On this year’s bicycle trip, we will stay overnight at three homes of people who know us, three different churches, three motels, and 30 campgrounds. Next year, I will call more churches and ask about staying at their facility. Most have a foyer we can sleep in, and they often have a shower and kitchen. The best thing is that they are free, and they like helping out a pastor going through a mid-life crisis at 75 and riding a bicycle around the country. This year, I will call “warm showers” host homes that are three days out from our present location. “Warm Showers” is an organization that has organized people who are bicycle enthusiasts into a club. When you join, you agree to host at least two bicycle groups a year, letting them camp in your yard and take a shower. When you join, you gain access to a map of all “Warm Shower” host homes in the USA and their phone number and email address. There are presently about 100,000 members. So, every evening on this trip, I will send out text messages and emails to people to check and see if they would be open to three old people camping in their yard. I have always enjoyed the experiences we have had in the past, staying at people’s homes or yards. They are all very friendly and bicycle-positive; again, they are free. When I send a request, they will go to the “Warm Shower” website and check me out. There will be a description of me and reviews by every person whose home we have stayed at. So they will know that I am a Pastor, have eight kids and 28 grandkids, love to hunt and fish, am 75 years old, and didn’t get vaccinated.
I look forward to these opportunities to meet new people and talk to them about their faith or lack of faith. Our trip this year is not one of the recognized bicycle routes, so there will be fewer “Warm Shower” host homes. However, because there is less bicycle traffic, the ones there are will be more open to having guests.
Some of you have asked about our route, so I have included it.