Ride for Hope

A Transcontinental Fundraising Bicycle Journey

July 18 – August 20, 2025

Cyclists:Tertius Venter & Dirk Huyghe

Purpose:Raising funds for Bible picture books for children in Africa and to support Mercy Ships Belgium.

An inspiring journey of faith and endurance — a cross-country bicycle ride from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego, California. This 4-week adventure was not only a test of physical perseverance but a mission to bring light and hope to children and communities in need.

The Route

Start: Jacksonville, Florida
End: San Diego, California
Total Distance: 4,254 km / 2,658 miles
Duration: 33 Days - average approximately 130 km per day

€12,479 raised for The Jesus Storybook Bible

Why We Did the Ride

Every kilometer pedaled is a prayer in motion — a call to compassion. We ride to fund the printing and distribution of Bible picture books for children in Africa, helping them encounter the love of God in their own language and culture. We also ride to support Mercy Ships Belgium, whose floating hospitals bring life-saving care to underserved coastal nations.

Trans USA Bike Ride

16 July to 20 August 2025

 

Pre-departure – Wednesday 16 July 2025. Jacksonville to Hotel

38 kilometers (38 km total) | 19.2 km per hour | Time: 2 hours 1 minute (2:01 total) | Climb: 148 meters (148m total)

Jacksonville, Florida

We arrived at Jacksonville International Airport around 6:00 PM and assembled our bikes in the arrivals hall. An hour later, we were on our bikes, heading to the hotel 38.8 kilometers away. The journey took us about two hours.

We are now seriously preparing for our departure tomorrow morning toward Tallahassee. Reflecting on yesterday and our travels from Belgium and the Netherlands, everything went smoothly, and we feel totally blessed by God.

Our spacious room is excellent for tomorrow's preparation. We want to get up early on Friday and be ready to leave at 5am.

Pre-departure - Thursday 17 July 2025

Day Two – Preparation Day in Jacksonville, Florida

Today has been all about gearing up—mentally, physically, and spiritually—for the journey ahead. With just one day left before we set off toward Tallahassee, we've been reflecting on how smoothly everything has gone so far. From our travels from Belgium and the Netherlands to settling in here in Jacksonville, we truly feel the hand of God over every detail.

We're staying in a comfortable hotel that's even allowed us to bring our bikes into the room—a huge help as we fine-tune everything for tomorrow's early start. The plan is to wake up at 4:00 AM and hit the road by 5:00 AM, adjusting to the Florida heat and humidity as we go. We're eager to see how far we can ride and what pace we can maintain.

One unexpected but beautiful moment today was reconnecting with Mari-Jo, a Filipino nurse I met eight years ago during an Operation Smile mission in the Philippines. She and her husband, Rodney, made the drive to see us and treated us to dinner. Their hearts are overflowing with love for the Lord, and it was such an encouragement to share stories and discover mutual friends from our mission journeys.

There's something deeply moving about these connections—like threads woven through time and across continents. Jacksonville itself holds special meaning too. Many years ago, the M/V Anastasis—the very first Mercy Ship—anchored here. In fact, Miranda, who accompanied me across America in 2015, was a DTS student on that ship during its time in this very city.

As we prepare for the road ahead, our hearts are full—with gratitude, anticipation, and a deep sense of purpose. This ride is more than a personal challenge; it's a mission. I'm riding to raise funds for Bible picture books for children in Africa, and Dirk is supporting the work of Mercy Ships Belgium. Every mile we ride is for something bigger than ourselves.

We are ready. Let the adventure begin.

Day 1 - 18 July 2025: Jacksonville to Live Oak (Florida)

137 kilometers (175 km total) | 20.2 km per hour | Time: 8 hours 29 minutes (10:30 total) | Climb: 453 meters (601m total)

Our alarms went off at 4:00 AM this morning—no snoozing, no hesitation. This was it: the official start of our transcontinental bicycle journey from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Diego, California.

We started with a prayer in front of the hotel, thanking God and praying for His protection. We know this mission is from His heart. The first two kilometers were intense—heavy traffic and big trucks roaring past in the dark made for a nerve-wracking start. But relief came soon in the form of a dedicated bike lane. For the next 16 kilometers, we rode along a beautiful tree-lined path, still cloaked in darkness, but peaceful and cool. The early morning silence was broken only by birdsong as day began to break—a gentle reminder of God's goodness and presence with us.

By 7:45 AM, we'd covered 40 kilometers and stopped for a quick bite and some water. Energized, we pushed on for another two hours before stopping to enjoy a more substantial meal we had prepared earlier. By then, the heat was becoming intense—at one point, my Garmin showed temperatures soaring past 40°C (over 104°F). Thankfully, as long as we kept moving, the wind offered just enough cooling to keep us going strong.

According to our planning, we were set to reach the hotel by around 1:15 PM. But as any cyclist knows, technology can have its own ideas. In the final stretch, Google Maps led us into a maze of non-existent paths, forcing us to circle around like confused homing pigeons. That little detour cost us about half an hour and an extra 4 kilometers.

We finally arrived at the Quality Inn at 2:00 PM, having completed 136 kilometers at an average speed of just over 20 km/h—a solid first day by any measure! I contotaled four liters of water with electrolytes but still had cramps threatening, which eased as I caught up on fluids.

After a shower and short rest, we enjoyed a buffet meal at a nearby restaurant. Now, with full stomachs and tired legs, we're aiming to be in bed before 9:00 PM. Tomorrow is a big one: nearly 140 kilometers. A special highlight will be meeting up halfway with Russell Walter, who has generously sponsored a significant portion of this trip. He and a group of friends will ride the final stretch with us into Tallahassee.

We're tired—but thankful. The road is long, but we are not alone. Onward.

Day 2 – July 19, 2025: Live Oak to Tallahassee (Florida)

137 kilometers (312 km total) | 19.2 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 10 minutes (17:40 total) | Climb: 677 meters (1,278m total)

A Hard Ride and a Generous Welcome

We were up again at 4:00 AM and managed to set out just before 5:00 AM. The first couple of hours were surprisingly pleasant—cool morning air, quiet roads, and the slow reveal of dawn. Around 8:00 AM, with nearly 60 kilometers already behind us, we took a short break. The pace felt a little brisk to me today, but Dirk was leading, and we had a goal: meet Russell Walter just past Monticello at 11:00 AM.

Amazingly, as we stopped exactly where we'd planned to meet, Russell and his group arrived within minutes. They were coming from Tallahassee, we from the opposite direction—perfect timing. After a few introductions, we all turned our bikes west and headed toward Tallahassee.

By now, the sun was really bearing down. I took the lead, pushing hard—probably too hard. After another 16 kilometers or so, we stopped at a gas station, and it hit me. Lightheaded. On the edge of cramping. I got an ice cream and a root beer, snapped a few pictures, and tried to recover. But it was clear—I had overdone it.

The final stretch was just 30 kilometers, but it felt endless. With about 20 kilometers to go, the cramps hit. Any effort on the pedals caused my legs to cramp. Standing helped for a few moments, but sitting down brought the cramps right back.

Eventually, Russell offered to ride ahead, fetch his truck, and come back for us. Dirk and I slowly cycled on as far as we could, but with just 10 kilometers left, the cramps were too much. We sat under some shade and waited. When Russell returned, we loaded up and he drove us the rest of the way to his home in Tallahassee.

What a home it was—spacious, warm, filled with kindness. Russell and his wife Kirsten welcomed us in like old friends. That evening, they hosted a small gathering with three couples—one from Russell's work, and two from their church. We were treated to a beautiful meal of steak and salmon, and rich fellowship around the table.

The evening stretched later than we hoped—our guests only left around 8:30 PM—and with another 4:00 AM start tomorrow, rest will be scarce. I only managed to switch off the light close to midnight. But Russell will take us back to the exact spot where he picked us up, so we can continue this ride with integrity—every inch cycled, all the way from Jacksonville to San Diego.

We are deeply grateful to Russell—not only for the rescue today and his family's generous hospitality, but also for his financial support of this journey and his heart for helping bring Bible picture books to children in Africa.

Tomorrow will be tough again, especially with so little sleep, but we press on, trusting God to strengthen us each day.

Day 3 - 20 July 2025: Tallahassee to Marianna (Florida)

130 kilometers (442 km total) | 15.7 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 10 minutes (24:50 total) | Climb: 985 meters (2,263m total)

On day three, we got up at 4:00 AM again, and kind Russell took us in his truck to the point where he had picked us up the night before.

By 5:25 AM we were on our way with good weather and good roads, making good time. But it got hotter and hotter, and by noon it was over 40°C on the tarmac. I could feel my strength waning as the day went on. With only four hours of sleep, by midday I was so tired that I felt I might fall asleep on the bike. So at lunch, I asked Dirk if I could lie down on my back for about half an hour. Later in the afternoon, I again had about a 15-minute break lying on my back and properly fell asleep for short periods.

We had our normal break after two hours, then lunch after four hours, and were heading to be at the hotel in Marianna by 3:00 PM.

However, a small surprise was awaiting us. We had not booked the hotel in advance. Entering Marianna, I looked up the hotel on booking.com and booked it. It was three and a half kilometers away, but neither Dirk nor I was paying enough attention, and we cycled in the opposite direction from where the hotel was. When I thought we should have reached the hotel, I asked Dirk how far it still was. He said it showed 19 minutes, so it should be quite close. When I put it into Google Maps, we realized we were cycling in the wrong direction and had to go 10 kilometers back.

I certainly did not feel I could make it. My strength was drained, maybe more psychologically than physically, and I couldn't see myself tackling even the slightest uphill again. I tried to order a taxi, but in this little town of 6,000 people, there were just no taxis available. Eventually, after a good rest in the shade, we started pedaling back the 10 kilometers.

