From riding east to riding high

My writing is too clumsy to adequately describe the joys of our final days of riding all the way to the coast, and my words are too limited to properly express the gratitude that I feel to so many. Thankfully Katherine's words aren't as clumsy and she already wrote a wonderful post for our last day's ride down Victory Drive (that was the real name of the street), so that leaves me with "only" needing to attempt to express the tremendous sense of gratitude I feel towards so many. Here goes...

My biggest thanks and "Oyee" goes to each of the riders who boldly responded to the call, including Chris Cosby who was ready to sign up for it even before I was ready to announce that it was happening! Thank you for putting your faith in us and for putting your faith into action. You are the heroes of this trip.

But you aren't the only heroes. How could we say thank you enough to each of the hosts, with whom we touched paths for just one short instant, and yet whose hospitality and friendship we will always remember. Thank you to the over 500 donors who supported us with their resources, and to the countless others who supported us with prayer. Thank you to the riders who kept things interesting for us by joining with us for a day or part of a day as we traveled through different cities, especially Ruth who joined us in Minden, LA on her 86th birthday.

Thank you to those who lined up to welcome us at different points along the way, cheering us on as though we were stars. And thank you to the readers of this blog for allowing us to entertain and - we hope - inspire you. Perhaps you will consider joining us on the road next year or getting involved with The Fuller Center in other ways, such as by coming to the Millard and Linda Fuller Blitz Build in El Salvador in November.

We finished our ride on Friday, which happened to be 8/8/08. Oddly enough, there were five other 8's to add to those three (5+3=8) that lined up at the conclusion of our ride:
- 8 riders went the whole way coast to coast
- It took us exactly 8 weeks to do it.
- We had raised just over $80,000 in cash when we finished.
- Our youngest rider (on a tandem) was 8 years old.
- We rode in on Route 80.

Kind of cool, huh? All while riding in with our police escort on "Victory Drive." I couldn't possibly plan these things.

Clarence Jordan, Millard Fuller's spiritual mentor and the founder of Koinonia Farm, translated Hebrews 11:1 in his Cotton Patch Gospel as,“Now faith is the turning of dreams into deeds; it is betting your life on unseen realities.” You have turned my dream into deeds, into reality. I cannot thank you enough for your faith.


Ryan

P.S. Coming soon to this blog...the final details of all our fund raising efforts!