A couple final thoughts...

As David wrapped things up, I would like to make one last post touching on some of the high points for me on the trip.

Before the trip started, I started making plans for how I wanted things to work, but didn't really know what to expect. Fortunately God had huge plans for the mission of Tour de Cross and also for the changes he was about to make in both of our lives. I said a pretty simple prayer, something along the lines of "God, I have no idea what I am doing, help me to put all my trust in following you." This was around the time when finals were picking up, household was coming to an end, we were planning our route, trying to set up all our stops, setting up speaking engagements, and sending out letters...it was a little bit overwhelming!

Once I gave up control, doors started opening up everywhere and I felt much more at peace with the success of the trip. When we were on the road, about 1/3 of the nights were not set up ahead of time. I looked forward to these nights the most, because things would always fall into place last second and a lot of times we were taken care of the best in these situations! My faith grew exponentially and the biggest lesson I learned is to always trust in Him. If I surrender to his plan, I will be in for one crazy ride!

As many of you may know, we left our ipods at home, so that we couldn't escape the silence or be distracted from our surroundings. Leaving that ipod was one of the best decisions I made. We would spend an average of 6 hours on the bike a day and most of it was in silence. Two great things happened because of this: 1) My beatboxing and freestyling skills increased and 2) My prayer life and awareness of my blessings increased. I tried to make it a point to thank God for the smallest blessings I could find, such as sensing the mosquito biting my leg or the sweat dripping down my back to cool me off...not the typical blessings you thank God for! :)

My mind was also expanded as we continued to meet so many incredible people all across the nation. I was able to break out of the bubble that I have been raised in and experience people from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. To say the least, it gave me a lot of hope for our world! The last thing I want to touch on is what a blessing it was to stay with so many priests and to get an inside look into their lives. We were extremely fortunate to talk to many of them on a personal level as they shared with us the beauties of the priesthood and the variety of ways that they laid down their lives to follow God's calling. We even got the opportunity to talk to two different bishops: one from Trenton, NJ and one from San Carlos, in the Philippines.

David already said some thank you's, but I would like to thank all of you one more time for all of the support and prayers that you sent our way. It was very inspiring to us to see a whole community of people come together to help accomplish God's work! Please continue to keep Saint Paul's Outreach in your prayers as the work is never finished. Praise the Lord!

-Daniel Tansill

Kissing the Ground

Well, friends, here we are. St. Paul, Minnesota. The tour is over, and we were welcomed into our destination last night by many of our friends from SPO, who threw a party for us at one of their houses. 3,026 miles biked, 57 days on the road, roughly 15 huge mountain passes, and over the continental divide seven times. It is a bit surreal, actually being here. Neither of us can believe that we actually did it. There is so much to say, but I'm gonna say it all as concisely as possible.

First of all, thank you's. All praise and glory and thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ, without whom none of this would have ever been possible. He is the one who sustained us when we were tired, got us through the low spots and brought us up to the high spots. We are eternally grateful for His love and His grace. We are also grateful to all those servants of the Lord, who extended a helping hand throughout the course of the trip. Whether it was a place to stay, a meal, a bit of money to get a good dinner, a letter or care package sent along the way, or simply a few encouraging words said to push us on, we are thankful to YOU for your help. Finally, thanks goes out to all of our donors, who know who they are. Your donations will greatly aid the ministry of Saint Paul's Outreach at ASU, and will help in bringing many students closer to Christ.

We also would like to make one final call for donations. I know that at least some of you have been holding out on us, waiting to see if we could actually do it. Doubters. ;) Well, as you can see, we did what we said we would do, and rode our bikes to St. Paul. So if you have been holding out on us, now is the time to make your donation, so that we can tally up our total raisings, and get the dough to SPO! Thanks so much!

Where to from here? Daniel will be participating in the School of the New Evangelization with SPO over the next two weeks, then flying home to start his junior year at ASU, and live in the men's household right by campus. I will be participating in NET Ministries, and going through five weeks of training, followed by eight months of ministering to the youth of America in Catholic parishes all around the country. I am doing this with 100 other young adults from around the US. Read more at www.netusa.org.

Please continue to keep both Daniel and I in your prayers, as well as the missions of Saint Paul's Outreach and NET Ministries. Thank you again for all of your support the past two months, and we pray that God may continue to shower His blessings and peace upon all of you.

We also would like to make one last prayer request: please pray for friends of ours, the Smith family, in Cave Creek, AZ, as they grieve the loss of their son, Anthony Vincent Smith. Pray for peace and healing in their family, as well as for the repose of the soul of Tony.

-David Edwards

Last Leg !!!

Sunday, Aug 2. The guys left Buffalo Lake, MN, this morning at 7:45am CST, after a day off and nice stay at Vanessa's house. The guys will be riding about 85-90 miles today and are expecting to be in St. Paul, MN, by 3:00pm with hopes of attending 5:00pm Mass with many of their SPO friends. When I spoke to Daniel this morning, he said the weather was beautiful, they felt strong, and they were looking forward to celebrating the completion of this epic ride with their friends.

Stay tuned for a post trip blog entry by the guys. Thank you to all who have made this trip possible and a success through your love, kindness, prayers and financial support.

In Christ, Joe (Daniel's father)

135 Mile Day

After a restful night at Randy and Sarah's house in Aberdeen, the guys took advantage of an overcast day, cool temperatures and a nice breeze from behind to help them pound out 135 miles today and into Minnesota. Daniel said it was an amazing sight and feeling to crossover the MN state line.

In all, they rode for about 8 hours and ended up in Appleton, MN. They checked into the Catholic church there but they were rejected and told to check with the police department. When they arrived at the police department, a man overheard their conversation and suggested they talk to his pastor. Well, this pastor referred them to another pastor who ended up buying them a night in a local hotel. See how God takes care of these guys. BTW - the police offerred the guys a free night stay at their local campground which was a nice gesture.

