Final Day—Day 22: Forest Grove, OR to Seaside, OR
Final HR2010 video: CLICK HERE
Miles on my Specialized Allez Comp Triple: 65
Weather: Perfect—not a cloud in the sky! Temps in the mid 60’s! One of the best days we’ve had yet. A great way to end HR 2010!
Wind: Not really a factor. Sort of ironic considering it was such a factor virtually the entire trip.
Songs stuck in my head: “Walk on” –U2
Flat tire contest: Luke ended up with 4 flats, Tom with 2. There will be a dinner followed by an awards ceremony and trophy presentation where I’ll be giving a speech later on in July at the Cherry Hills country club to accept this very prestigious award for having fewer flat tires than Luke. Thanks to all who supported me every mile of the way.
Road we traveled on today: The always dangerous Hwy 26 out of Portland. Our destination was Seaside, OR which is a beach town that many folks from Portland travel to on the weekends….especially when the weather is nice like it was today. Trying to take my best guess without exaggerating, I would say that somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 cars passed us on the 55mph road today. Most of the time we had a decent shoulder but there certainly were some rather hairy moments on the ride today where the shoulder was slim. Praise be to God for his mercy on us today, and me as I’ve traveled this road twice now in two Hunger Rides.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE: We actually do not have news for you that is any different from the blog post on the 21st of June. However, I will be posting updates a couple of times next week, starting Monday night with an updated total. You can still donate online at www.hungerride2010.com! We are less than $10k away from building a health center in Tikoling, Uganda and we are confident in the Lord that His plans will be carried out in this endeavor.
TEN HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HUNGER RIDE…..not necessarily in any particular order
#10 The Day ONE Ride from Highlands Ranch to Georgetown was certainly a fun way to kick off the start of HR 2010! 17 riders, beautiful weather, tasty donuts from Lamar’s and Panera as well as over 3,000 feet of elevation gain on the first day of riding! What more could we have asked for?
#9 As expected, hitting Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone NP on back-to-back days was an amazing experience. Psalm 19:1 says it best. Read it. God’s creation is absolutely stunning. And it’s even better to see when you’re on a bike!
#8 Riding 6 centuries in a 22-day time period was both a thrill and a challenge. The best century was riding from Missoula to Kooskia, ID where we had what seemed like thousands upon thousands of feet of downhill. We certainly don’t have anything on the guys that do the Tour de France. But, on the other hand, I guarantee that we listened to more Taylor Swift in a three-week time period than they do.
#7 Our sag crews. We had a total of four support crews that drove my car and carried our stuff to each location. Each crew was gifted in their own way, unique and had a personality of their own. Moreover, they were true servants, continually encouraging of our efforts and a ton of fun to be around! I literally feel like Luke and I laughed our way across the northwest with each of these crews at our side. So many good times, funny stories that will be recalled for years to come. THANK YOU to Tad Jones, Martin Butler, Andrew Aymami, Randall and Kathy Thompson, Williiam Bateman, Stewart Gunther, Roger and Rose Rand and my bride Annie Rand. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU. (Well, maybe we could have. But it would have hurt A TON more and it would not have been as much fun) In the words of my mother, “YOU are amazing!”
Miles on my Specialized Allez Comp Triple: 65
Weather: Perfect—not a cloud in the sky! Temps in the mid 60’s! One of the best days we’ve had yet. A great way to end HR 2010!
Wind: Not really a factor. Sort of ironic considering it was such a factor virtually the entire trip.
Songs stuck in my head: “Walk on” –U2
Flat tire contest: Luke ended up with 4 flats, Tom with 2. There will be a dinner followed by an awards ceremony and trophy presentation where I’ll be giving a speech later on in July at the Cherry Hills country club to accept this very prestigious award for having fewer flat tires than Luke. Thanks to all who supported me every mile of the way.