So now we were cycling back to the hotel in Marianna, and at the very last traffic light, I realized my derailleur was not working and I could not shift gears, so I had to walk the last 50 meters. This is now a big problem for us. There is no bike shop in Marianna, and I had to contact Russell to see if we could organize a bike mechanic to come to Marianna and fix my bike.

Russell's goodness shone through again, and he offered to come to Marianna to do the fixing himself, but it was very hard for us to determine whether it was the cable of the derailleur not working, the shifting gear, or actually the derailleur itself. He would talk to bicycle owners tomorrow morning and then come and help us out.

This will delay us by at least a day, which I think is a blessing in disguise as I am totally exhausted after three days in the hot sun with cramps in my legs, hands, sides—wherever there's muscle. Maybe this day of rest is good before we tackle the remainder. We've worked out that with this one day loss, doing 130 kilometers a day instead of 150-160, we might end up in San Diego five days later than planned, but still within a good time frame.

Rest Day  - 21 July 2025: Forced Rest Day in Marianna (Florida)

0 kilometers (442 km total) | 0 km per hour | Time: 0 hours (24:50 total) | Climb: 0 meters (2,263m total)

On the one hand, it was nice to sleep in and go for breakfast, but on the other hand, we're losing a day.

However, Russell organized for Trek Bikes of Tallahassee to come through and try to fix my bike. The technician they sent could not get the cable out of the shifting gear and had to take the bike back to Tallahassee, which in a certain sense was also a blessing in disguise. They realized that my chain needed replacement, replaced disc brake pads, and did an overall check of the bike, tightening all the screws that were not as tight as they should have been. I got a nice clean bike back, which she delivered at 8:00 PM.

Later that evening I started looking for my leather bag with my passports, ID, driver's license, and money. I could find it nowhere. I started worrying—how could it not be in the room? What a disaster if it was lost somehow! I went to reception, praying. Did I leave it there when I rebooked an extra night? "No," said the girl at reception. She had not seen anything. How was it possible? Then, "Oh, is it this perhaps?" Yes! And I was so thankful to God. It was lying on a table just behind the reception desk.

Most of the day, waiting for the bike, we mainly hung around and slept quite a bit, which was good, especially for my body. Tomorrow, we will be up at 4:00 AM again and be off on our fourth cycling day.

Day 4 - 22 July 2025: Marianna to Santa Rosa (Florida)

152 kilometers (594 km total) | 18.2 km per hour | Time: 8 hours 21 minutes (33:11 total) | Climb: 769 meters (3,032m total)

Up early and on the bikes in the dark with our good lights and reflective bright yellow jackets. We both also got bright yellow cycling shirts from Trek as my white cycling shirt was covered with black oil marks. These shirts also have 50 SPF protection! This turned out to be fantastic—traveling all the time in a westerly direction, the sun was baking on our backs many hours every day. I could see Dirk at least 3 kilometers away!

We reached the Gulf of Mexico late afternoon. I was exhausted but Dirk wanted a picture of us as we reached the Gulf. He was taking many pictures and also videoing our whole journey. This added more kilometers and I was not impressed.

We arrived at the hotel—one of those I hate with no receptionist, all online with a code to enter. By now my phone was out of power and we had no code! I started charging my phone with a power bank and saw someone who looked like he was working there. He was not too helpful but eventually put us in contact with a girl who was in charge. They changed our room.

While we were in the lobby, a 'muscle man' with tattoos all over came in. He noticed the cross around my neck and started talking to us. He is a totally committed Christian and was excited to tell us that he had just preached his first sermon the previous Sunday. He took pictures with us, being impressed with what we were doing, and then asked if he could pray with and for us. What a beautiful turn of events at the end of an exhausting and frustrating day.

Dirk and I had dinner across the street. We walked in the rain to the 'self-service' restaurant where you have to stand in a queue, order, wait for your food, and then find a table!

We had a good night's rest with me sleeping on a pull-out couch.

Day 5 - 23 July 2025: Santa Rosa to Lillian (Alabama)

128 kilometers (722 km total) | 18.5 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 56 minutes (40:07 total) | Climb: 391 meters (3,423m total)

We started our journey at around 5:20 AM. It was nice and cool again—well, cool meaning about 30°C, but the wind was not hot yet, and we made good headway.

After two hours, we were looking for a place to buy some breakfast and eventually found a shop that was still closed at 7:40 AM on the Gulf of Mexico, right on the seafront. A long pier was teeming with fishermen and their carts.

We waited 20 minutes at a run-down bar area where most things were rusted, outside TVs were not functioning, battered by the weather. We eventually ordered egg and cheese sandwiches at 8:00 AM, which I couldn't finish.

The rest of the day slowly got hotter and hotter to about 45°C, and the only way I could cope with this heat was to stop every one to two hours at a gas station and buy frozen drinks—almost a liter each time. I would buy two drinks, drink half immediately, put the rest in the bottles, and then drink it as we pedaled along.

We were closing in on Lillian with about an hour to go when a thunderstorm broke out. We were between trees and fairly protected, but we knew we had to go across a kilometer stretch over open water on a bridge, which would have been really dangerous for cyclists.

As the rain started pouring down and thunder was still active with lightning, we stopped at a small church and sat on the porch waiting for the weather to clear, which only took about 15 minutes while I was communicating with Jennifer at home.

We left the moment the weather cleared and cycled across the water. As we got to the other side, she came up with a car to meet us.

We were offered to share a double bed—Dirk and me. No way. So Dirk offered to sleep in the camper outside.

We had a wonderful meal this evening of steak and mushrooms, followed by some conversations. But unfortunately, we have to get to bed early as we have to be up tomorrow morning again at 4:00 AM to try and leave at 5:00 AM. The family dynamics were very different in this father, mother, and two-daughter family.

Day 6 - 24 July 2025: Lillian to Semmes (Alabama)

116 kilometers (838 km total) | 17.3 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 45 minutes (46:52 total) | Climb: 618 meters (4,041m total)

On day six of our cycling tour, after the wonderful meal last night and a good night's rest (Dirk did not sleep so well in the camper—too hot and the air conditioning too noisy), we got up at 4:00 AM.

I had nice granola and yogurt with blueberries and strawberries for breakfast, absolutely wonderful.

We left just after 5:15 AM being warned of thunderstorms, lightning, and very high temperatures. But as we traveled along, the temperature never got above 30°C, which was okay. People kept warning us about heat waves coming, even about the danger of strangers who might just kill people.

Half the day the wind was from the side and the rest from behind, so we really made good progress toward Mobile, Alabama, up the scenic route of Mobile Bay, which was beautiful.

We stopped at a tiny little shop next to the road, and the lady from the shop next door came out and started speaking to Dirk. She was just totally amazed by what we're doing and wanted to take a picture with us. She immediately asked us to follow her on Facebook and gave us each homemade fruit candy.

We traveled on, actually making good time, and at noon we were close to Mobile. We stopped at a seafood restaurant and had a wonderful shrimp and fish combo meal with coleslaw. Two glasses of sparkling water on ice were beyond description—just fantastic. Sparkling water is a rarity for us to find. When I would ask for it, people would look at me in almost amazement and just say no. All their drinks are pumped with sugar!

We then aimed for a hotel about 30 kilometers west from there, now heading straight toward Houston. We stopped one kilometer short of the hotel, went into a Dollar General shop, and bought enough for evening meal and for breakfast tomorrow morning.

It seems like the worst of the temperatures are over, although we might still encounter some thunderstorms. Those 40°C temperatures were just sapping all energy and I thought we would not make it if it carried on like that day after day. But now we have much more courage to carry on.

Day 7 - 25 July 2025: Semmes to Wiggins (Mississippi) 

105 kilometers (943 km total) | 16.7 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 19 minutes (53:11 total) | Climb: 725 meters (4,766m total)

On day seven of cycling, we only did 105 kilometers today, but that is just how the hotels are spread. The next one was another 100 kilometers from here, so we decided to stay here at the American Best Value Inn in Wiggins, Mississippi.

We got up early this morning at the normal time of 4:00 AM and tried to leave at 5:00 AM, but then I had a flat tire. Though it was a tubeless tire, the leak was quite big, and I had to pump it several times before it would hold. So we wasted about half an hour because of the tire.

We were cycling in the rain and about 30 minutes from the hotel had to stop in the rain to pump my wheel. Then a rainbow appeared and Dirk said that it was a sign that my wheel would be okay, and it was. I still had to pump it, but the intervals got longer and longer—maybe twice more that day.

The day went well. It was at some stage again over 40°C and raining at times, but overall not too bad. Tomorrow's trip will be quite long, as the hotel is about 160 kilometers from here, but we just couldn't find anything around 130 kilometers, which we are aiming for.

We had a fantastic Mexican meal tonight here in Wiggins, Mississippi, and it just made me feel like I want to take up Spanish again and learn the language, just seeing the people and hearing them talk.

It was a good evening, and we're trying to get to bed early tonight so we can get up and get going early in the morning.

Day 8 - 26 July 2025: Wiggins to Amite (Louisiana) 

147 kilometers (1,090 km total) | 18.3 km per hour | Time: 8 hours 2 minutes (61:13 total) | Climb: 983 meters (5,749m total)

Day eight of our cycle ride, we managed to get away just after 5:00 AM again this morning, cycling in cool weather with the birds waking up with their beautiful sounds. We made good headway.

After two hours, we stopped at Burger King for a light breakfast, then back on our bikes. About a kilometer away, I noticed a car on the right-hand side, and the older man was looking at us—not waving us down, but I could see he was really paying attention. I felt he wanted us to stop, so we stopped, and he started asking us where we were going.

It turned out he works as a geneticist with blueberries just at the turn where he was. But as we talked, it became apparent that he was also working with the Gideons, placing Bibles in hotels, etc.