Tommorrow, they plan to ride to Buffalo Lake where they will join up with Vanessa, a friend from SPO. Getting closer...

Sweet Aberdeen

The guys were truly blessed today! The weather was cold and wet; one of the coldest days yet with a high of 63. They left Eagle Butte and headed East to Gettysburg - a 65 mile day but God had other plans in mind. The guys managed to ride about 50 miles before reaching the Missouri River when a motorist stopped and offered them a ride in his pickup. Cold, wet, and tired, plus David was riding with one broken pedal, it was an easy decision. They loaded their bikes into the truck and hopped in. The man introduced himself as Grady from the Cheyenne Indian Tribe and he was headed towards Gettysburg on his way to Aberdeen.

Aberdeen just so happen be their next destination after Gettysburg. The guys stopped in Gettysburg to meet the priest at Sacred Heart where they were planning to stay for the night. The priest said he understood the guys would be moving on to Aberdeen and gave them some food for their truck ride. The guys called ahead to Randy and Sarah who graciously offered to take them in a day earlier than expected. They also prepared a nice welcoming meal for the guys. Daniel said it was a real blessing to meet Grady because it would have been a very difficult ride to Aberdeen, about 100 miles from Gettysburg, with a broken pedal. He also said they had a great conversation with Grady and believes God had truly arranged their paths to cross for both their benefits.

The guys got David's bike fixed and are set for their descent into St. Paul, MN. Daniel said they are planning on 4 more days of riding but you never know what God might have in store for them on this last leg of the trip. Stay tuned...

New Pics for Your Enjoyment

Here's link to the photo album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/CodyToAberdeen?feat=directlink

Blessings & Challenges

The guys spoke after the Masses Saturday night and Sunday morning and received just over $600 in donations for SPO. Fortified and encouraged by the love, generosity, and support they had recieved at Corpus Christi in Newcastle, the guys set off for South Dakota. Their travels through the Black Hills took them by Jewel Cave, Crazy Horse Monument and Mt. Rushmore. I think most know what Mt. Rushmore is all about, but if not, here's a picture. I'm always amazed when I see a picture of this monument and it's surreal when you see it in person.

The guys passed through the Southern end of the Black Hills and spent a short night in Rapid City, SD. Awakening early, the guys set out on their biggest day so far - 130 miles to Faith, SD. This day would end up challenging their strength and faith. After a short ride on Interstate 90 with the big rigs, the guys started down some obscure roadways as they cut across to Route 34. It turns out that about 40 miles was paved and the last 8 miles was grated dirt and gravel but they made it through and pounded on. They made it to the junction of 34 & 73, where they turned North to Faith, and Daniel began to wonder how they would make their destination 30 miles away and it was 7pm and the sun was beginning to set. They had already travelled 101 miles and were pretty worn out so they decided to pray & hitch hike. It wasn't too long after a few "Jesus, I Trust in You" prayers that a man in a pickup truck stopped at the gas station. The guys asked him if they could pack into the back of his truck, and after gaining permission from his fiancee, he told them to load their bikes in back and climb in. He took them all the way to Faith where they had arrangements to stay at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

The guys had previously contacted Fr. Marcin about spending the night in Faith. He had graciously agreed even though he would be out of the country visiting his home town in Poland. He had given the guys specific instructions on where he left a key for them as well as pizzas and soda - just what they needed after one of their biggest days.

Yesterday, Tues., 7/28, the guys woke after a good night rest and decided to scale back their riding plans. Daniel called me early in the morning to see if I could find a Catholic church in Eagle Butte, SD, which is in the middle of the Cheyenne Indian Reservation; he had no access to the internet and kids today don't know how to use phone directories or Directory Assistance. A quick Google search found All Saints Catholic Church and Daniel made a call and was welcomed to spend the night. So, after a lazy morning, the guys pushed out from Faith on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation and made it to All Saints in about 3 hours of riding - probably their shortest day riding so far.

However, David's pedal has broken which made it a bit more difficult. He will have to ride maybe the next 170 miles with a broken pedal before they get to a town with a bike shop. It will be interesting to learn how they "jerry-rig" the pedal. Today, they head to Gettysburg, about 60 miles away.

Goodbye Wyoming

The guys are on their way out of Wyoming after touring much of the State by bicycle.

From the last blog, the guys rode from Sheridan to Gillette, WY, 114 miles, and stayed at St. Matthew's - this was their longest ride yet with lots of wind against them. Yesterday (Friday, 7/24) they rode 80 miles from Gillette to Newcastle, which is located on the Eastern side of Wyoming and at the foot of the Black Hills. They called ahead to the parish in Newcastle and Fr. Phil said that he would put the guys up in a nearby hotel. After meeting Fr. Phil, he offered the guys a chance to speak after the Sat. night vigil Mass and Sunday Masses so the guys decided to stay an extra day in Newcastle. So today was a day of rest and a chance to get to know Fr. Phil and a Bishop, visiting from the Phillipines, better. The guys were even invited out for a steak dinner tonight w/ Fr. Bill and the Bishop.

Tomorrow, they head into the Black Hills of South Dakota and will be seeing Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore. The Black Hills can be fairly dangerous on a bicycle since there are no shoulders or bike paths and lots of tourists.

Please keep praying for their safety. The guys believe they only have 6 -7 nights left on the road before reaching St. Paul, MN.

