Trek 13 - I don't know this about this heat!?

So now that I am at a better WiFi setup and my Smartphone isn't running out of battery. (I have to save my battery on my cell phone for communication with the support team.) Anyway how were the last few days. Craziness!! Trying to survive the heat. We ride into a town and the McDonalds has a sign that says extreme heat wave has created a dangerous situation, to be careful. And we were just out on paved road riding our bicycles. I was so tired on one hill that I had to walk my bike up to the top of the Pass. No signs of heat exaustion, (or maybe I just described one to you) we are trying to drink lots of water and eat. A little bit challenging when the water is hot water and food doesn't taste because of being so hot. We have been riding on some highways, plenty of room on the side of the road, I had researched if we could do that or not. I thought I understood that we could ride on highway 84. We took a rest stop under a bridge in the shade. After we started a police man stopped us and informed us that we were not allowed to be riding on the Highway. He said we could take a side road but it would take us 22 miles out of the way and up a mountain that we would not have had to go over. On a bicycle that is not an easy task. The officer said, 'Be safe.' The back roads were less safe?!? Anyway God is good, I am not sure what the meaning is at this time or I may never know. I thought we might be half a day ahead of schedule, now I think we are half a day behind. I haven't been taking as many pictures lately because we have been in survival mode. If we stop it is under a bridge in the shade. Stopping along the road takes up time that we need to keep moving since our pace has slowed down. These last two day we have been pulling the bike trailer and all carrying more weight so the support team would have time at the Autry's. We appreciate your prayers. We have been talking to people along the way, they love the trek we are on. We are giving them Gospels of John and we pray the Holy Spirit will work in the prepared soil of their hearts.

Trek 11 and 12 - hot, Hot, HOT!!!!

105 degrees and we are riding on hot pavement. We survived!

Trek 11 - the morning of, wondering what this day will bring forth

Data and cell phone, WiFi was rare the last few days as well as the rides were hard. Lots of wind. Monday we were able to pull off 91 miles, long with and head wind going up the Snake River valley. Tuesday only 70 miles but what a great evening climbing the sand dunes. What an experince. New slideshow for week 2 (coming). Rain off and on all the time. What a pain. Wednesday, we decided to take the Freeway, 84. Hot sun this day. We got two flats, our windshield is cracked from truck kicking up stones on the freshly tar and stoned roads. Like regular life I guess the challenges of life are setting in. Karen got a great campsite in Hansen, ID. We stopped by for a swim in the pool and had supper and did 19 more miles in the evening. So Wednesday we got 85. 228 more to the Autry's by Saturday. Thanks for praying. God is good.

Week 2 -- Need 78 miles days....

....to make to the Autry's in Draper, Utah by Sat. Thanks for praying!!

Trek7 - Day of Rest

Wow!! So needed. No riding today. What an amazing time worshipping with the Body of Christ at Vale Christian Church in Vale, Oregon. What a hospitable group of people, the life of Christ was evident in their lives. Great worship with an up front band with a harmonica. Good time in communion, a message on the Nature of Mankind. Thanks Pastor for the reminder that we as mankind were specially made by God to be in His image. We have fallen and can through the Lord Jesus Christ be made whole and complete again, not perfect in this life but (Ephesians 4:21-24) to put off, renew, and put on. (click on the passage to go to the passage on BibleGateway a great internet resource). Thanks for the fellowship time and the use of the kitchen to make our pizza lunch. (that rattlesnake dip was amazing, just kidding, but that is what we were told :) Thanks for the advice on our next few days of travel. Wow!! This was and encouraging day. The trip is a little overwhelming. I knew that but had not experienced it til now. It is kind of like real life. We don't know what is coming but we must remember to walk in the Spirit, trust our God, allow the fruit of the Spirit to flow from us to each other, stay in touch with the Body of Christ and know our only hope is in Christ alone. I love you Heavenly Father!! You are good.

