I don’t have a lot of time to write or share this week. I’m in the desert in Oregon (still) and it’s just been busy. Lots of riding and sleeping and looking for water.
Started in Corvallis. My credit card got stolen and my rear tire exploded. Got that taken care of and moved on. I rode for about 10 mile with a guy who lives in Coburg and has never had a job and always lived with his mom in the same place. Very interestingly he told me the defining story of his path in life, that he went after a girl in the exact same town I did, long ago, and he never got over it. It was like a warning to me to keep moving forward no matter the cost. I want my life to be defined by the redemption on the cross, and not my mistakes or my losses. That night I spent the night in a church yard, and it was completely isolated and peaceful. I believe that God led me there specifically that day. I had brought some things from my past that I never wanted to get rid of. I believe that the love of God is eternal, and that the perfect fellowship of people is eternal. So it has been hard reconciling the fact that things on earth break down, when I see the eternal quality of it. So that night God showed me that I don’t have to reconcile it. He has the answers. So I burned a couple of letters I never wanted to give up, and laid a friendship bracelet at the foot of the cross. The only thing I know is that on earth you give your best to God. Fully to God. Keep nothing for yourself. Die to everything in this world. In Revelation, Jesus talks a lot about what happens to one who overcomes. I cannot overcome anything on my own. But I can lay down my life, and all of my heart, to the one who did it for me. I have never felt more barehearted to God than that night. And as of today, I have no answers of what happens when you give up all the best things to God. I have hope and faith, and mountains of pain that Jesus already overcame. I know He knows the plans he has for me, and they are good. I don’t know the plans yet, and I don’t mind if I don’t know before I die. Faith is hard, but good.
The next day I rode up the Makenzie river, and got to see all the powerplants and dams my great grandad worked on building as a civil engineer many years ago. That was nice for me. Camped at the bottom of Makenzie pass in a thunderstorm, yet the weather was hot. Everyone I met along the way called the Makenzie pass a man eater, and they were right. 9 hours of climbing a loaded bike up a mountain. It broke my spirit. Yet at the top a group of casual bike riders cheered me and gave me a chair and snacks. And oh yeah, the weather a week before and after was all supposed to be sunny in the 90s. It was cloudy and misty and cool all day. So as usual, Matthew 6 is proved true again. God takes care of His children.
The next day, a former coworker drove me down to Bend to hang out and spend the night. It was great to see old coworkers, and it also made me happy that I quit my job. I miss the people (story of my life), but I don’t miss the work. I got cooked dinner by a Marine pilot who flew F-4s in Vietnam, so that was an honor.
After that was a peaceful ride from Sisters of Ochoco Lake, where I met another guy named Matt doing the same ride as me. He does longer rides than this ever year, so he is actually a serious bike guy. He was also a Parks and Recreation Director in Indiana, and they made a TV show about him apparently. I don’t know all the details.
Staying in a hostel in Mitchel right now. The pastor and his wife essentially put people up in the church. It’s an amazing ministry. My new riding buddy can’t figure out why people would be so kind and generous. Hopefully he figures it out.
Anyway, that was my week. I am still having a lot of mental trouble continuing, but still on the road. I think I have less than 4000 miles to go now, which is nice I guess. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to hear about how boring it is to ride a bike all day every day up mountains. Seriously, I don’t have a lot of good stories, it’s just some good but hard alone time with God.
Pictures still not in order. I figured out how to add multiple images at a time after uploading the first couple. That will make it easier.
Updates on my trip 
Oh Matt! I am so glad that you included me in your posts! I think about you every day and remember to say a quick prayer. Our Savior is amazing in His faithfulness. There are no words to express it fully but you did a good job. It brought back memories of my journey with Christ that I had forgotten about. And, I just finished reading a book that I picked up at the trailer about Oregon Country so your photos are bringing it to life!