Giardia Revenge

During their stay in Cody, Daniel began to feel ill and his symptoms worsened. Fortunately, the guys had met a surgeon, Dr. Bill Evans, who was a close friend of Fr. Clark's at St. Anthony's. Given Daniel's symptoms and the fact he had swam in various lakes, streams, etc., Dr. Evans thought Daniel had likely contacted the Giardiasis parasite, which causes severe GI distress, and prescribed some medicine. This illness caused the guys to lay over in Cody an extra day longer than originally planned. However, God provided the guys an opportunity to attend a Carmelite Rite Latin Mass at a Carmelite Monastery with a bunch of young cloistered monks. Daniel said there were 14 young men who were living at this monastery. In addition, Daniel and David were able to get to know Fr. Clark and Dr. Evans much better. They really enjoyed their stay at St. Anthony's in Cody.

Feeling somwhat better, they rode to Greybull, WY, the next day which was about 55 miles East. They were able to stay at Sacred Heart and met up with Fr. Michael, a Nigerian priest. He was very welcoming to the guys and treated them to dinner. Daniel said that it was difficult day on the bike due to the illness but he detected a slight improvement over the previous day.

Today, Wed., 7/22, the guys woke early and rode to Sheridan, WY, a 98 mile day and the longest yet given the terrain and heat. In all, the were on and off the bikes for about 12 hours and climbed over 5,000 ft elevation in a single grade. Daniel said the first 40-50 miles were all uphill. They arrived in Sheridan tonight around 7pm after experiencing several flat tires and enduring blistering sun with temperatures in the high 90's Daniel thought. The plains of Wyoming can get hot. However, they were greeted by some parishioners who were waiting to host them for the night. Daniel said the lady had previously owned a catering business and had made the guys a gourmet meal and they each had their own bedrooms tonight. Thank you Bob and Donna for your graciousness and hospitality. And thank you God for your steadfast love and care over the guys.

Tomorrow, they head to Gillette, WY - Google maps shows it is 109 miles.

New Photos from Jackson Hole and Yellowstone

Use this link or click on the image gadget on the right hand side of this blog:

http://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/JacksonHoleYellowstone?feat=directlink

2000 Mile Marker

After departure from Yellowstone, and a fast-paced 80 mile ride, we arrived at St. Anthony's in Cody yesterday just in time for 5:00 Mass. Fr. Clark welcomed us into the rectory, and we decided to take a day off here, mainly because everyone we talked to told us we should spend two days in the Buffalo Bill Museum. We definitely aren't spending two days there, but we did check it out today, and it was pretty sweet. However, we both agreed that neither of us are huge museum fans, as we find it difficult to simply walk around and stare at cool objects. Cody is a beautiful town with beautiful people. Fr. Clark is an extremely hospitable and knowledgeable priest, and was happy to offer an extra day of hospitality to us. Daniel and I have both learned so much already, just from the few conversations we have had with him. We also had the opportunity to attend a Carmelite Rite Latin mass today, which was an incredible experience.

I'm going to get a little more personal here, besides just spitting out the facts. I've been thinking a lot about how God works, and giving Him thanks for all the things he throws at us. We both set off on this trip because we wanted to serve: to serve the God who made us, as well as the people who are our brethren. Oftentimes, however, when you set out to serve and minister to others, you find that you yourself are the one who is being ministered to the most. Sometimes when you try to change others, you yourself become changed. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, but in our case, this summer, it has been good. Almost every place we stay, people are going out of their way to serve us. At first, it was difficult for me to accept that service, and it still is at times. But I have learned that in order to honor others, you sometimes have to let them serve you. There is a time to serve, and a time to be served. And when you are staying with people who are as holy and loving as the people we have been staying with, you really have to learn to be served. One thing we do know, however, is that experiencing the love and generosity of these people we have come into contact with has inspired and motivated both of us to become better servants ourselves, and that gratitude and inspiration will stay with us forever.

On a final note, I want to comment on how God has shaped our brotherhood these past five weeks. I think Daniel and I have both seen each other at our lowest points, as well as our highest points. We have seen each other at times of extreme spiritual highs, as well as times when we are struggling in sin and conflict. However, out of the internal conflict we have within ourselves, and especially the external conflict between each other, our brotherhood grows. Metaphor: riding a bike over a mountain pass. Getting there is difficult. You have to fight your way up, but upon reaching the top, we can celebrate, and the going gets a lot easier (for a while). You can figure out the rest of the metaphor (you can ride your bike your entire life, and you will never stop going over mountain passes). I've written enough (probably too much!), so go in peace, and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and keep you, forever.

-One of us.

Grizzly Bear to Boot

Yellowstone delivers on Daniel's wish - to see a bear, but not just any bear, a grizzly bear on the North side of the park. He said people were stopping their cars in the middle of the road and jumping out to see this amazing creature in the wild. Daniel said it was in an open area probably within 100 yards and he has pictures and video to prove it. (not the above)

They said their stay in the park has been amazing. They have met several foreigners and enjoyed staying up late talking about the different cultures and customs. They said they shared their camp last night with a German family and was also met up with a 20 yr. old Frenchman that was backpacking and hitchhiking in the US.

The guys have also seen lots of elk, beautiful scenery and waterfalls, and have swam in freezing cold rivers. They are camped at the Eastern entrance tonight (Friday, 7/19) and will be leaving the park tomorrow for Cody, WY - about 80 miles East.

Goodbye Yellowstone and thank you.

Beautiful Yellowstone - 1,856 miles

The guys have arrived in beautiful Yellowstone and have logged 1,856 miles so far. Daniel called me today (Wed., 7/15) from Old Faithful geyser; he says it is one of the only cell spots in the whole park - maybe it will earn a new reputation in the modern era of cell phones.

They spent last night camping at Lewis Lake on the South end. Today, they are working up the West side and maybe camping at Madison or Norris tonight as they head North. They plan to ride the outer perimeter of the park taking in the sights and do not seem to in a hurry - which is a good way to experience Yellowstone. Actually, bicycling Yellowstone is probably the best way to see the park.

They will be exiting the park on the East end and will head towards Cody. Daniel said they are feeling strong and doing well. He also said they found David's camera stuffed way down in one of their saddle bags - that's a prayer answered.