A page has been added on the side that has MyTracks maps

I have an APP on my phone called MyTracks that tracks where we go on GPS. I can send it to Google Maps. I will try to add the links to the side page. I could send the details to the posts but they are not always accurate. I don't always pause it every time we stop.

Nugget of Truth Trek day 6:

1 Peter 3:14-16 (ESV) " But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. " It is such a blessing to travel across the country and share the reason for our hope.

Trek5 - Nice 20 mile straight road with a tail wind.

70 miles, a few climbs, up a pass to 4800 feet, leg muscles hurting but we are over-all doing very well. We are mostly on schedule. Heading to Vale, Oregon Saturday. We will cross into Mountain Time. Met Dennis and were able to help him. He blow out his transmission at a rest area. He had no cell phone reception so our Verizon phones had reception so we were able to let him use ours and get help from a friend. The Gospel is going out and we pray God the Holy Spirit will help people see how amazing Jesus is.

Nugget of Truth Trek day 5:

 Mark 10:45 (ESV), "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." We, who have chosen to follow Christ for the rest of our earthly lives, seek to resemble Christ's character. We hope to be an example of Christ and represent his attitude of service.

New SlideShow up on the side of the Blog

I will adding pictures to that as we go.

Trek4

91 miles of no man's land in mid Oregon. Stayed in Burns, Oregon

Trek3 - Climbing McKensie Pass

That was work!! We had rain most of the night. Most of stayed mostly dry. We started with blue sky trying to get thru but then it soon started to rain. 21 miles to the pass, 10 plus miles up high, pumping the pedals in rain off and on. We stopped for some food at times but we got cold. We were told that it was 35 degrees at the top. No full gloves for two of us and two the gloves were soaked. I was concerned about hyperthermia. Beautiful lava fields at the top. Totally cloud covered. Sun started to peak thru a little. Stopped raining. We got in some dry clothes, ate our snack in behind the bathroom out of the wind and yes in the bathroom. Our core body heat never got too low. Going down was cold on the hands. But we had a great break at the bottom laying on the hot road, sun had come out on the east side of the mountain. Praise the Lord, He took care of us as usual. Rode on to Bend.

Trek2

Wow. I am writing this and posting this on the morning of day 5. Wow, it is a challenge to keep everything going even out here, map planning, paying bills at home, riding, riding, riding, and not having adequate internet access when you need it. There are placing I don't even have cell phone reception let alone a data connection. The GPS even went out at one point so we had the road and that was it.
Anyway. Day 2 was a only a 51 mile day, we let rode out of Springfield and road 126 east of coarse. Not to hard, but ended at a campsite that let us use the local Hotel's hot spring pool. So nice!!

Trek1-2

So we are waiting to be picked up in Springfield, OR. We went 75 miles. Further then planned. We all felt pretty good. Pic shows us in the Pacific Ocean. Thanks to brother and sister-in-law for finding a place to reach the ocean with our tire. Thanks too Jay for leading us in prayer and starting the Trek-A-Cross focused on Christ.

Trek1 - We are off.

Tried putting a picture in the post but to far out. We are half way back from Florence. Amazing weather. Helped a man lying along the side the road. Thanks for praying.

Days 7-9

Camping with no electricity or data. Many wedding preparations for Jeff and Sara's wedding. Wedding today!  Beautiful weather. Hope to start riding tomorrow. Picture of rehearsal. Had a little access to WiFi for a little. Thanks for your prayers!!!!

Day 6 - heading to Oregon

Great day off from traveling and time spent in Spokane. The van was in the shop all day. We were to pick it up @ 9 am. Beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Busy Portland but a great supper @KFC. Hope to @ Baker Bay county park by 9.

Day 5 - a God story and Mission Park

Are vans engine light was on for about 2000 miles. We made such good time we are able to stay @ our daughter and son-in- laws in Spokane, WA. Time to find a trustworthy mechanic, where? With following leads God proved faithful, a follower of Christ ready to help a brother in need. More details to come. @ Mission Park, slacklining and reaching out.