Road we traveled on today: The always dangerous Hwy 26 out of Portland. Our destination was Seaside, OR which is a beach town that many folks from Portland travel to on the weekends….especially when the weather is nice like it was today. Trying to take my best guess without exaggerating, I would say that somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 cars passed us on the 55mph road today. Most of the time we had a decent shoulder but there certainly were some rather hairy moments on the ride today where the shoulder was slim. Praise be to God for his mercy on us today, and me as I’ve traveled this road twice now in two Hunger Rides.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE: We actually do not have news for you that is any different from the blog post on the 21st of June. However, I will be posting updates a couple of times next week, starting Monday night with an updated total. You can still donate online at www.hungerride2010.com! We are less than $10k away from building a health center in Tikoling, Uganda and we are confident in the Lord that His plans will be carried out in this endeavor.
TEN HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HUNGER RIDE…..not necessarily in any particular order
#10 The Day ONE Ride from Highlands Ranch to Georgetown was certainly a fun way to kick off the start of HR 2010! 17 riders, beautiful weather, tasty donuts from Lamar’s and Panera as well as over 3,000 feet of elevation gain on the first day of riding! What more could we have asked for?
#9 As expected, hitting Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone NP on back-to-back days was an amazing experience. Psalm 19:1 says it best. Read it. God’s creation is absolutely stunning. And it’s even better to see when you’re on a bike!
#8 Riding 6 centuries in a 22-day time period was both a thrill and a challenge. The best century was riding from Missoula to Kooskia, ID where we had what seemed like thousands upon thousands of feet of downhill. We certainly don’t have anything on the guys that do the Tour de France. But, on the other hand, I guarantee that we listened to more Taylor Swift in a three-week time period than they do.
#7 Our sag crews. We had a total of four support crews that drove my car and carried our stuff to each location. Each crew was gifted in their own way, unique and had a personality of their own. Moreover, they were true servants, continually encouraging of our efforts and a ton of fun to be around! I literally feel like Luke and I laughed our way across the northwest with each of these crews at our side. So many good times, funny stories that will be recalled for years to come. THANK YOU to Tad Jones, Martin Butler, Andrew Aymami, Randall and Kathy Thompson, Williiam Bateman, Stewart Gunther, Roger and Rose Rand and my bride Annie Rand. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU. (Well, maybe we could have. But it would have hurt A TON more and it would not have been as much fun) In the words of my mother, “YOU are amazing!”
We also were super proud to have Davis Butler, Luke's friend from Dakota Ridge HS with us for the first 600 miles. Very fun. Nice job on knocking out a big 600 brotha!
#6 Nightly runs to Dairy Queen for the recovery meal of champions. I pounded a total of 8, maybe 9 blizzards on this trip. I don’t know what his total count was, but I’m pretty sure Luke beat me out in the blizzard count. It’s just too bad that there is no award given for this accomplishment.
#5 Luke talking about his weight (and the growth of his butt & quads from hundreds of miles of riding) more than a woman does. It was a continual source of entertainment for anyone who was lucky enough to hear him discuss these critical issues in life. Equally funny was his love and infatuation with the Lion King and Taylor Swift. Who would’ve thought? I’ll never look at both in the same way.
#4 The people that we saw/met along the way. Too many to mention ….but we’re grateful for Brian and Brent in Missoula, the Furman’s in Dubios, WY and our dear friends here in Beaverton, Oregon, the Siraks. A HUGE shout out to Jolynn, her husband Ken and their two kids, Savannah and Andrew. We had the opportunity to reconnect with them, play a few intense games of fooseball, eat one of the best meals we’ve had on the trip as well as stay at their house tonight. For the veteran Hunger Ride bloggers, you will recall how significant the Siraks efforts were in both 2006 and 2007. (They raised over $2,000 in garage sale profits for the HR!) We’re thankful for their friendship over the years and the opportunity to share and laugh with them tonight! A real blessing and the best end the ride--eating dinner out on their deck in Beaverton! Fun fact of the day—Jolynn and Savannah are the only ones to be at the finish line of all three Hunger Rides. Pretty dang awesome!