Side Note: I took the family to Yellowstone 7 years ago when Daniel was just entering 8th grade. I would have never imagined then that he would ride his bicycle back here 7 years later and retrace some of our steps.

Jackson Wyoming & the Grand Tetons

After two long, hard riding days in southern Wyoming, the guys arrived yesterday (Friday) in Jackson, WY, and are staying at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. The guys rode 103 miles from Rock Springs to Pinedale, WY, with some mountains, and then, 80 miles from Pinedale to Jackson with more mountains but also a nice overall decline in elevation. They rode both these days with the Bike and Build group mentioned in previous blogs. The Bike and Build group has been very hospitable to the guys and shared meals with them.

In Jackson, Fr. Joe has been showing the guys around town, treating them to pizza, a re-enactment of a gun fight, and even a whitewater, rafting trip down the Snake River. It has been a a fun day off the bikes and a much needed rest after riding 7 consecutive days.

However, they won't be resting too long. Just for kicks, the guys plan to ride over Teton Pass tomorrow morning (without gear) at sunrise. When I asked why, Daniel said because he heard it was a tough climb with 10-12% grade and they wanted to take in the challenge. He said the grade is so steep that they closed this road to cars and built a new pass; now the old route is just used by bicyclists. I guess the guys are missing the Colorado high mountain passes already.

After their sunrise ride, Daniel said they hoped to speak after the morning Masses to promote SPO. They will then bid farewell to Fr. Joe and the Bike and Build group and head North to camp at the Grand Tetons National Park, then on to Yellowstone National Park for more camping.

PS. Say a prayer that Daniel's wallet is found and returned (lost in Denver) and David's camera (lost somewhere around Vernal and the Flaming Gorge). Also, please continue to pray for their safety daily. The National Parks ahead are very busy and motorists are easily distracted by the beautiful scenery and wildlife. Thanks.

Hello Wyoming!

Yes, it was a short trip through Utah. We entered it yesterday afternoon, and left at about 9:00 this morning. Today was about a seventy mile day, with some steep climbing right in the beginning. We actually have a picture of a 9% grade sign. I didn't even know they made those! We're having a good time riding with the bike and build crew. I think it's good for both of us to be able to talk with some other people for a couple of days. However, we definitely will be ready to get back on our own track, just the two of us, pretty soon here.

Flaming Gorge National Park was such a beautiful area. We had a tailwind for the first part, and it was just incredible having the wind at our back, helping us ride up those big mountains. I know it helped me enjoy the view a little better. Tomorrow will be a HUGE day, we'll be riding over 100 miles. I don't even need to ask for prayers anymore, because we know you are praying for us. Thank you! We also want to extend a few thank you's that we forgot to mention before. In addition to the care package we recieved from Mike Hershauer at Focus Cyclery (which is in Gilbert, not Phoenix!), we also recieved some powerbars and fast food gift cards from the Marfe family, as well as some delicious snickerdoodles from Danielle Marfe (which were baked with love). Thanks guys!

-One of us

Amazing New Pictures from Deckers, CO to Vernal, UT

Here is the link:http://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/DeckersToVernalUT?feat=directlink

Crossed into Utah, Colorado=Conquered.

We had a good stay in Rangely and had a lot of fun with Fr. Jim as we got to follow him around and spend time with him for 3 days (Craig, Meeker, and Rangely). Rangely was an extremely small town and Fr. Jim bought us some dinner from the grocery, because it is the only place in town to get food! We headed towards Dinosaur, where we stopped at the gas station to have a big lunch and get out of the hot sun for a while.

Once we got back on the rode we ran into one of the riders from the Bike and Build, Dana Humbert (http://bikeandbuild.org/rider/2900) and got to ride the last 30 miles into Vernal with her. It is amazing how much faster the time goes by when you have someone interesting to talk to. It's not that David isn't interesting...you just run out of things to talk about after a while! :) Dana said that we could stay with the Bike and Build group at the church tonight and I think we'll be joining them as we ride through the Flaming Gorge NP tomorrow!

It feels good to have Colorado behind us, but it is also kind of sad. We had an incredible experience taking in all of God's beauty and meeting so many amazing people. I know that I am going to be coming back again and again in the future. Utah for tonight, and then we'll be in Wyoming!

-Daniel

Northwest Colorado

Cell coverage finally. Since leaving Steamboat Springs, the guys rode to the town of Craig where they met up with Fr. Jim from St. Michael's. Daniel said Fr. Jim was really cool and wears cowboy boots. After they settled in, Fr. Jim took the guys out for some burritos and then to a pig roast at a nearby ranch. When they arrived, they found the pig hanging in the barn letting the blood drain out; it had just been selected from the ranch herd. The spent the rest of the evening on the ranch just hanging out with some of the parishioners from St. Michael's.

On Saturday, July 4th, the guys returned to the ranch for a big party. Afterwards, Fr. Jim loaded their bikes in his truck and took them to Meekers, about 50 miles South of Craig for evening festivities. Daniel said Meeker's only has about 3,000 people but they really get into the 4th of July with a town parade and a hugh firewooks display over the White River. He said the guy who organized the firework show has done the Washington DC display in the past. They spent the night at the local Catholic Church, Holy Family, in Meeker with Fr. Jim because he also covers this parish. Daniel said they attended an all Spanish Saturday vigil mass.

Today, the guys rode to Rangely near the Western border of Colorado and Utah. Daniel said they faced a fairly stiff head wind most of the day and ran out of water about 10 miles out of town. Fortunately, they found a local homestead that offerred them water out of a large potable container on a pickup truck. Daniel said there was nothing out here in this part of Colorado.
Luckily, they are spending the night again with Fr. Jim at St. Ingnatius in Rangely. Fr. Jim also covers this town and it just so happened the guys caught him at the right time in his weekend Mass rotation. The blessing continue.