We explained to him what we were doing, and he was totally intrigued, asking us questions. Then he asked if he could pray with us, and the most beautiful prayer followed:

"Lord God in heaven above, let us thank you for a beautiful day on this earth. Help us to rejoice in this day, because it's a day you've made and you made this day just for us. Back in Adam's day, you made it for Adam; in Noah's day, you made it for Noah; in David's day, you made it for David. This is the day you made for us. Father, help us to rejoice and be glad in it. Father, I pray for these two gentlemen. Oh, it's been a pleasure to meet them, and I pray for their safety. Father, they journey. They're journeying for you. They're working for you. They don't work for themselves anymore. They're working all for you. And I pray that you continue your blessing. Just pour your blessing out on these two men, Father. Just give them the peace that passes all understanding. And we pray that they'll meet their destination, that they'll see this beautiful country that you have made, and they'll see it firsthand all the way.

God, they've got to travel many, many, many miles on these highways. Give them safety, Lord. Let your angels go with them. In the scripture in Genesis it said that angels... I think that would mean that we all have angels. We all have angels of mercy. And let your angel be with them. Let your angels please them and give them a safe journey. Wonderful meeting. It was wonderful. I want to thank you. Thank you."

We gave him our little pamphlets and took off again.

The morning was cool and pleasant with a light wind from behind, so we felt God's blessings from behind, from above, and within our bodies.

By midday, heavy thundering started, although the lightning was not too close, and I wasn't really worried about the danger of lightning. We covered our equipment with the waterproof gear that we had and cycled through light rain, which was really pleasant.

We were cycling at a very comfortable speed but much faster than before, doing over 18 kilometers an hour. We did a total of 147 kilometers to the hotel in Amite.

We managed to buy some noodles and a pre-cooked meal in the foyer of the hotel that we could do in the room using the microwave oven.

Tomorrow morning, we only have about 130 kilometers to do, maybe a little less. Our hotel has been booked and will be on the main highways again, so we plan to start about an hour later, first having breakfast before we set out.

It is the 26th of July, very significant. If I think about 2012 when I was in Ethiopia and Christine was in Mexico. Also the wedding anniversary of Nick and Suzanne. And it's also exactly 10 years since I spoke about my bike ride through the United States at Hour of Power at Shepherd's Grove Church.

It also happens that we were cycling most of the day on Route 26.

Day 9 - 27 July 2025: Amite to Livonia (Louisiana) 

123 kilometers (1,213 km total) | 18.5 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 37 minutes (67:50 total) | Climb: 342 meters (6,091m total)

On day nine of cycling, again a very hot day. We started two hours later because we were doing a relatively shorter distance of 123 kilometers.

We had a nice breakfast this morning—a full breakfast—and started cycling at about 7:00 AM.

The first two to three hours were not too hot, but then the heat really started building up and became again about 40°C and very humid.

I managed to phone Trudi at midday, and it was good to speak to her and to hear how she's doing and how the family are all doing back in South Africa.

By 3:00 PM, we realized we were close to the hotel and stopped for a quick meal and to fill up on fluids. It's really a problem to get in enough fluids in whatever form or format.

It's just a pity that I cannot find any soda water or sparkling water in any of the shops, and I have to keep on drinking these really sweet drinks, which I feel I have had enough of now. The water on our bikes is also really hot when we drink it.

We went out for a meal tonight here in Livonia. I must say, it is a huge disappointment to sit in a restaurant that reminds you a little bit of a Wimpy restaurant in South Africa, except that the chairs are all broken and the place is empty, not feeling really clean. Nothing is really clean and the food is really average and very expensive. Even Dirk from Belgium thought it was very expensive.

But we are happy that we have a comfortable bed to sleep in with air conditioning, and that we could have a meal that filled us up. Now for a good sleep, and tomorrow morning we'll try to get up early again. We're going to be on a highway the whole day, just one single straight road for 125 kilometers at least, and it's going to be blazingly hot again, so we'll just put our heads down, keep the fluids up, and get the distance done.

Day 10 - 28 July 2025: Livonia to Kinder (Louisiana)

128 kilometers (1,341 km total) | 18.4 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 58 minutes (74:48 total) | Climb: 266 meters (6,357m total)

Up at 4:00 AM. Left just after 5:00 AM. Breakfast is often a problem: banana, cereal, and protein shake in the room. It was pitch dark when we left. Nice and cool but then a 5-kilometer stretch on a narrow road with a concrete wall next to us. Trucks were roaring past us as I prayed for safety. It was a big relief when I saw the end of that wall.

We made good progress at nearly 20 km per hour. At 40 kilometers we stopped after another long scary bridge crossing over a river. At Subway we had a sandwich and coffee and could sit in an air-conditioned environment. We pushed on until 110 kilometers before we had lunch but stopped every 2 hours for drinks at gas stations. We contotale close to 7 liters of fluids a day. It's a huge frustration that I cannot find any sparkling water or soda water anywhere. I have had enough sweet drinks for the rest of my life!

The hotel is good. I'm happy the air conditioning is working after it kicked out for about an hour.

Day 11 - 29 July 2025: Kinder to Orange (East Texas)

117 kilometers (1,458 km total) | 18.8 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 14 minutes (81:02 total) | Climb: 282 meters (6,639m total)

On Day 11 of our transcontinental trip, we didn't have a long day, so we got up at 5:00 AM, had breakfast at 6:00 AM—a really poor breakfast with almost no substance.

We set off not knowing how soon we would be able to find some food. We usually stop after about 40 kilometers, but there was nothing, and we just kept going. Fortunately, Dirk was also strong and not complaining, and we just kept going.

Only at about 80 to 90 kilometers did we enter a town where we could find a McDonald's and had something good to eat and drink.

We then only had about 40 kilometers left to make up the 120 kilometers to go.

Just before 2:00 PM, we crossed from Louisiana into Texas.

That concluded my four extra states that I cycled through: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Now, in total, with my 2015 bike tour, I have gone through 25 of the 50 states of the United States on my bike.

We stopped at the Sabine River as we crossed into Texas and took quite a few pictures. I must say, I was quite happy to enter Texas, although it will now be another 1,400 kilometers to El Paso, but within two days we will be in Houston.

We kept on cycling. At the end of the day, the wind was from behind, and the last 20 kilometers flew past. We were here at the hotel just after 3:00 PM.

With only a small lunch, both Dirk and I were quite hungry and we were happy to find a steakhouse quite close. We each had a T-bone.

I am so tired of all these sugar drinks and the fact that I cannot find simple sparkling water or soda water anywhere, although tonight, when Dirk asked for a beer, they said they don't serve any alcohol, which was very surprising because the steakhouse looked more like a bar than anything else. But then I said, "Surely you must have some soda water," and they certainly did. So we each got two bottles and really enjoyed something nice and cold that's not sweet.

My flat wheel was also now slowly giving problems, as the sealant was slowly leaking out. Although I had to pump it only once a day the last couple of days, today I had to pump it twice.

We filled the sealant up tonight, and I will have to replace the sealant when we get to Houston tomorrow. We've got about 130 kilometers to go, but we can fortunately have breakfast at 5:00 AM in the morning, which is fantastic, and then hopefully by 6:00 AM we will be on the road and not arrive too late. And then for the last day, we will only have about 60 kilometers to get to Houston to Danielle Calle.

Day 12 - 30 July 2025: Orange to Dayton (East Texas) 

136 kilometers (1,594 km total) | 17.9 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 35 minutes (88:37 total) | Climb: 352 meters (6,991m total)

On Day 12, we have now completed 1,598 kilometers since we arrived at Jacksonville airport about two weeks ago.

It's been going quite well, and we're getting stronger every day. Certainly no more cramps like I experienced on days two and three, and our average speed of 18 kilometers an hour is quite satisfactory.

We left at about 6:00 AM this morning, knowing that we had a long day, but the first 50 to 60 kilometers were really, really harrowing with narrow roads, road works, and big trucks. I had at least two very close shaves from a smaller and then a larger truck passing very close to me at high speed. There are long stretches where there's just no shoulder, and we had to share the roads with fast-going traffic, which is certainly dangerous and not ideal. We hope, as we get past Houston tomorrow, it will become safer and easier.

We stopped at a Subway after about 50 to 60 kilometers. An Indian lady working there asked us about our inspiration for doing this ride. We explained our mission to her, and she was very interested until I mentioned the Bible project for children in Africa, which caused her to lose interest. However, when we left, I gave her a pamphlet explaining what we were actually doing. As we were getting our bikes ready, she came outside again and offered us free drinks, which was really kind. She mentioned that her daughter is also studying medicine, and said we would inspire her to spend time serving the poor.

It was getting really hot again during the day, reaching 44 degrees Celsius. The heat from the tarmac was at times almost too much to handle, although we maintained quite a fast speed - over 20 kilometers per hour for the last two to three hours. About an hour from the hotel, I noticed a Starbucks and we pulled off. I got a strong Americano with cream, and we each had a caramel and salt Frappuccino, which was refreshing.

We arrived at the Best Western hotel in Dayton and I had all my washing done at high temperature, as I'm sure I've been infested with bed bugs - I have itchy lesions all over my body from the last couple of days. We had a good meal at a seafood restaurant next to the hotel. It's such a blessing that we don't have to worry about money for good food and drinks during the day, as we often stop to buy extra cold drinks, and we can sleep in proper hotels.

Tomorrow we only have 60 kilometers to Houston, where we'll be staying with Daniela Calle. I'm looking forward to a full night's sleep, as we only need to get up late for a leisurely breakfast before leaving around 11 AM.

Day 13 - 31 July 2025: Dayton to Houston (Texas)

62.33 kilometers (1,656 km total) | 17.5 km per hour | Time: 3 hours 33 minutes (94:43 total) | Climb: 156 meters (7,147 total)

On the 13th day from Dayton to Houston, we met up with Daniela Calle. Her mother, originally from Colombia but living in the United States for 27 years, is also visiting. Her fiancé was still at work when we arrived.

