The Journey is More Important Than the Destination

[Brian Elliott]

After 2 months and 250 hours of riding my bicycle beginning in Long Beach, CA and finishing the trip with a 143 mile ride starting in Baltimore, MD, I finally arrived at the Atlantic Ocean in Cape Henlopen, DE where we took our bikes into the ocean for a fantastic celebration! I rode 3,573 miles across 10 states, by beautiful beaces in CA, through 115 degree deserts in AZ, over 8,000+ ft high mountains, around dead mountain lions, possums, squirrels, moles, and other various roadkill, across loooooong stretches of open road in New Mexico (with the most beautiful sunsets ever), on wrong turns ending us up at the border of Mexico, through tumbleweeds in West Texas and the beautiful Piney Woods of East Texas, past petting zoos, cherry farms, and a wooden wagon pulled by a donkey, across horribly bumpy and cracked roads in the rural country areas of Arkansas, by masses of porch swings and kiddie pools, over wondrous rolling hills, through a quick but pretty trip across Mississippi, around beautiful lakes and over super long bridges in Tennessee, through week long torrential downpours in some of the prettiest parts of the country (that we could barely see) in Tennessee and Virginia, through many wonderfully small and quaint towns (one even had a two-story sidewalk), across a 2-mile bridge in Maryland (that apparently cyclists aren't supposed to ride on), down the coastal side of Delaware with beautiful trees and beaches everywhere you look, and finally into the most refreshing ocean ever known to man (or at least the Ride:Well Team).

It was truly a life-changing experience. I know now (or am re-assured) that I can do anything (that is in God's will) with the strength he gives me and not on my own (Phil. 4:13). It was a real blessing do be a part of the Ride:Well 09 Team and be able to give of myself to help those in Africa. I have grown a real love for the citizens of Marsabit, Kenya. I really love the simple life on the road. I realized how much stuff I have that I don't really need. I have stuff I haven't touched in years and people in Kenya don't even have clean water to drink. I also realized that God wants to use our passions and talents to glorify Him. That's why he gave them to us, after all. So, now I am excited because I know that God will bring me a career that I love (probably with fitness and nutrition and helping people) and that will be my mission field. I don't know where in this world He will take me, but I'm excited about it. I learned lots of other things as well, but that would take too long to write on here. I just hope I never forget the things I learned or the people I met on this trip. I pray that many lives across the US, in Africa, and on our team are changed forever, both for the time we are alive on Earth and for eternity. I hope that people were able to see God's love through our words and our actions.

Many thanks to everyone who supported me, the Ride:Well Team, and Blood:Water Mission! You have made an impact on many people's lives (including mine) through your prayers and financial support. Push on!

Remember, One Dollar Provides Clean Water for One African for One YEAR!!!

Time for a smoothie....

[Jesse Olson]

Brian, your so cool.

[Lani Bruce]

love it Brian. So thankful we met you and hope our paths will cross again. You'll always have a "host home" in Nashville and if you let us know you're coming, we'll have blueberries ready! Stand firm on the rich truth you've learned! :)