Tomorrow, the guys leave Colorado and the Rockies and head into Utah, but only for one day, as they cut through the NE corner and head to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Biggest Day Yet (Grand Lake to Steamboat Springs)

Yesterday was the guys' biggest day yet, undeniedably. After a big breakfast their host family graciously made for them, the guys set off for Steamboat Springs 90+ miles West of Grand Lake. Daniel said they got off to a good start and stopped at Hot Sulpher Springs for lunch after about 40 miles. It was there they ran into some other touring cyclist going cross country on the Trans Continental Route. The guys had fun exchanging stories and contact info and off they went. They rode the next 55 miles without stopping except for a few pictures and vistas. The record books show they rode 97 miles in about 7.5 hours (in the saddle) - not sure why they don't say "on" the saddle, but it's biker talk.

They guys found lodging at Holy Name Catholic Church in Steamboat Springs with Fr. Tom. Fr. Tom is retired and helping out Fr. Ernest who was out of town. Fr. Tom gave the guys a $25 gift card to a favorite local Mexican restraurant. The guys decided to take off today to recover from their 3 big days in the Rockies after leaving Denver. Daniel said that he had just recently developed some pain behind his right knee and was finding it difficult to even straighten his leg so a day's rest will help. They also have 3 relatively "light" days ahead as they make their way out the NW corner of Colorado and into Wyoming - this also should help. And then there is also Advil...

Stay Posted !!!

Over the Top

The guys have gone back over the Continental Divide - twice. Just outside Estes Park, the guys entered Rocky Mountain National Park and headed up Trail Ridge Road - the highest continuous roadway in the US reaching a top elevation of 12,183 ft and has more than 8 miles of road above 11,000 ft. This road is above treeline and Daniel said it was the most beautiful countryside he had ever seen. He said there snow covered peaks all around and bull elk with full racks were just walking alongside the road. He also said that lots of people asked him and David what they were doing and they handed out lots of Tour de CROSS cards.

Today was a shorter day in terms of mileage - only about 50, but about 30 miles was climbing uphill and then down the back side to Grand Lake - their destination. Unfortunately, the road was under construction and the guys had to ride 10+ miles downhill on a dirt road. Daniel said this was very difficult and he had a headache when they reached their destination.

Thankfully, there was Kevin and Rosalind, their host family, waiting for them on their porch. The guys had called ahead to the Catholic Church and Fr. Michael arranged for the guys to stay w/ Kevin and Rosalind since he didn't live in town full-time. Daniel said they were warmly greeted and then treated to a feast with gourmet burgers, chicken and pasta. It is amazing to see how God is blessing the guys along the way with people like Kevin and Rosalind.

New Photos from Ouray to Deckers

Try this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/OurayToDeckers?feat=directlinkhttp://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/OurayToDeckers?feat=directlink

Estes Park, Colorado

The guys are back on the road after a wonderful break in Denver with our friends, the Conrads. Peter Conrad and I were college roommates at ASU and took our first long distance bicycle tour together.

After a delicious breakfast and long goodbyes, the guys headed towards Boulder. While in Boulder, they met about 30 people riding cross country and building homes with an organization called Bike and Build - see their website: http://bikeandbuild.org/cms/ I'm not sure which group they met up with. The guys continued North on Rte 36 / 66 to Lyons, CO, and back into the mountains. They finally found their way to Estes Park, CO, and our staying at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church. The pastor there welcomed them in for the night and gave them money for dinner. Almost 7 hours riding and 77 miles - a big day back on the bikes.

Tomorrow, they enter Rocky Mountain National Park and will be on Trail Ridge Road. This road is the highest continuous motorway in the United States, with more than eight miles lying above 11,000' and a maximum elevation of 12,183' - wow, these guys sure took a tough route !!!

Departure from Denver

We've had quite the vacation at the Conrad home in the Denver area, but alas, it is time to get back on the road, because we have a destination and a deadline. Throughout the first three weeks of the tour, the Lord has been so gracious in the ways he has blessed us. Everywhere we go, there are people ready and willing to help us. If we need a place to stay, we find a Roger and Carol Fornoff in Pine, or a Lynn and Martha in Red Mesa, or a Kevin and Linda Ketterer in Cortez, or a gracious camp site manager near Durango. We've also found Bob and Joellen Winter near Montrose, and a newfound friend Trevor, who let us stay at the ranch where he works in Deckers, and finally, this kind family we are with now, Peter and Amy Conrad, who have given us warm beds, great meals, and a fun time in Denver. If we can't find a place to stay, the Lord gives us a perfect spot to camp, and sometimes even friendly campers to give us some food and good company. But the blessings don't stop there: we also want to thank God for you, our friends and family, who are praying for us every day, because we know that without your prayers, this could not happen. A big thank you to Christina, for the delicious chocolate that was waiting for us here in Denver, and a huge thank you to Focus Cyclery in Phoenix, who sent us a big care package to get us through the next leg of the trip. Anyone else who has helped us in any way, thank you, and we thank God for you.

With a plethora of spare tubes and a bag full of Bonk Breaker bars (compliments of Focus Cyclery), we are about to head out from Denver, going towards Yellowstone National Park. In the next couple of days we will go over Trail Ridge pass, which goes over 12,000 feet in elevation. As you can imagine, we still need your prayers, more than ever, to get us through the challenges ahead of us. We are looking forward to seeing what is in store for us, and we thank God every day for giving us the opportunity to serve Him. Thank you once again for your prayers and support, and God bless you.

-One of us

The mile high city!

This is definitely a big milestone! We pulled into Denver just three miles short of 1,000 for the trip total.

