a day because of how late it was getting and had to settle for a shorter mileage day. As we made our way back to Glasgow for refuge, the thunderstorm quickly became a hailstorm and our team watched in awe as golf ball sized pieces of hail fell furiously from the sky. The awe turned to disparity as Dan realized his beautiful Carbon Fiber bike was on top of the van being pelted with the pieces of hail and worried for the health of his baby. Thankfully, his bike was okay, and we again found refuge in Glasgow at Scott’s house, the Pastor of the Lutheran church. After grilling hamburgers for dinner and each watching parts of different movies (Tron, Django, & Mission Impossible), our team fell asleep to rest for another day of riding that awaited our team.

-Jordan

Day 15:

The ride of the century

We had to leave our host home by 6am because our host was leaving then to go to her daughter’s track meet. The night before she had given us a tour of her farm (to see the pigs, rabbits, cats- but unfortunately we didn’t get to see her horses). She made us stir fry, and soon enough we were asleep. The problem was that we only got 5 hours of sleep. The good news was that we were forced to get a VERY early start on the day.

We rode for a few miles starting around 6:30, but unfortunately Chase kept getting flat tires (5), and we were slightly delayed because of that. However, in the time that it took for Chase to replace his tire, the wind blew away the grey clouds, and the sun came out. Also, the wind was blowing from the west!

The strong tail wind pushed us all the way to the town of Malta. It was there that we stood in front of Stretch’s Pizza, wondering if their FridaySchmorgesboard would be any good. Since we couldn’t figure it out, we asked an older couple walking by what they thought of it. Unfortunately, they were just passing through town and didn’t know anything about it. However, this chance encounter proved incredulously important for our day. For you see, this couple passed by us twice on the highway later that day. The third time they passed by, they slowed down and said “Hey guys! Wanna go to a wedding reception!?”

“YEA!! WE DO!”

food. conversation. Food. we’re there!

After finishing our 118 mile bike ride (and crossing the 1000 mile threshold for the trip).. we rolled up to this wedding reception about an hour late, not knowing ANYONE! We quickly found the couple who had invited us (Cheryl and John). They told us to go on inside and eat some food! So, in we walked, and immediately we could tell that people were wondering who we were and what we were doing there. So we began talking to people as soon as we could! We met Erin, a 26 year old Army Veteran, and she was very kind. Her brother, Chase, works Montana wildlife security and he was very welcoming too. We went inside, found our own table, and grabbed some grub as quickly as we could. Before we knew it, we were witnessing the first dance of the bride and groom- who we had never met before!

As the dance party went on, we worked up the courage to go dance with everyone else. Then someone got the idea that I should sing a few songs! So, I asked Erin if she would ask the bride if it would be okay for the cyclists to play a few songs and she said yes!

So Andrew and I went up, Andrew on guitar, and me singing, and we performed “Halo” by Beyonce, and “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. Needless to say, it really got the party started! It was fun for me to see how I could do something I love to do and it could help people to have a really good time. Afterwards, one man said to us that we really made this into a celebration!

An amazing day covering a lot of ground, and an amazing day seeing that God will surprise us at anytime with something awesome like an invitation to a wedding reception on the side of the road.

-Brian