#3 Tan lines. We haven’t talked as much about our lines as we could/should have, but let’s just say they are some of the best I’ve had since, well, the last time I went on a bike trip.
#2 The heart and toughness of Luke Jones. Now, if you’ve been reading and following the past 21 days, you’ve heard me give Luke a ton of crap for a myriad of things. All in fun, of course. But, I’ve gotta give it to this tall drink of water for how well he held up over that past three weeks. I won’t lie, I knew that he could do it, but he did a lot better than I thought he would do. He handled riding an average of 80-some miles per day like a champ. A real sturdy ox, if you will. When I met with Luke and his parents back in December, I remember carefully choosing my words …. trying to give an accurate picture of what life on the road is really like day after day. I wanted them to know it would be challenging without scaring anyone away. But, in many ways that’s a hard thing to do. It’s hard to explain what it’s like to be on a bike without just going out and doing it. Hats off to you, Mr. Luke Jones. A job well done! I will not forget the good times that we spent on the road together. Most of all, I will not forget your heart for Africa. You did this ride for Tikoling. That was very clear and evident throughout this trip. And Tikoling will be a different place because of you. We need more students like Luke Jones at Valor.
#1 Gosh, there’s so many more things that I could mention. Kind of cliché, I suppose, but the highlight was simply the journey itself. And when I say journey, what I mean is the journey that started back in November of 2009. It's really been an 8 month journey in the works here. It started with an idea, then, prayer, then trying to figure out if this would even work. What’s been the highlight of the whole thing is to see the number of people that have jumped on board and been involved. The number of people that have shown care and compassion to see a small village with people they've never met, over 3,000 miles in a place they may never go to---be a different place! People who have bought shirts, made donations, asked about Food for the Hungry and their work in Uganda and the Valor Discovery program, as well as many that have donated rooms and meals, people who have put their time, energy and efforts…...the list goes on. It’s been almost a couple hundred people total who have touched this fundraiser for Tikoling in some way, shape or form. And when I think of that, I think of the body of Christ. His hands, his feet, His heart serving here on this earth….bringing restoration and redemption. That is why we are here.
Thanks to all who have followed our journey and been involved. We praise God for you.
#6 Nightly runs to Dairy Queen for the recovery meal of champions. I pounded a total of 8, maybe 9 blizzards on this trip. I don’t know what his total count was, but I’m pretty sure Luke beat me out in the blizzard count. It’s just too bad that there is no award given for this accomplishment.
#5 Luke talking about his weight (and the growth of his butt & quads from hundreds of miles of riding) more than a woman does. It was a continual source of entertainment for anyone who was lucky enough to hear him discuss these critical issues in life. Equally funny was his love and infatuation with the Lion King and Taylor Swift. Who would’ve thought? I’ll never look at both in the same way.
#4 The people that we saw/met along the way. Too many to mention ….but we’re grateful for Brian and Brent in Missoula, the Furman’s in Dubios, WY and our dear friends here in Beaverton, Oregon, the Siraks. A HUGE shout out to Jolynn, her husband Ken and their two kids, Savannah and Andrew. We had the opportunity to reconnect with them, play a few intense games of fooseball, eat one of the best meals we’ve had on the trip as well as stay at their house tonight. For the veteran Hunger Ride bloggers, you will recall how significant the Siraks efforts were in both 2006 and 2007. (They raised over $2,000 in garage sale profits for the HR!) We’re thankful for their friendship over the years and the opportunity to share and laugh with them tonight! A real blessing and the best end the ride--eating dinner out on their deck in Beaverton! Fun fact of the day—Jolynn and Savannah are the only ones to be at the finish line of all three Hunger Rides. Pretty dang awesome!