We have continued to have a lot of incredible experiences. Since we spent the night under the highway we rode into Deckers, where we were greeted by our friend Trevor. Trevor worked on a ranch in Deckers and took the day off to hang out with us and show us the ranchin life for a day. We had only met Trevor once before, but it somehow felt like we had been friends forever and we had an awesome time with him. On our day off we did a ton awesome things such as: rounding up and feeding buffalo, shooting guns, cutting down huge dead pines, mountain biking, exploring the forest on an atv, swimming in a lake, fishing in a pond with a beaver, eating steak, playing ultimate frisbee, and hot tubbing under the stars. It could not have been a better day.

The ride from Deckers to the 285 is gorgeous, but is about 20 miles of climbing, some of it over an 8% grade! Once we got into Conifer, it rained on us the whole way down the hill into Denver, it felt like rain was coming in every direction! When we got to the Conrads we had a big steak dinner waiting for us, man was it good to be there! Today was our first day off and we got to spend it at Waterworld. We are taking a couple more days off and can't wait to see what Denver has in store for us! A big thank you to the Conrad family for all their love and hospitality.

-Daniel

Over the Continental Divide

The guys have passed over the Continental Divide and are closing in on Denver. Yesterday, they rode from Gunnison to Salida for a total of 73 miles and one big mountain. They spent most of the day climbing over Monarch Pass which was a long gradual ascent to 11,300 ft and then on to the other side for a 20 mile downhill coast into Salida. Daniel said that David topped 50 mph and Daniel only got to 49.7 mph - glad he was being so cautious. Unfortunately, by the time they made it to Salida, the church was closed and no one was around. The guys heard about a free campground a couple of miles down the road so the moved on and found it to very nice with a mountain stream along side.

Today, they rode from Salida to about 20 miles East of Hartsel - a total of 66 miles. Daniel said that they got a late start on the day and rode up to dusk tonight. As it started to get darker, they began to pray that God would show them a spot to camp. Shortly thereafter, Daniel felt they should stop to look for a place off the road. They had just passed over a bridge and found a great spot right under it !!! He said there wasn't much traffic on this road so he thought it would work out Ok - I guess they are getting to try all sorts of sleeping accommodations.

Tomorrow, they plan to ride to Deckers, CO, to spend a day with their friend Trevor. At this point, they will be about 40 miles outside from Denver.

Ride On

The guys journey North continues. After a wonderful stay in Ouray and many blessings including a local escort around Ouray and jeep tour to the summit of nearby mountain at 12,800 ft., the guys have mounted their bikes and are pressing deeper into the Rockies. While soaking in the hot springs on their last night in Ouray, David and Daniel met a couple from Montrose who invited them to stay at their house. Montrose is only about 35 miles North of Ouray and right along the guys route. Bob and Joelynn welcomed them in, treated them to a nice BBQ, and made the guys feel like family.

The guys arose this morning to a big breakfast before heading out for a big day. As they left their host family's house, a few neighbors stopped bye to pray with the guys and gave them a donation. Just out of Montrose, the guys hit a steep 15 mile climb, then another steeper 10 mile climb, and the into the Blue Mesa Reservoir and Curecanti National Recreation Area, a gorgeous stretch in the heart of the Rockies. Athough it was a beautiful area, Daniel said they battled a stiff head wind and it rained on them. They each took turns "drafting" each other as they pressed on through multiple small climbs on their way to Gunnison. Daniel said they rode 78 miles today and thinks it may have been their hardest day so far. They wanted to make Gunnison for the Saturday night vigil mass at St. Peter's which they thought started at 5:30p. They made it to the church at 5:20p, but mass didn't start until 6:30p so they had plenty of time to spare. The priest at St. Peter's welcomed them to spend the night. Tomorrow, they go over the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass, 11,300ft.

New Photos of their Ride from Flagstaff to Ouray

Try this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/FlagstaffAZOurayCO?authkey=Gv1sRgCN-Ti-Dl_qiplgE&feat=directlink

Hurray for Ouray ! 625 miles so far !

Spoke to the guys tonight and they will be spending the night in the social hall at St. Daniel the Prophet Catholic Church in Ouray, CO. Thank you Fr. Nathaniel for offering them a place to stay and recover.

The guys woke up this morning to find that bears had eaten most of their food during the night. They had left their panniers (i.e. saddle bags for bikes) out on the table the night before. And fortunately, they also left the zippers open so it wasn't difficult to get the food otherwise the bears would have shredded their bags. Daniel almost got his wish - to see a bear. Maybe he was setting a trap subconsciously?

After they cleaned up the mess, they headed out for their toughest day of the trip so far. They crossed over three mountain peaks and spent most of the day in their highest gear (easiest) climbing steep inclines. They said they rode for 6.5 hours, covered 60 miles, climbed over 7,000 ft., and averaged just over 9 mph. They made it to Ouray at about 6:30pm tonight and plan to take a day off tomorrow. Good thinking :)

Up Up Up

The guys are getting a taste of the Rockies. They rode 66 miles today (Tuesday, 6/16) from Cortez to 12 miles North of Durango with lots of climbing. They are camping for only the 2nd time in 10 days. Daniel explained to the campground host that they were raising money for a not-for-profit Christian organization and were on a tight budget; any money they saved would go back to the charity so the host let them stay free of charge. See how God continues to bless them.

Durango is listed at about 6,500 ft elevation and they will be climbing to over 11,000 ft tomorrow as they go over Red Mountain Pass from Silverton to Ouray - their planned destination. This would mean about 60 miles in the high mountains and probably climbing at least 7,000 - 8,000 ft in elevation gain. Tomorrow will be a huge day and no doubt their toughest day on the bikes.

Please pray for their strength and safety as they catch the downhills on the other side of the climb - what goes up, must come down.

Made it to Colorado!!

