Ride Well 09 - A bunch of World Changers

[Jesse Olson]

Andy Black must have discovered this old picture in the Venture archives I haven't seen it for years.

The above picture was of Aaron Smith, Mike dobblemann, and me at the Atlantic Ocean at the end of east bound road. Ventures 1st Bike tour... Seattle to New York City. Completed in Aug. 2002 Mantauk Point outside Mantauk, NY.
This was a day I had dreamed of many times during our 8 weeks on the bike. I expected reaching this destination to be one of the climatic points of my 23yrs so far. Maybe a feeling of great emotion and pride because of completing a task that at times seemed so impossible.

The picture honestly looks to me more amazing than what I felt at the time. I was actually a bit disappointed. There where these enormous loud flies that that kept biting the 3 of us. I remember trying to pray. Saying "Thank You Lord for.....Ahhhhhh" smack Smack, having to cut my moment short because of the chunks of flesh I was losing to ungodly biting flies.

This was for me a realization that God is in the journey. Ever since this day I've tried to not be so destination driven. Rather to search for God in each moment. To not wait for a time in the future to do what I'm called too. I've only got now. I don't know what the next moment will bring. Its usually different that what I think it will be.

Ride Well 09. Your making history. Your changing the world.

You'll never be the same. Now you know that you can do anything....

[Hannah Bechtel]

great thoughts! the ride and the team are so inspiring.

[Venture Expeditions]

Jesse, I had to change the title a bit since I featured it on the front page...

[Josh Iniguez]

True Dat!! Remember that this tour, life, and faith in general isn't about the destination, but about the life you live as you make your way there. God is in every moment of this tour, and it's an amazing thing to learn to dwell with Him in every moment.