We had a good four-hour ride - hot, but totally bearable. It was somewhat disappointing as we entered Houston, though we were in the northern parts of the city. The area looked quite poor, with large potholes and trash along some of the roads we were cycling on. However, as we got closer to their house, the scenery changed, and it was actually quite a nice neighborhood.

We greeted Daniela and her mother, and she treated us to ice-cold watermelon and pineapple, yogurt, sparkling water, and nuts - I couldn't have asked for anything better. We chatted for a while, then she took us to a bike shop where I could buy new gloves for my hands and sealant for the tubeless tires. We also went to the pharmacy to get cortisone and antihistamine cream for my itchy body. I bought some extra Vaseline and sunblock in case we run out.

Back at their home, we enjoyed a very nice meal and chatted until almost 10 PM. Dirk told them about his two adopted Indian daughters, whom they adopted at ages eight and nine months old. He also shared how he met Mother Teresa of Calcutta and actually bought her an Albanian Bible in Belgium, which he took to her.

I was happy to step back from the conversations a bit, as Dirk loves to talk, which suited me fine. Tomorrow we have about 50 kilometers to Caroline Kirschner's home, where some people from Mercy Ships will be meeting us. All in all, it was a good day, and I'm happy that we should be approaching the halfway point to San Diego within the next two days.

Day 14 - 1 August 2025: Houston to Houston (Texas)

49 kilometers (1,705 km total) | 19.2 km per hour | Time: 2 hours 33 minutes (96:43 total) | Climb: 156 meters (7,303m total)

On Day 14, another morning where we could sleep in. I had a very good night's sleep and got up at eight, just in time to catch Alex, Daniela's fiancé, before he left for work. After he departed, we had a good breakfast with scrambled eggs and all the trimmings. At noon, we had a light lunch after spending the morning in the cool air conditioning.

We left around 1 PM. It was getting hot again, but we only had about 49 kilometers to cover. The ride went fairly well, though the drivers in Houston are certainly not friendly to cyclists. We had a few very close calls again - I saw one truck almost touch Dirk ahead of me. We made good progress, though there was some confusion with navigation. I understood we were following Dirk on Komoot, but I was also using Google Maps as backup.

At one point, Dirk suggested we turn right. I thought it was because of traffic, but when I saw the traffic ahead wasn't too bad, I kept going straight. He thought I didn't want to follow Komoot, but not far ahead, Google Maps led us to a dead-end road with a gate and lock. We obviously had to take a detour, which cost us an extra two kilometers.

By now it was extremely hot, and we arrived at Caroline and her husband Mike's place at 4:30 PM. We stood in the street, unsure which house was theirs - our cell phones were so hot they were in dark mode and very difficult to read. Eventually we found the right door to knock on.

After some conversation and having sparkling water (which was fantastic), we had showers. Snacks were put out, and one by one, the Mercy Ships volunteers arrived to spend the evening with us - probably about 10 people. I was surprised that although there was some cheese, bread, and avocado, there wasn't a proper meal - these snacks were our evening meal. But that was okay.

We had a lovely evening. The people were very friendly and hospitable, and we went to bed at about nine. We planned to get up at four and leave around five for our next long trip of 125 kilometers.

Day 15 - 2 August 2025: Houston to Schulenburg (Texas)

126 kilometers (1,831 km total) | 17.5 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 15 minutes (102:00 total) | Climb: 542 meters (7,845m total)

On Day 15 from Houston to Schulenburg, a distance of 126 kilometers, we started just after five following a great breakfast prepared by Caroline Kirschner: eggs, bacon, avocado, melon, and coffee.

It was quite cool in the morning, which was really pleasant. For the first three hours, it was just enjoyable cycling. We covered the first 40 kilometers in good time before stopping for refreshments. We wanted milkshakes, but the poor guy had no idea how to make them, and we both ended up with almost a liter of soft-serve ice cream each.

We cycled further and stopped at a Subway around 100 kilometers, where we each had a vegetable sandwich. It was only now getting warmer, but the humidity was much, much less. I could feel it in my eyes - I needed artificial eye drops and started wearing my glasses as my eyes were getting red and sore from the drier heat.

We arrived at the hotel around 3 PM, which is a good time. I had a rest after a shower, then went out for a meal. I must say, the meals we get near these highway hotels are not up to standard. I've only had one good meal at a Mexican restaurant - the rest have been mediocre to bad. But I'm so thankful that God has provided us with enough money to buy all the refreshments, fluids, food, and accommodation we need to carry on with this mission.

Our fluid contotalption is also much less than before, down from about eight liters to probably three or four liters a day. Tomorrow is a longer day - over 140 kilometers to Heather Krall, a nurse I worked with more than 10 years ago. We're really looking forward to seeing her and her family.

Day 16 - 3 August 2025: Schulenburg to Wimberley (Texas)

143.48 kilometers (1,974 km total) | 17.4 km per hour | Time: 8 hours 13 minutes (110:13 total) | Climb: 984 meters (8,827m total)

On Day 16, we spent 10 to 11 hours on the bike in the heat, and sometimes I wasn't quite sure where I was. We left Schulenburg yesterday morning on our way to Heather in Wimberley.

The mornings are always fresh and nice, and the coolness certainly makes it much easier. But when 1-2 PM comes and we're still full of energy, the heat slowly begins to sap what's left. We stopped for lunch at San Marcos and had a good meal. Then came the last two hours to get to Heather's place. The sun was getting hotter and hotter, and we were also climbing more and more - really steep hills climbing up to 1,000 meters.

For the first time, as we entered Wimberley, people were really rude, shouting at us to get out of the way. This was disappointing because overall, American people are quite courteous and treat cyclists quite well. We got to Heather's area and stopped at the bottom where there was a fork in the road. We didn't know which way to go, as Google Maps showed both routes. We walked up the very steep 50 yards, then got back on the bikes for the last 300 meters to her home, where she was waiting for us.

I last saw her at Nick and Susan's wedding in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis. It was so nice to meet her husband and especially her two kids - really beautiful children, not only physically, but their personalities are wonderful. We had a somewhat strange meal, and when Heather asked what we'd like for breakfast, she said she'd get up early. She gave us scrambled eggs and a dry piece of bread each, without coffee or tea. I found it quite strange, but she was so happy to see me, and I was happy to see her. I was glad we could stay the night with them.

I slept in the guest bedroom, and Dirk on a couch in the lounge. We left just after 5 AM.

Day 17 - 4 August 2025: Wimberley to Kerrville (West Texas) 

122 kilometers (2,096 km total) | 15.4 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 56 minutes (118:09 total) | Climb: 1,549 meters (10,378m total)

The 17th day involved cycling in the early morning again, although we started with climbs and had climbs the entire day. Today was the highest climb I've had in about a year - we climbed over 1,500 meters. We were really tired when we reached the hotel at 3:30 PM. It was one climb after another, and our average speed was really low at 14.8 kilometers per hour. But we made it.

We could relax and had a good evening meal of steak - probably the second-best meal I've had in the United States. It was really good, but when we tried to pay, all the computers were down. It was a frustrating 10 minutes of waiting, as I really wanted to get to bed since my seven hours of sleep just isn't enough.

Now I'm ready to get up at four tomorrow morning to leave at five.

Day 18 - 5 August 2025: Kerrville to Rocksprings (West Texas)

123 kilometers (2,219 km total) | 16.0 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 40 minutes (125:49 total) | Climb: 981 meters (11,359m total)

On Day 18 to Rocksprings, we stayed in a historic, authentic hotel with very interesting decor and run by a very interesting lady. We had a good ride - mostly pleasant with steep climbs early in the day, but two-thirds of the day was flat.

Both Dirk and I made a mistake and thought we were about two to three kilometers from the hotel when we realized it was about 10 kilometers. This shows how important mental clarity is, because that realization almost killed us. It's interesting how suddenly it gets hot after 2 PM, so those last 10 kilometers from two to three o'clock were just brutal again.

The rest of the morning was very pleasant. We saw quite a bit of deer, including one crossing the highway and jumping over a fence on its third attempt. We also passed a ranch where the flags of Texas and the United States were hanging at half-mast, pretotalably for the children who died a few weeks ago in Kerrville after the floods.

At midday we stopped at a very interesting farm store - an old shop that's apparently been very popular and well-known in the area. It was the only stop between the two cities we traveled. We had sandwiches with plenty of meat and could sit outside for the first time - the weather allowed us to sit in the shade with chickens and peacocks surrounding us, and it was nice and cool.

We checked into the hotel, then walked downtown to a coffee shop we'd noticed earlier. We ordered fruit smoothies and coffee and sat in the cool air conditioning when the lady suddenly almost shouted at us: "Five minutes and we're closing!" I told her I thought this was what I'd call "unkind Texas" - they should have told us when we bought the drinks, not taken our money and then kicked us out. But she wouldn't budge.

We went to a grocery store to buy food for the evening and next morning, then returned to drink our coffee outside on the hotel veranda, though the mosquitoes attacked us. We had a nice meal of macaroni and cheese with lots of fruit, yogurt, and orange juice.

I'm struggling to get enough sleep. I try to turn off the lights at eight in the evening, but it never works - it's almost never before nine o'clock, and then we get up at four to start cycling at five. Tomorrow will be a very long day of 145 kilometers, but hopefully a flat stretch, if not slightly downhill, and certainly with the wind behind us.

I really pray that we'll complete this adventure successfully. It's just a pity that I don't get enough time to even post on Facebook to motivate people to contribute to my Bible fundraising.

Day 19 - 6 August 2025: Rocksprings to Ozona (West Texas)

147 kilometers (2,366 km total) | 18.7 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 52 minutes (133:41 total) | Climb: 718 meters (12,077m total)

Days 19 and 20: From Rocksprings (in that house that felt a bit haunted) to Ozona and then to where we are tonight in Iraan.