Day 4

Woke up to noisy birds. I think I saw every hour. I look out thru the "5" buildings in town and see snow capped mountains. The rockies south of Great Falls, MT. No shower from sprinkler, we are out by 7:30. No shower, period. Just passed thru Great Falls and about an hour out from Montana Wilderness Bible College.

Interesting end to Day 3

We keep driving. The sunset was 45 min. Long and beautiful. We are seeing pronghorn and deer crossing the road. It is getting dark. We keep driving. We go thru towns that you miss if you sneeze. We arrive @ Winnet , MT. 10pm small chance for a campground. Town a little larger then a sneeze. Only thing open is the bar. Two people outside. "Any campsites around here." Lol, no! Some people stay at the park up the road. But you must be out before 8 or the sprinklers come on. Any bathrooms? Up the other street in the 24 hour laundry. No sign on building couldn't find, used bar bathrooms. No data for phone. GPS says, your location is temporally unavailable. I think we were in 'no man's land'. God provided for our need. He is good!!!!!

Day 3 con't -2

Just had a great stop at the North Dakota Badlands. Wow! Thank you Heavenly Father so beautiful. Theodore Roosevelt National Park check it out online. I will have to wait for WiFi to add pics.

Day 3 con't

Thanks Good Sam hosts for the milk and bread for breakfast. Thanks Fargo Pizza Hut on 19th Ave. for lunch (we had to pay but they gave us two free meals for next time). Great service!            I have tried posting all day with pics it failed so I took pics out.

Discover Truth - Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life

Finding the Father, Knowing God the Father Thru Jesus is what the way to find real life and that He is the truth. Wow! I am discovering great insight about Jesus the Truth again in Romans chapter. 6 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Continue reading at the link on Romans chapter. Make sure you are spending quiet time with the Truth, Jesus and His Father and walking in the Spirit's path each moment. 

Day 3

Waking up @ a Good Sam RV park @ St. Cloud/Clearwater MN 992 miles to Keith's college Montana Wilderness School of the Bible. Great day yesterday worshipping together in the van traveling. Read thru all of James with with a great discussion. Lots of rain in the afternoon and @ nite. Van working great! Met some great hosts here @ the Good Sam. God's people are everywhere! Yea!

Day 2

3 years later, Sauder Village, Archbold, Ohio

On our way to Alaska we found this place. Great camping and access to the Inn's pool. Safety in traveling today! Yea! But the check engine light came on. No over heating so not sure why it came on. Appreciate your prayers. We are in God's hands.

Working together in pumping up air mattresses

Ohio State line

And we are off!!

Thanks to our amazing Heavenly Father for..... All the planning and all the support and those who joined us for final packing. Thanks for the departing prayer. This is God's trip!!!

Here we go, one day and we are off, Coming ready or Not!!

My mind is racing between 5 things that I am doing and 10 other things that I think I need to do. It was interesting last Sunday nite at the Bacculareate service for LS and Keith Graduation, so people were asking if we are ready. Well I am not sure I will ever be ready. It is coming ready or not. So thankful for all interested in what God will be doing in and thru us as we Trek-a-Cross. We sure have appreciated all who have donated gifts of money and supplies and have helped us get ready and so many who will help take care of things while we are gone, lawn mowers, house sitters, pet keepers, etc. We know our God is big enough to not let us forget anything that we are not suppose to forget. We know that this life is not about us but about the Body of Christ working together and the community working together. We are not alone.
          So excited for tomorrow, for Keith's graduation from High School. Still some last day things to do but the real excitment the celebration of Keith's amazing years in school. Congratulation Keith. It will also be a day of packing all those boxes that you see in the picture (that is only a part of them). We gave everyone two boxes to fill with personal items. Then we have other boxes for living for two months in Big Red. See how this goes!!