HERE’S AN UPDATE on this coast to coast bicycle ride across America to raise funds for Bell which runs the family homeless shelter in York, PA:

I just crossed the Mississippi River and am now riding through Arkansas towards the Texas panhandle. I’ve traveled 1,829 miles so far through 11 states (NJ, DE, MD, PA, WV, VA, NC, SC, GA, AL, MS). 1,771 miles (5 states) to go before I reach Los Angeles.

So many interesting things have happened in the last few weeks. Here are just a few examples:

– I recently stayed in the most peaceful campground deep in the Mississippi petrified forest. My campsite was next to an old railroad caboose covered in moss. 36 million years ago, giant redwood trees washed there to that spot from half way across continent. They got caught in a log jam there in that Mississippi forest and, over millions of years, they turned to stone.

– When I passed through the town of Newton, Mississippi, two retired school teachers, Andy and Dottie put me up for the night in their delightful little guest cottage. Andy rode his bicycle coast to coast across the United States 20 years ago and helped me map out an improved route from Mississippi to Los Angeles that includes some travel on the legendary Rt. 66. I felt so lucky to have bumped into this lovely couple.

– Prior to that, I stayed in the middle of nowhere in wonderful little campground in Chunky, Mississippi with a trains running four times a night 50 yards from my campsite. The folks who run that campground were so kind. The day after I stayed in their campground, they actually came and had a fried chicken dinner with me in the next town.

🚴🏼‍♂️This bicycle journey has been so HEARTENING.

– At one point on my trip, there were no campgrounds nearby so I stayed in an inexpensive little motel (the kind of place Elvis might have stayed BEFORE he got famous). The fellow at the front desk said he was from India. When he saw my safety vest that says “Coast to Coast Bicycle Ride”, he donated $11 to Bell Socialization. Incredible. A fellow from India who was working in Mississippi was donating to the family homeless shelter in my hometown of York, PA.

– A few days prior to that, a fellow who delivers welding supplies near Meridian, Mississippi donated $100 to Bell.

– Recently a tug boat captain who guides ships into port in New York City donated $100 to Bell. Shortly before that, a retired schoolteacher in Mississippi donated $100 to Bell.

– A while back a man at a convenience store in North Carolina in an old car who saw “coast to coast bicycle ride” on my vest told me he had once been homeless years ago and he donated $5 to Bell.

– I was looking out over the Shenandoah Valley at an overlook spot and a couple from Virginia who noticed my vest donated $100 to Bell.

There are dozens of people from all over the east coast and the south who have donated to Bell to help the homeless in York, Pennsylvania. Amazing kindness.

Thanks to the generosity of so many folks in York County and across the nation, we’ve raised $16,470 so far for Bell Socialization through this solo coast to coast bicycle fundraiser ride. And there are still 5 states to go!

All donations go straight from GoFundMe to Bell and are tax deductible. Here’s is the direct link to the GoFundMe campaign for this cross country bicycle ride to raise funds for Bell: https://gofund.me/55b78754

Cheers! 😊

http://www.thisclearbluesky.com #COASTtoCOASTbicycleride