We want to start off by thanking everyone for all of their help and support so far through this mission. We have been blown away by all of the hospitality, prayers, and overall support we have received from all of those we have encountered.
Our trip so far has been full of adventure, beauty, tests, and blessings. Riding through Navajo Nation and across the painted desert was breathtaking. We anticipated this stretch to be our toughest with the heat and scarcity of water. We had cloud coverage and a breeze most of the way which was good because it would be sometimes 50 miles in between places to fill up water. Our experience on the reservation was a good one and we encountered a lot of loving people.
Arizona got its revenge on us before we left as I got a flat tire about two miles from Red Mesa, just as a storm was picking up and then the following morning got 2 more within 5 miles of each other on our way towards Cortez. And then, as if the flats weren't enough, David's back pannier broke and we needed to stop at a gas station to drill a new whole for screws. After a long and eventful day of riding we arrived at St. Margret Mary's Catholic Church about 10 minutes before mass started. We talked to a couple of parishioners walking in and got offered a place to stay and were invited to a dinner after mass.
Thank you Kevin and Linda for your hospitality and for the Jeep as we got to explore Mesa Verde and the Cortez area on our day off!
D & D

Route Less Travelled

The guys are making their way through the Hopi and Navajo Reservations and will probably be out of cell contact for a few days. They were planning to ride to Kayenta today (about 75 miles), then to Red Mesa on Saturday (55 miles), and then through Four Corners on Sunday to Cortez, CO.

Here's a neat story of how God is blessing them. When I last spoke to Daniel Thursday night, I asked him where they planned to stay after Kayenta because Cortez is a two day ride. He said he did not know. I told him I worked with a fellow who's brother works somewhere on the Navajo Indian Reservation and he might have a suggestion so I called my friend at home. My friend said his brother worked in Red Mesa which is almost exactly half way to Cortez along their route. Long story short, Daniel called this individual and he said the guys could stay at their house even though they would not be there! They said they would leave a house key hidden out front for them! That is just one story of how God is providing for Daniel and David.

Please continue to pray for them.

Recovered and Riding Again

Flagstaff offered a great resting area to recover from the first three hard days in the AZ mountains. The guys were well taken care of by Mercy at the "White House" retreat center in Flagstaff and tended to some bicycle needs as well. On the road again, they heading NE towards Four Corners going directly through the Hopi and Navajo Indian Reservations. They reached their destination tonight which was St. Jude's parish in Tuba City. They enjoyed a nice home cooked meal with a Sister at the parish and will be sleeping on the couches in the rectory - it's better than in the bush. Today, they rode 89 miles with a slight detour to see some Indian ruins at Wupatki National Monument; they said it was well worth the extra 10 miles !

BIG Day: Pine to Flagstaff (82 miles)

Wow, the guys are doing great! After a good night rest and lots of good food, they left the comforts of the Fornoff's and headed up the Mongollian Rim; about 2,500 ft. of elevation gain. God provided cool, overcast skies, with light rain to keep them fresh most of the day. After about 50 miles and lots of climbing, they reached Mormon Lake and it was only 1:00pm so they decided to keep going. They made Flagstaff by 4:00pm and covered 82 miles = that's a big day given the elevation gain. Daniel said they are beat and look forward to a day off in Flagstaff. They are staying at a Catholic Retreat center there - have the whole place to themselves and will be spending somtime with Andrew Belus and his roommate Moses. Way to go guys - keep up the good work.

Day 2: Sunflower AZ to Pine AZ

The guys arose early and attacked their first full day in the mountains. They left Sunflower around 7:00am and started their hill work to Payson. David had the first flat tire about 3 miles up a 7 mile climb but they had a couple of spare tubes for moments like these. They reached Payson about 11:30am and called on the local Catholic church. Fr. Bill was able to provide them with lunch but did not have a place for them to stay so they pushed on to Pine, AZ, where they are spending the night with Roger and Carol Fornoff at their home. The Fornoff's are parishioners of St. Tim's and have hosted many retreats at their home. The Fornoff's opened their home to Daniel and David with about a 2 hour advance notice. The guys are feeling the effects of two days of touring, but the spirits are strong. They have covered about 110 miles so far.

The Wheels are Rolling

Daniel and David have begun their epic bicycle journey. About 50 people showed up at Our Lady of Mount Carmel to wish them well and send them on their way. About 20 brave people brought out their bikes and escorted them out of town; some even stayed with them all the way to just past Fountain Hills - yes, right before the 'real' hills begin and into the mountains.

Last report, they are staying somewhere near Sunflower tonight. Got some fresh water from a local resident out of a garden hose and cleaned up in a creek nearby. Tomorrow, they will be in the mountains all day and plan to make Payson by sunset.

Here is a link to pictures from the send off:http://picasaweb.google.com/raisingdoughforspo/SendOff?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiR-OKU0fCBlQE&feat=directlink

Final Pre-Trip Update

Friends,

We leave this Sunday, at 6:00 in the morning. We would love it if you would come see us off. We'll be gathering at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tempe right at 6, for a prayer, blessing, and send-off. If you would like to ride out with us, then bring your bike, and you can ride out as far as you like. Just make sure you bring a helmet! We want to thank you all for all the support you have given us, and ask for your continued prayers as we are traveling the 3,000 miles to St. Paul. God has done so much for us. I feel like He has just been guiding us on a string, and everything always works out. It is just incredible how much He blesses you when you go out on a limb and put your trust in Him! He never has, and I know that He never will let us down, and I can already see the way He has worked through this trip to touch lives and bring souls closer to Him. Please continue to check the blog regularly, as we will be updating it whenever we have the opportunity. I hope we see many of you on Sunday. God bless you all, and remain faithful at all times!