We had a very tough, long day and covered almost 150 kilometers. The first third was quite a climb, but since Rocksprings is on a plateau, once we reached the edge of the plateau, it was all downhill - a very pleasant ride. The winds were behind us, the roads were absolutely smooth, and with a one-to-two-degree decline, we made good speed at almost 19 kilometers per hour to Ozona. We checked into the hotel around 3:30 PM, which was good timing.

About 10 kilometers from our destination, a lady in her 70s stopped her big truck next to us, and Dirk talked to her. At some point, she asked if she could offer us anything, and Dirk asked for water. She said she didn't have any and left, but 10-15 minutes later, she was back with a bottle of water for each of us, which was wonderful. As she turned her vehicle around in a U-turn through the field with the window open, she shouted "Yeehaw!" which really sounded like true West Texas cowboy country.

Day 20 - 7 August 2025: Ozona to Iraan (West Texas)

81 kilometers (2,447 km total) | 17.3 km per hour | Time: 4 hours 40 minutes (138:21 total) | Climb: 481 meters (12,558m total)

We had a short day on Day 20 because of the distances between cities. It was either 80 kilometers or 180, and 180 simply wasn't possible in this heat while carrying almost 20 kilograms of weight. So we made it a short day of 80 kilometers. We got up a bit later, had a light breakfast, and set out around 7 AM.

It was a fairly pleasant ride, though there were quite a few climbs, and on the very last climb, Dirk had a flat tire. But he's an experienced cyclist with lots of knowledge, so it took him about 10 minutes to change the tube without even unpacking his luggage from the bike. I sat in the shade most of the time, and then it was all downhill to Iraan.

There's only one accommodation available here that I could find - the Best Trail Lodge - but it's nice and clean. We went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner, which was disappointing to me. At times I really get fed up with the bad food we encounter.

When we got into town early (since it was only 80 kilometers), Dirk wanted to stop at a dollar store, but I said no - I needed to go to a gas station for fluids. I also started cramping last night, realizing I'm not taking in enough fluids and electrolytes. I was really flat today and found the 80 kilometers almost harder than yesterday's 150 kilometers. After some really nice cool drinks, we came and checked into the lodge.

I'm getting worried about the distances between cities - they're either too long or too short, and we'll lose time getting back to San Diego in time to catch our flight. I need to make my flight to South Africa on August 26th. From here to El Paso (approximately 450 kilometers), there are very few places to stay, which complicates matters. It seems like after El Paso, on the route I've taken before, there are more accommodation possibilities. If there weren't, I'm not sure what we would have done, as it wouldn't be possible to make the days too short or too long. But I have more hope now that we'll still make it in good time.

Day 21 - 8 August 2025: Iraan to Fort Stockton (West Texas)

104 kilometers (2,551 km total) | 16.9 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 11 minutes (144:32 total) | Climb: 707 meters (13,265m total)

On Day 21 from Iraan to Fort Stockton, we had a good day with the wind behind us, although there were two very steep climbs in the early morning - each about two kilometers of constant climbing, rising about 100 meters each. But once we were at the top, it was smooth sailing, cycling mainly on the service roads of Interstate 10. We made good progress.

There was just one small gas station after about 45 kilometers where we could get something cool to drink. I wasn't feeling like eating anything - I still had half a sandwich from the previous day that I ate earlier. Our breakfast this morning was just what we had in our bags: some leftover granola and bran.

Overall, it was a good day with the wind behind us, although at some point it was again over 40 degrees Celsius on the road. We reached Fort Stockton before 2 PM. We first went to a gas station, had something nice to drink and a big ice cream. Some people approached Dirk - turned out to be an orthopedic surgeon who has been volunteering with Samaritan's Purse, along with his wife. We chatted with them and gave them our flyers. He later donated money to my Mercy Ships account!

The last five kilometers to the hotel, we could check in just after 2 PM. The people here were really friendly - they even organized a big breakfast including eggs at 5 AM tomorrow morning. We're having a hard time finding accommodation in appropriate places. The town we wanted to go to had no accommodation - everything was fully booked, so we had to choose between Pecos or Marfa. Marfa turned out to be the better option, but it means we'll have to do over 140 kilometers tomorrow with a side wind, hopefully more from behind than from the side.

We'll be up at four again, have breakfast at five, and leave as soon as we can for the long day. After that should be an easier day of 118 kilometers to Van Horn. We had a nice meal at a steakhouse - really only my second good meal, very expensive, but I'm so grateful to God that he provided through Russell and Guido that I don't have to worry about finances, and Dirk is okay with whatever we need to pay.

I'm thankful to God for His blessing. I was getting worried at times that we wouldn't make it to San Diego in time because of the distances between cities, which makes it very difficult - they're either too short or too long. When they're too long, we have to break them into two days, and then we're stuck with two short distances and an extra day.

But then we both felt encouraged when we saw a big sign next to the road: "All things are possible through God" - Matthew 19:26. I really felt that God was saying He has put us on this road and He will provide for us as we cycle to San Diego.

Day 22 - 9 August 2025: Fort Stockton to Marfa (West Texas)

140 kilometers (2,691 km total) | 15.3 km per hour | Time: 9 hours 13 minutes (153:45 total) | Climb: 871 meters (14,136m total)

On Day 22, 140 kilometers from Fort Stockton to Riata Inn Marfa, West Texas, we had a very good breakfast at five, left about 5:30, and traveled well in the cool morning. After about two hours, we had to negotiate a 23-kilometer stretch on gravel road, part of which had sand so thick that we had to get off our bikes and walk.

It took much longer than anticipated to get through those 23 kilometers, although it was a beautiful morning with the moon ahead of us as the sun broke the new day. Eventually we got back on good surface, but now the wind was against us. We traveled southwest, and the wind was exactly from the southwest, so we battled headwinds for many hours.

There were no stops, no gas stations, no refreshments anywhere until we reached 96 kilometers. It was hard and we were really tired. We used all our water - about five bottles of 750ml each. By the time we reached a gas station, we just sat down. I was too tired to eat anything, even though we knew we had to, but we drank different beverages. I love chocolate milk, Starbucks cold coffees in bottles or cans, and slushies - I had all three, plus some burritos and a packet of chips. After about 30-45 minutes, we were back on the bikes.

It was just over 40 kilometers more, knowing the first half would be climbing again. Certainly there were big climbs that really drained us. It was also now very close to 40 degrees Celsius again. I stopped every 5-10 kilometers to drink water. At 20 kilometers from Marfa, we took our last fluids. I lay back for about 10 minutes just to rest. There was one small climb still left, and I started cramping, which is always worrying, but in the heat, that's what happens to me.

But then we were on top, and it was just flying downhill on very good tarmac down to Marfa. The last 20 kilometers flew by and we reached the little Riata Inn in Marfa. It's quite expensive but has a really big, nice, well-equipped room.

We had to cycle to find food, and a Mexican food truck was recommended to us. I sat outside and enjoyed a really good meal, although the flies were a real problem. We returned to the hotel but stopped at a dollar general store. Dirk had a chat with a couple in front of the store - a young man and his wife. He knew all about Mercy Ships and had been with YWAM at some point in his life. It was amazing how these people with connections came and spoke to us.

We were only back at the hotel around six, which was really late. Organizing the hotel for tomorrow night in Van Horn was fortunately quite easy - a good distance of about 120 kilometers. Tomorrow we'll try to sleep until 4:30.

Day 23 - 10 August 2025: Marfa to Van Horn (West Texas)

120 kilometers (2,811 km total) | 20.4 km per hour | Time: 5 hours 53 minutes (159:38 total) | Climb: 183 meters (14,319m total)

On Day 23 from the Riata Inn in Marfa to Van Horn, West Texas, 120 kilometers, it was quite a pleasant day - mostly downhill with the wind behind us. We arrived at the hotel between noon and 1 PM, certainly the earliest arrival, with an average of over 20 kilometers per hour.

At about 40 kilometers, there was a small town called Valentine. As we cycled through it, it really looked like a ghost town. I only saw one person moving in one of the yards - the rest of the buildings were half empty and totally neglected. Dirk wanted to take video footage, so he turned back after we'd passed through the town, and I slowly cycled toward Van Horn.

About 20 minutes later, he let me know he'd had his second puncture of the bike tour. He assured me I could carry on, and I cycled further at a slow pace, hoping he would soon catch up. However, cycling slowly was quite painful for me, as I had an insect bite exactly where my saddle touches, which was painful. When I cycle harder, I put more weight on my feet than on my saddle.

I tried for about an hour to cycle slowly but almost fell asleep due to the lack of sleep during this tour - only about seven hours and sometimes six and a half at night. At some point, I tried to stop in the shade and lie on my back. Like often before, I would drift off for 10-15 minutes, but this time no luck, as one of those extremely long trains came roaring past me with trucks on the other side.

I got up, phoned Dirk, and he said he was okay. I decided to go full steam ahead and work as hard as my legs would allow while still being comfortable. After about an hour, I phoned Dirk again to make sure everything was okay, and he assured me he was fine.

I cycled into Van Horn, which was a total surprise. These little towns in West Texas are totally spread out, dusty towns with half the shops not functioning (though this was a Sunday), and it was hard to find even a gas station to get cold drinks. I found the hotel and a gas station across the street, got something to drink, and just after I checked into the hotel, Dirk arrived.

It was actually quite a nice hotel. Since we have to do almost 150 kilometers tomorrow, we asked them for early breakfast. They were prepared to make it much earlier than normal, but later we said no - we have to be on the road by five, which we knew was impractical for them. Though they were very friendly and packed us some fruit, granola bars, yogurt, and more for the road. We also bought some boiled eggs to eat tomorrow morning before we leave. I often have a packet of oats, and that's usually enough for me.