#3 Tan lines. We haven’t talked as much about our lines as we could/should have, but let’s just say they are some of the best I’ve had since, well, the last time I went on a bike trip.
#2 The heart and toughness of Luke Jones. Now, if you’ve been reading and following the past 21 days, you’ve heard me give Luke a ton of crap for a myriad of things. All in fun, of course. But, I’ve gotta give it to this tall drink of water for how well he held up over that past three weeks. I won’t lie, I knew that he could do it, but he did a lot better than I thought he would do. He handled riding an average of 80-some miles per day like a champ. A real sturdy ox, if you will. When I met with Luke and his parents back in December, I remember carefully choosing my words …. trying to give an accurate picture of what life on the road is really like day after day. I wanted them to know it would be challenging without scaring anyone away. But, in many ways that’s a hard thing to do. It’s hard to explain what it’s like to be on a bike without just going out and doing it. Hats off to you, Mr. Luke Jones. A job well done! I will not forget the good times that we spent on the road together. Most of all, I will not forget your heart for Africa. You did this ride for Tikoling. That was very clear and evident throughout this trip. And Tikoling will be a different place because of you. We need more students like Luke Jones at Valor.
#1 Gosh, there’s so many more things that I could mention. Kind of cliché, I suppose, but the highlight was simply the journey itself. And when I say journey, what I mean is the journey that started back in November of 2009. It's really been an 8 month journey in the works here. It started with an idea, then, prayer, then trying to figure out if this would even work. What’s been the highlight of the whole thing is to see the number of people that have jumped on board and been involved. The number of people that have shown care and compassion to see a small village with people they've never met, over 3,000 miles in a place they may never go to---be a different place! People who have bought shirts, made donations, asked about Food for the Hungry and their work in Uganda and the Valor Discovery program, as well as many that have donated rooms and meals, people who have put their time, energy and efforts…...the list goes on. It’s been almost a couple hundred people total who have touched this fundraiser for Tikoling in some way, shape or form. And when I think of that, I think of the body of Christ. His hands, his feet, His heart serving here on this earth….bringing restoration and redemption. That is why we are here.
Thanks to all who have followed our journey and been involved. We praise God for you.
Congratulations Tom and Luke!! Absolutely AMAZING!! I am going to miss the daily updates on the blog - Martin and I have so enjoyed praying for and following along with the HR 2010. Super glad we could be a part of it! Davis has many donations that we will be sending in this week - praying for the funds which only the Lord can provide.
ReplyDeleteBesides the fact that we all know you are sitting on the deck besides a golf course in Big Sky right now... Kudos my friends.
ReplyDeleteThe ride to change eternity is not an overstatement. Men must live for something greater than today or suffer the cost of a life wasted.
Tom and Luke thank you for pointing us towards the coast and to Christ these past few weeks.
Thanks for allowing us to ride along your side, even if I was stuck in cubicles at work most of the way.
I will be praying the road rash on your a$$ clears up and your wife (significant other) will still love your oddly tanned, but rock chiseled satisfied bodies.
Tom -
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for believing in Luke and allowing him to experience this journey with you. We know he is forever changed. The blog has been an incredible blessing to us. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
Tad and Monica
Well it has been a week since the HR ended from a riding standpoint but it will have an impact for generations to come. Thank you Lord for giving Tom and Luke the endurance and desire to do such a trip and for protecting them along the way.
ReplyDeleteThe shirts we wore read "I Ride With Tom & Luke" but in our case we rode in a car as sag wagoners the last week. Thinking about that week and trying to describe what Tom and Luke did is about as hard as it is to describe to someome the wonder and beauty of the Grand Canyon. What we did see were two determined, intent, strong, light hearted, spirited, hilarious, enthusastic---and at times aching, pained,suffering young men riding for a mission and trusting in God to provide.
Thank you Lord, thank you Tom and Luke for letting us be your sag wagoners.
God Bless,
Dad and Mom (aka Roger and Rose)