The Pre-Pedal Happenings

We are famous!! Thank you again to Joyce Coronel for writing a story about us. You can see the story online here: http://www.catholicsun.org/2009/may21/local/bike.html
We would like to extend our thanks to the Oertle family for hosting us in Carlsbad, CA and for opening the doors to present our mission to the men's and women's groups they are a part of. A big thank you also goes to Kenny and Angie Lake for all of the support they have given us. We were truly inspired by all of the prayers and all of the work God is doing in and through these groups in CA. David and I have gotten pretty good with the paper cutter as we spent almost a full day putting together letters and handouts, we ran quite the operation at David's house! We are speaking at all of the masses this weekend at Mt. Carmel and have already recieved tremendous support! Thank you so much for all of the prayers and support you have all given us so far, it is inspiring us to use this opportunity to do as much as we can.

We are in California!

That's right. Over this weekend and most of next week, we are here in San Diego, meeting with a few different groups of people about SPO and Tour de CROSS, and raising some money. We are extremely excited, because we originally came out to speak to one men's group of about 30 men, and afterward we were invited to speak to two more groups, as well as a luncheon of over 100 people. Tonight we will be sharing our trip and our faith with a group of about 100 confirmation students, and hopefully we will in some way be able to inspire some of them. The fundraising is going awesome, and we know it is only because of your support and prayers, so thank you for that. This is what we have found: when you take a step out in faith, and put your trust in God, He opens up so many more doors, and blesses abundantly. Oh yeah, and we have our bikes here, so we've been doing some riding around the Carlsbad/San Diego area. Lots of hills! The weather is beautiful, and riding along the coast is great.

We just signed up for Twitter, so we can keep some regular updates going during the trip. Check it out, sign up if you haven't, and follow us at http://twitter.com/tourdecross.

We have decided on our location and date of departure: the morning of June 7th from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (OLMC). OLMC is located in Tempe on Rural between Broadway and Southern. If you are interested, there will be a group of people riding out with us. You can jump on a bike and ride 1, 5, 10, 20, however many miles you want with us. Just remember, you need to ride back to the church after, so don't ride too far.

In short: Things are great when you trust in the Lord, follow us on Twitter, see us off on June 7th, and God is good!

Get Excited!!!

Because we sure are! With the help of the very gracious Natalie Cordray, we just finished our promotional video and got it posted! Take a look at it, because it's pretty sweet. I also put up a map of the tour, so you can take a look at where we'll be going. We have had some very exciting developments, including some sizeable donations. In fact, one person will be matching the first $1,000 that we raise. So get donating!

In other news (pun intended), we are going to have an article in the Catholic Sun on May 21st! For those of you who don't know, the Catholic Sun is the local Catholic newspaper. One of the editors, Joyce Coronel, is a good friend of ours, and was happy to do a story on the trip. Thanks Joyce! So we are VERY excited to see what kind of response we get from that. We also purchased our bicycles last week, and have already put several hundred miles on them! We are getting more and more gear, but still are in need. It takes a lot of gear to bicycle across the country! That's what we've got for now, but we'll keep you updated as things keep happening. Remember, top right hand corner to donate. Most of all, keep praying for us, and we are praying for you. God bless.

Update!

We officially have our donation link posted. You can see it in the top right hand corner of the blog. We're working with Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC), so donations go to them, designated to come straight to SPO at ASU. A small part of donations will help cover the expenses of the trip, and most of them will go to support SPO at ASU. Donations are 100% tax deductible, and a tax receipt is available upon request. Talk to us if you have any more questions! Our contact information is available.

We have one month and two days until departure, and let me tell you, we are getting super excited! We are leaving the morning of June 7th from the OLMC parking lot. Several people have expressed interest in riding the first few miles with us, just to kind of see us off. So, we've gone ahead and opened that up. If you've got a bike, and want to go ahead and ride with us for a few miles, or 10 miles, or 20 miles, or whatever you want, the let us know! We are really looking forward to it.

Finally, we will be updating the blog more often now. We'll have a video and some pictures up within a week, as well as a map of our route and all the places we will be stopping. We love you all, and thank you so much for all of your support. God's peace be with you.

David and Daniel

What is Tour de CROSS?

Let's start off by introducing ourselves. If you don't know us, we are David and Daniel. We're two young Catholic college students at Arizona State University, and our lives have been deeply impacted by the love of our Lord. As a result, we have become absolutely BENT on spreading that heart-touching, life-changing love throughout our college campus, our state, the entire country, and, with the grace of God, the entire world! In the Tour de CROSS (Christians Riding Over Several States), we are riding our bicycles 2800 miles from Phoenix, Arizona, to St. Paul, Minnesota over the summer of 2009.

So, how is riding our bicycles across the country going to spread God's love? I'm very glad you asked. One purpose of the trip is to fundraise money to support the ministry of Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO) at ASU. If you haven't heard of or don't know much about SPO, just know this: there is a faith crisis on college campuses all around the nation. Young people are losing their faith by the thousands every single day, and SPO exists to fight against this crisis, to be a beacon of light through the darkness, to provide a place of growth, fellowship, and formation for young Catholic-Christians, and, as their mission statement says, to "engage university students in lives of Christian discipleship." If you want to read more about Saint Paul's Outreach, you can visit the website at www.spoweb.org, or just ask us!

In addition to raising money for the outreach at ASU, we pray every day for the grace to simply be a witness of God's love and truth to every person we come across. We pray that every person we come in contact with over the course of the trip would see Him in us, and as a result of their contact with us would be inspired to grow closer to Him. For the past year, the two of us have been student missionaries with SPO at ASU, and so have gone through extensive training in evangelization, and will use these God-given gifts every day of our trip.

As time goes on, we will add more to this site, and occasionally during the trip will be adding updates, pictures, and videos from the trip. A link for donations will be posted within the next week, once our account is set up. We are so grateful that the Lord has placed this opportunity in front of us, and we know that he will bless our trip. Thank you for all of your support and prayers, and may the Lord bless you and give you his peace.

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation." -Mark 16:15