We went to El Capitan hotel for dinner tonight, which is a really beautiful old hotel with beautiful furniture inside and a garden in typical Mexican style. We had nice steaks and salad, though it was too much for me. We cycled back to the hotel, which was about a kilometer away. Because we arrived so early tonight, I can get in bed early and hopefully be asleep by eight o'clock so we can get up at four and be on the road by five.

Day 24 - 11 August 2025: Van Horn to Fabens (West Texas)

152 kilometers (2,963 km total) | 17.4 km per hour | Time: 8 hours 47 minutes (168:25 total) | Climb: 571 meters (14,890m total)

On Day 24, 152 kilometers from Van Horn to Fabens - our last night in West Texas. Tomorrow we enter New Mexico. It's been a long ride across the width of Texas.

We left this morning just after five, not realizing that with the time change, we would lose an hour. As we cycled out of Van Horn, we realized we were on the wrong road and had to turn back - about a two-kilometer detour. Then on the right cycle path, we realized it was a sand road and we couldn't do that, so we returned and went onto the interstate for the first almost 20 kilometers. We just thought we'd face the consequences if we were stopped, but it was all okay.

We eventually reached Sierra Blanca, where we had something to eat and drink - mainly to drink, as we'd brought quite a bit of food with us. This morning I started putting ice packs in my bag to keep my water cold and also my food - a boiled egg and a sandwich from the previous night, as well as some yogurt. It's fantastic to have this cold, clear water available.

But then the trouble began. About 5-10 kilometers from Sierra Blanca, we ended up on another gravel road. This was really challenging - large stretches with thick sand that we had to pull our bikes through, multiple dry river beds, and a very dangerous bridge we had to cross. The road seemed unending. In the end, it was 35 kilometers. Fortunately, it was mainly downhill, so there was no hard uphill cycling for the stretches where we could ride.

The road was sometimes sand, sometimes broken-up tarmac, but very poor quality all the time. We were really happy when we finished those 35 kilometers, as we realized that if something had happened to one of us - an injury or any other mishap - we would have been in big trouble. In that whole 35-kilometer stretch, we didn't see a single soul, only two horses that ran in front of us. Those were about the only living creatures we observed during the day.

We reached the interstate again, stopped under a bridge, had our final drinks and food, and cycled the last 50 kilometers to Fabens. It went quite well. It was very hot, and we were happy to stop again at a gas station about 10 kilometers before the hotel.

Finally we arrived at the hotel. I noticed a big thorn in my front wheel, which I pulled out only a kilometer from the hotel, realizing it might go flat quite quickly, and it certainly did. I just made it to the hotel, but I filled it with slime, pumped it up, and it seemed okay.

Tomorrow is about 120 kilometers to Las Cruces in New Mexico, with about 50-60 kilometers until leaving Texas, which I'm really looking forward to. I'm still a little concerned about the distances we have to cover to San Diego, but we know God is with us, and I trust He will guide us and get us there in time.

It was also while we were standing in the sand, and I was waiting for Dirk to catch up in the hard sun, not knowing how long the sand would hold us back, when I noticed an email from Brian from Colorado, whom I met in Niger at the CURE hospital. He donated more than 2,000 euros. Both Dirk and I felt this was a sign from God, a fingerprint from God, that His blessing is upon us.

Tomorrow we enter New Mexico, and that makes me excited. Trusting God that we'll make it in good time to San Diego.

Day 25 - 12 August 2025: Fabens to Las Cruces (New Mexico)

121 kilometers (3,084 km total) | 19.1 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 22 minutes (174:47 total) | Climb: 444 meters (15,334m total)

On Day 25 we cycled 121 kilometers from Fabens in West Texas to Las Cruces, New Mexico. It was probably one of the easiest days. We had a fairly strong wind, 15-20 kilometers per hour, right at our backs. It wasn't too hot - upper 30s - but with the cooling effect we create while cycling, it wasn't too hot and we could cycle very close to 20 kilometers per hour.

We cycled through El Paso, which we'd been looking forward to for many days, to end our journey of 1,425 kilometers through Texas. El Paso, however, was 35 kilometers long before we left the city behind and saw the sign that we were entering New Mexico.

We kept cycling at a steady pace and arrived at the hotel around 2 PM. We could get a good rest in the afternoon, plan our final journey of just over 1,000 kilometers, and felt confident enough to tackle a huge day tomorrow of 190 kilometers from Las Cruces to Lordsburg.

I'm confident, and so is Dirk, that we can make it. We'll get up at four and get going by five o'clock. We'll be on the interstate the whole day, which means only minor elevations, and the prediction is still that the wind will be behind us the whole day. In a sense, I'm looking forward to the challenge.

We had a good meal at a Mexican restaurant just across the street and gathered enough food for breakfast tomorrow morning, as well as for the first half of the journey to Deming. There might still be some places where we can find food and fluids up to Deming, but as I understand it, from Deming to Lordsburg (about 90 kilometers), there will be absolutely nothing. So we have to be very well prepared for that. I'm carrying five bottles of water, plus an extra liter and a half, and have started putting ice packs around it so it can stay cold with my sandwich. Full of confidence, we will tackle tomorrow.

Day 26 - 13 August 2025: Las Cruces to Lordsburg (New Mexico)

199 kilometers (3,283 km total) | 20.2 km per hour | Time: 9 hours 41 minutes (184:28 total) | Climb: 619 meters (15,953m total)

On Day 26, just short of 200 kilometers from Las Cruces to Lordsburg in New Mexico - a personal record for Dirk and myself. This is the longest ride with 20 kilograms of weight plus our 4-5 liters of water, but we had favorable winds behind us and not really any steep climbing.

It was long - more than 9 hours in the saddle - but quite pleasant. We mainly followed the interstate but stayed on side roads as much as we could without taking detours too far from the shortest route.

But when we arrived at the hotel, they couldn't find my booking. I had made a mistake, and we were at the wrong hotel - we had to cycle a further three kilometers to get to the correct hotel! There, Dirk asked the guy at reception to come and take pictures of us, as this was certainly a memorable day with such a long ride.

We saw the most beautiful sunrise this morning, and it's been such a blessing over the last 26 days to be up and cycling every morning and look back at the sunrise. We were cycling westward the whole way with the sun rising behind us in the east, but we often looked back and took pictures.

We have now changed our flights from the 16th to the 22nd, which is still reasonable timing for me to arrive in Amsterdam. We've worked out that we could be there two days before the flight, which leaves us one day of flexibility in case something happens or we can't cover the distances we hope to. There are still quite steep climbs ahead, and we don't know if the wind will continue to be favorable.

Tomorrow is a relatively short distance to Willcox, but we'll have a headwind, though only about 10-15 kilometers per hour, coming up later in the day. God has been good. The heat is certainly not so bad - like 33/34 degrees Celsius. Although on the bike it's 40 degrees, with the cooling effect of the wind we generate by cycling, it's actually not bad at all.

I've asked the Christian cycling club in Tucson to organize a back tire for me that I need to replace, as I don't think it will last until San Diego. Since tomorrow is a shorter ride, we'll only get up at six and start cycling at seven.

We had Mexican food again tonight - not too bad, but I'm getting a little tired of Mexican food. We first walked into another restaurant at 7:50 PM, and they told us they were closing at eight and wouldn't serve us. That was quite disappointing, as I was looking forward to a good meal in a good restaurant. So it was the Mexican restaurant across the street instead!

Day 27 - 14 August 2025: Lordsburg to Willcox (Arizona)

119 kilometers (3,402 km total) | 17.6 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 48 minutes (191:16 total) | Climb: 503 meters (16,456m total)

Day 27, Lordsburg to Willcox, from New Mexico to Arizona, which we crossed into at midday - a distance of 119 kilometers. It almost felt more difficult than yesterday because of the headwinds, though not too strong, but it was very hot in the afternoon.

Just in the middle of nowhere, a zeppelin appeared, and it was such a spectacular view to see it moving between us and a big mountain. The day dragged a bit and became quite tough at some stages, but once we arrived at the hotel, I didn't feel too tired.

I certainly had no appetite for Mexican food or any restaurant, but there was a nice big grocery store next to the hotel where I could buy cold salads with some chicken for a meal. Fortunately, Dirk agreed to that, and we just ate in the room.

It was exciting that we're now counting down the days to the end. I've basically worked out every single day now where we'll stay overnight until we reach San Diego - hopefully by Wednesday, but maybe Thursday, and fly on Friday, which is a week from tomorrow!

The heat here isn't too bad. The air is extremely dry, but that makes the heat much more tolerable than it was in northern Florida. Tomorrow is again not too much distance - about 127 kilometers to Tucson, where we'll meet people from the Christian Cycling Association who are taking us out for a meal.

Day 28 - 15 August 2025: Willcox to Tucson (Arizona)

125 kilometers (3,527 km total) | 21.0 km per hour | Time: 5 hours 59 minutes (197:15 total) | Climb: 600 meters (17,056m total)

Days 28-29 from Willcox to Tucson in Arizona, and today to Casa Grande - distances of 125 kilometers and 123 kilometers. What two eventful days.

We got up yesterday morning and cycled the first two hours in rain, which was actually quite nice - cool, and just on the brink of feeling too cold. We stopped after 40 kilometers at a gas station for refreshments, mainly drinks. We sat outside on the concrete in the shade and had coffee and a sandwich we'd made at the hotel.

Then a man walked past us - one of those big truck drivers, of which there are hundreds on the roads. He started talking to us and immediately said he was from Guatemala, though he lives in northern Florida. When he said Guatemala, I obviously thought of my third Operation Smile mission. My first Operation Smile mission was in Guatemala, and how God arranged that we would be the only two on the flight back from the DRC to Amsterdam. The jeans I wore on that night flight were made in Guatemala.

