Day 1 - Ride for Joy - 9-27-11

The Ride for Joy to raise money for projects at the Joy Bible Institute in Vanuatu, led by Missionaries Gary, Lori. Jasmine & Jeremy Ellison began this morning in Angola.  Last year I walked 250 miles, the length of the State of Indiana, from Jeffersonville to South Bend and raised about $20,000.  This year Pastor Pete Campbell is joining me and we are riding from corner to corner in Indiana - from Angola in the far northeast corner to Evansville in the far southwest corner - 372 miles.

Today the journey took us from Angola to Ligonier.  Rain was forecast - and today the weatherman was right. We started in the rain.  I have a new bike that has just about 100 miles on it.  3.5 miles into the ride - flat tire!  Thanks to Rob Little joining us as our driver today, he helped get a new tube in the tire.  Just a little further down the road - flat again!  This time we found the tack I ran over.

We made it 20 miles to LaGrange where we stopped for lunch at a local cafe - good food!  It wasn't raining while we were in the restaurant - but, of course, as soon as we started riding again - it rained ... harder ... and colder ... and next I had a flat tire on the front tire!  Good thing Rob had gone back to the Wal-Mart in Angola to get more tubes!

Pastor Pete's tires didn't go flat, but he didn't have the right bike for this trip.  He had to work twice as hard as me - and it began to show after about 30 miles.  It's like when Sharon and I take a walk - she has to take twice as many steps as me.  Pete was having to pedal just about twice as much as me.  My tires have a larger diameter - and are thinner.  Other than the flats, my bike worked great!  On the downhills I got up to 25 miles an hour!  All in all, despite the flats, and the bone-soaking cold rain, I really felt pretty good.

Pete is going to try Rob's bike tomorrow.  Hopefully, that will help things go much better for him.

Tomorrow - Ligonier to Peru.