When he heard what we were doing, at some point out of the blue, he mentioned that he had walked to Machu Picchu in Peru. I immediately thought about how someone had told me they walked it, and I even had a picture of them in the mountains.

It was a big climb up from that point, and then another climb for several more kilometers. Dirk got a flat tire, and at the top of the mountain were the most beautiful rock formations. We spent about half an hour there while Dirk fixed his puncture.

Then it was downhill all the way to Tucson, but about 10-15 kilometers from Tucson, I had a puncture. With the tubeless tire, it should really seal, but it wouldn't, so I pumped it up, cycled as fast as I could for about five kilometers, then had to stop and pump again. These distances slowly increased, and I cycled the last 10 kilometers and got to the hotel with my back tire flat. I couldn't see how we were going to get it sealed again - the running surface was very thin at this stage. I had asked the people taking us out this evening to organize a tire for me with sealant.

Jim Ulmer has been writing to me for a few years now, though I had no idea who he was or why he even knew about me. So when they came to pick us up at the hotel, I had no idea what to expect. He said his girlfriend would be coming with him. When they arrived in a bright red truck, Carol was driving. She came out to meet us - probably in her late 60s - and Jim Ulmer was sitting in the passenger seat with oxygen. He didn't look well.

We drove to a very good Mexican restaurant, probably 20-25 minutes away, and met other people from the Christian Cycling Club of Tucson. Todd was sitting across from me, next to him was Carl with his wife across from him. Next to me was TK. On the other side was Jim Ulmer, who really struggled to get into the restaurant with his oxygen cylinder, moving slowly and holding onto something every step. This made me more grateful for what he was doing for us. Carol was talking to Dirk, who was sitting next to me, and next to him was John.

We had a pleasant evening with good food and left around eight. On the tarmac outside in the parking area, the guys stopped and prayed for us, which was a very special moment. John also gave Dirk and me cash for the road, which I later donated for the Bibles.

We got back to the hotel, and I knew I had to fix my tire. I thought I'd done this before, so it shouldn't be too difficult to change the tire, but my pump wasn't strong enough to inflate a tubeless tire and seal it. After a long battle, I managed to do it at a gas station with their pump, but there was a slow leak I couldn't stop. I couldn't see where the sealant was coming out. Eventually, it looked like it was coming from the inside, from the inner rim. By now it was 11 o'clock and I went to bed, very worried that we might lose a day because I couldn't get this tire fixed.

Day 29 - 16 August 2025: Tucson to Casa Grande (Arizona)

122 kilometers (3,649 km total) | 20.1 km per hour | Time: 6 hours 6 minutes (203:21 total) | Climb: 249 meters (17,305m total)

We planned to get up at five, but I was awake by four, couldn't sleep, and got up. I placed an inner tube inside the tubeless tire - I carried one for such an emergency. That took about half an hour, and all was well.

Just as we wanted to go for breakfast, Dirk realized his front wheel was flat, so he fixed that first while I had breakfast. Todd Huff and John were going to join us on our route along the Santa Cruz River on a loop of bike lanes.

We left 15 minutes later than planned, and about half an hour later, Dirk had another flat. I phoned my wife from there to find out how she was doing, and we cycled further until we met them at about the 10-15 kilometer mark, where they cycled with us. By now we were out of spare tires, patches, and solution, so we had to cycle to a bike shop, which was basically en route. John helped us inside the shop while Todd looked after our bikes outside. We equipped ourselves with two new inner tubes each and patches for possible further problems.

We were on our way. They cycled with us just up to where we got onto the frontage road along the interstate, where they left us. Dirk and I turned off, found a Starbucks, had a nice cup of coffee with a muffin, and started cycling further. At this stage, we weren't eating during the day - it wasn't worrying me, and I had no appetite for what we could buy, so I just bought protein drinks, mainly milk drinks, and took fluids during the day, then had a good meal in the evening.

We were about 100 kilometers from the hotel when a car stopped in front of us on the interstate - it was John getting out. He had bottles and bottles of cold drinks and ice water in ice buckets for us. We thought it was so kind - he'd driven so far to bring us that in the heat, which was now about 40 degrees Celsius. Then he noticed my bare neck in the sun and took off his scarf and gave it to me to cover my neck - an absolutely wonderful act of kindness.

Dirk and I then cycled further. The wind was now hot and blowing in our faces, but we persevered and got to the hotel around 4 PM. We had a very nice meal - T-bone steak for me and salmon for Dirk - and thoroughly enjoyed it. Tomorrow morning is just 100 kilometers, and we'll sleep a bit late until five, have breakfast at six, and try to leave at seven.

Day 30 - 17 August 2025: Casa Grande to Gila Bend (Arizona)

119 kilometers (3,768 km total) | 20.7 km per hour | Time: 5 hours 45 minutes (209:06 total) | Climb: 261 meters (17,566m total)

Day 30, Casa Grande to Gila Bend, Arizona, 119 kilometers. It was meant to be just 100 kilometers, but trying to avoid the interstate for the second two-thirds, I took a long detour. We weren't disappointed and had a much quieter road that was much more beautiful.

Dirk suggested this road via Komoot. Initially I was worried about gravel roads, but once we realized the last half was a named and numbered road, I was happy for the detour. I took it but unknowingly increased the distance from 100 to 120 kilometers. We were still here by 2 PM.

This morning as we cycled out of Casa Grande, which was, by the way, a very beautiful city with beautiful streets and buildings, once we were out of the city, it was nice and cool with light wind behind us, cycling on a very good road. I really enjoyed it and thought, "In a week's time, I'll be lying on my bed in Palmstraat thinking back about this day." It was a beautiful Sunday morning with worship music playing, and God felt really close to me.

When we got close to the interstate and I turned north to find the inner road, Dirk wasn't too happy, as it was longer than we'd planned. I couldn't be sure we wouldn't end up on a gravel road again, but by now I realized this road had a name and number, which made it safe.

On this last section, Dirk unfortunately had another flat tire - probably the fifth or sixth in the last two days. He walked for a while until he found a bush with some shade, but the temperature showed 52 degrees. It was extremely hot, and he decided to keep pumping his wheel to avoid sitting down and fixing it, as it was a slow puncture. I cycled on toward the hotel.

We unfortunately ran out of water, which I had no idea he didn't have enough with him. He tried to wave down three cars, but they just waved back. Eventually, there was a truck on the railway tracks inspecting the tracks, and he showed them he needed water. They brought him two ice-cold bottles of water.

He arrived at the hotel probably about 10 minutes after me, extremely exhausted from having to stop every now and then to pump the wheel again. I, on the other hand, felt quite rested and could catch up with the pictures and receipts I've been doing every day.

Now we have three days left - around 145 kilometers each day for the next two days, and then the grand finale of 180 kilometers from El Centro to San Diego. I'm still trying to convince Dirk that we do that last stretch in one day, although they're predicting very high temperatures for Wednesday when we should get there - a heat wave.

For now, we had a very good Italian meal this evening - pasta for me and a salad with chicken for Dirk. We'll be up by four o'clock, trying to eat soon after five and leave after we've eaten - the third-to-last day.

Day 31 - 18 August 2025: Gila Bend to Wellton (Arizona)

141 kilometers (3,909 km total) | 20.0 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 6 minutes (216:12 total) | Climb: 356 meters (17,922m total)

Day 31 from Gila Bend to Welton, Arizona, 142 kilometers. We started with our routine of getting up at four and had a light breakfast, which the hotel kindly organized for us at 5 AM. By 5:30 we were on the bikes as usual.

The early mornings are nice and cool, and we made good headway along the interstate, traveling at over 20 kilometers per hour. I was excited about the day - I love Arizona - knowing that we'll be in El Centro tomorrow night and then just one more day to complete our trans-America bike tour.

For the first time in a couple of days, Dirk had no punctures, which was a real blessing. It was a really uneventful day. The last two hours were extremely hot again, with the wind and air coming up from the tarmac burning our faces. But we arrived at the hotel around 3 PM, which is always a good time to organize the next day. I booked the hotel for tomorrow evening in El Centro in advance.

We had pizza at a pizza restaurant this evening and went to bed early.

Day 32 - 19 August 2025: Wellton to El Centro (California) 

151 kilometers (4,060 km total) | 20.4 km per hour | Time: 7 hours 24 minutes (223:36 total) | Climb: 514 meters (18,436m total)

Day 32, the second-to-last day, cycling from Welton, Arizona to El Centro, California - 151 kilometers. We expected a fairly good day, as it was mainly downhill, but there are always surprises.

On the east side of Yuma, we climbed through mountains - the only place I can clearly remember, as the mountain and rock formations are just so beautiful. Then down into Yuma, which was at 50 kilometers. I was looking for a gas station, but before I realized it, we were through Yuma. Dirk was also a little upset that we didn't stop, so our first stop was really at 65 kilometers at the first gas station we could find.

But then the problems started. In California, we're not allowed on the interstate, and we had to take different routes, although there were clear signs where bicycles should go and then be allowed back on the interstate. It was slowly getting hotter and hotter, as there's a heat wave in this area at the moment.

The last two hours were really challenging. We followed Komoot, which took us off the recommended bicycle trail onto a very bumpy road that really hurt my hands and added about six or seven kilometers to the distance. We got back onto the regular road, although by now it was over 50 degrees.

For some reason, I expected California would be a breeze, but it turned out to be, after northern Florida, one of the hottest days. It felt like oven heat coming off the tarmac into our faces. At some point, I just had to stop under a tree to gather myself and cool down a little. We were only about 10 kilometers from the hotel, and at five kilometers, we found a gas station where we spent considerable time filling up with fluids and standing in the air conditioning to cool down.

Then came the last bit to the hotel, which was a really nice hotel, although it was the only hotel where the guy at reception had a problem signing the form for our Guinness World Record attempt. But I was persistent and convinced him. He wouldn't write his name down, but I took his card and will write his name later.

We then went to a gas station across the parking lot, found enough water and cold drinks and ice, and had a very good meal at Sizzlers - salad and steak. Tomorrow is the big push, which Dirk has agreed to by now. We plan to wake up at three and leave at four, and hopefully by around nine o'clock, we'll be over the mountain and then downhill toward San Diego.

Day 33 - 20 August 2025: El Centro to San Diego (California)

194 kilometers (4,254 km total) | 14.4 km per hour | Time: 13 hours 28 minutes (237:04 total) | Climb: 2,449 meters (20,885m total)

Day 33 and the end of the trans-USA bike ride - the last day from El Centro to San Diego. We got up at 3 AM and were on the bike by 4:08 AM. We tried to leave as early as possible, knowing we had a massive climb most of the morning and wanting to reach the top before the heat wave struck us.

The first 40 kilometers were planned off the interstate, but it turned out to be an extremely bumpy road with very poor surface. Toward the last 20 kilometers, the road was under construction and we had to get onto the interstate, which made it much easier. This was a very gentle climb for another 20 kilometers, and then the real climb started.

By 1,000 feet, Dirk said, "Oh, we've done 1,000 feet already." I said, "Well, it doesn't mean much because we've got over 4,000 feet to climb." It turned out we climbed until 10 AM - slowly but steadily between 5-6 degrees, sometimes 7-8 degrees. The total climb at an average of 5 degrees was from 4 AM until 10 AM, six hours until we reached the summit.

But to our dismay, it was only briefly downhill, then a second climb, and then we started going downhill. By now, there were clear signs that cyclists weren't allowed on the interstate, but I at least wanted to use some of the advantage of going down on a smooth surface road, so we tried to stay on it as long as possible.

We could go down for a fair amount before we heard the highway patrol behind us, stopping us and telling us we weren't allowed on the interstate and had to get off. The officer was reasonable and friendly. We were close to the next turnoff and hoped for a gas station, as it was getting very hot around 11 AM, but to no avail.

We carried on on the old Highway 80, close to the interstate - not so great, with smaller ups and downs. We started running out of water and getting very thirsty. The sun was also now getting very hot. Eventually, Dirk started waving cars down while I sat under some shade, drinking close to our last bit of water. Some workers in their vehicles stopped and offered us 4-5 bottles of fairly cool water, which was absolutely fantastic.

We went further, and with every climb, it seemed never to stop, and time was ticking. We hoped to be in San Diego at the International Airport by about 4 PM initially, then it became seven, and soon I realized and told Dirk we wouldn't be there before nine, as the day was going very slowly.

Eventually, we stopped at Pine Valley, halfway down the mountain, and had a fantastic sandwich with very friendly people and a cross hanging in their shop. They were very interested in what we were doing, and we spent about half an hour there, letting Jim know we wouldn't be at the airport before 9 PM.

We were still about 1,000 meters above sea level and knew it was now just downhill, but we would go down for a couple of kilometers, then another climb, then down and another climb, down and another climb! It felt like these climbs would never stop, but eventually we were on the outskirts of San Diego and made our last stop of the tour at a gas station, filling up with fluids and having a slushie.

We started cycling as it was getting dark, putting on our reflective jackets and lights. I let Jim know it would be closer to 9:45 PM before we'd be at the San Diego airport. We kept cycling through the city - traffic lights taking forever to turn green - but we enjoyed the cool air. Even in the city, every now and then, there was another climb.

Eventually we arrived at San Diego International Airport and found Jim waiting for us. To our big surprise, as he'd mentioned before, he really had come with his bike and wanted to cycle us back to his home! I felt we could do it physically but not mentally - this was the end of our trip!

Neither Dirk nor I had any strength left. I asked him how far it was and if there were any climbs. He said about 10 kilometers, which turned out to be 15 kilometers with quite a few climbs. We told him it just wasn't going to happen. He then phoned his wife to get the vehicle. We waited about 20 minutes, and she arrived. We got all our equipment and the two bikes in and onto the vehicle and off to their home.

As we parked there, we saw the two bike boxes and were really delighted to see them for our flight back home. Jim bought some burritos for us, but I just couldn't eat - I was too tired and felt I'd had enough Mexican food for a long time. By 1 AM we were in bed. I thought we'd sleep late, but I was awake by 6 AM.

San Diego - 21 August 2025 and Amsterdam - 22 August 2025

We got up and had a very nice breakfast - eggs and bacon and even some boerewors from South Africa. Then we had a relaxing morning. Jim took us to the beach, and I had my first swim in the Pacific Ocean. We spent about an hour and a half there, then returned home to box our bikes and get our luggage ready.

We left around 6 PM to Old Town San Diego for dinner at a Mexican restaurant with live music, which was absolutely fantastic - a very good restaurant. We'd eaten nothing the whole day, so I was hungry by now and enjoyed the meal. We returned home, had some sleep, and got up at four. We put the two bike boxes on the roof of the car and off to the airport, arriving around 5:15 AM.

We checked in without problems, though Dirk was way overweight and had to pay an extra $200, which really upset him. But he was six kilograms overweight, so that was to be expected. We got through to the business lounge, where I could take him as a guest. We left at eight o'clock, flying to Minneapolis, where we had about an hour and a half, again in the business lounge.

From there we rushed to our gate, and I passed through as the last person boarding the flight. Dirk was still behind me when they called me back and said Dirk was actually not on this flight but on another flight. He'd never checked his ticket, but fortunately it was an hour later, so he had good time to get to his gate.

After another eight-hour flight following the four-and-a-half-hour flight from San Diego to Minneapolis, we landed in Amsterdam at six o'clock in the morning. I collected my bike and luggage and assembled my bike in the arrival hall, which took about half an hour. I cycled away from the airport around 7 AM, forgetting to buy internet time.

As I left, I realized I had no internet, though my route home was already on Google Maps, and I just had to follow it exactly. My cell phone holder had broken the day before, so I had to hold it in my hand, which was really uncomfortable. I was on a bus lane for the first kilometer or so because I couldn't find the bike lane and was stopped by police - the bike lane was actually just next to me. They were quite friendly but strict.

I then cycled home, hoping my cell phone power would last and that Google Maps wouldn't reset, because I had no internet. It happened that just as Google Maps reset and I had no further indication where to go, I was at the top point of Vondelpark, which I could recognize, and then knew my way home. I arrived at eight o'clock, very happy to be home.

My Impressions of the United States of America

 

As we travelled through the country of the first 5 states of the USA by bike, I often felt like saying: I wish someone would just clean up America.

Everywhere we went there were old cars — wrecks left in people’s yards or gathered in groups, with weeds growing through them. It was surprising that nobody reuses this metal, but instead just leaves the cars to rust away year after year.

We also saw so many abandoned houses and businesses, totally neglected and falling apart. In some towns we cycled through, there were more closed and broken-down buildings than functioning ones. In one particular town, I saw only a single person. It felt like cycling through a ghost town.

There were so many pieces of tire debris on the shoulders of the road where cyclists had to travel, requiring us to remain vigilant all the time. This abundance of pieces of tyre caused frequent punctures for Dirk, due to the small pieces of sharp steel wire from the torn tyres. On two occasions, we witnessed tyres bursting nearby as we cycled, accompanied by and loud bang and significant dust clouds rising from the tarmac.

In other places, I often thought of the contrast: rich cars, poor houses. A house might look completely neglected, giving the impression that poor people lived there, but parked outside would be a shiny SUV or truck. This pattern of poor houses and expensive cars was striking and very common.

Then there were the strange rules. For example, whenever Dirk bought a beer, he was asked his age. At nearly 70 years old, it was obvious that he was over 21, yet the shop assistants were required to ask. It felt like a rule followed without any logic, but still strictly enforced. And arriving at the hotels on our bikes, hot and tired and sweaty, in cycling clothes, ‘Do you have a pet with you?’ !!! The law is to ask, and logic flies out the window.

On the positive side, the people were very friendly, both in the towns and on the road. Still, in some areas we had many close shaves, with big trucks passing dangerously close to us as we cycled.

The greatest challenge, however, was the heat. It was the most exhausting I have ever experienced in my life. Every day the temperature on the road was between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius. We got into the routine of waking at 4 a.m. and trying to be on our bikes by 5 a.m. to avoid the worst of it. For the first few hours it was manageable, especially in the drier parts during the second half of our journey. But in northern Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana, the heat was almost unbearable. I honestly wondered at times if we would be able to finish the journey, with more than 30 days still ahead.

But God gave us determination and endurance. We took one day at a time. We usually reached our hotel between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, first sitting down with a cold drink, then showering. After that we planned the next day — checking the distance, finding and booking accommodation. By 5 p.m. we were looking for supper, either in a restaurant or, more simply, by buying food at a grocery store.

By 7 p.m. we aimed to be in bed. Dirk would fall asleep almost immediately. I still had to sort out receipts, record the day’s story, and have my quiet time, so I usually got to sleep around 9 p.m. That meant only about six and a half to seven hours of rest, which was not enough and added to the exhaustion. Toward the last week we became more organized, and I was able to get to bed by 8 p.m. This helped, though the heat was still extreme — so dry that sometimes I couldn’t even speak until I had taken a few sips of water. My lips cracked constantly, and we had to use lip balm every day.

This journey was without doubt one of the most physically and mentally exhausting experiences of my life. Yet I am deeply grateful that we completed it successfully. All glory to God. He protected us on the long roads, through dangerous areas, and especially in the heavy traffic. He also provided the right people at the right time — someone to fix my bike outside Tallahassee, someone else to get me a new tire in Tucson, and people to organize boxes before we arrived in San Diego. And took us early morning to the airport. He sent help when we needed it.

We are truly thankful for God’s guidance and His clear hand of provision throughout this journey.