tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24877007782319409402024-03-04T21:53:34.415-08:00Refuge Ridekelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-78177521738954351842013-10-14T22:15:00.000-07:002013-10-15T22:47:49.578-07:00Stats and StrainsDuring our training in Minneapolis prior to starting the Refuge Ride, we noticed a theme of road side debris that surprised us: gloves! Who knew there were so many random, mostly single gloves strewn on the sides of roads?! We decided to track the number we saw along our journey, which often was a nice distraction during difficult or monotonous days. Total gloves we saw during the 97 days: 822! Other road side items of interest included: 1 ironing board, 1 unopened bag of marshmallows, 5 fly swatters, countless bottles of urine and enough clothing to supply a thrift store.<br />
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It has been an amazing journey! Highlights included meeting Ethel in Georgia on day 4 who continues to call and pray for us, meeting our guardian angel life saver Roy in Kansas on day 53, seeing the smiles on peoples faces as we rode by, attentive cows, enjoying a wide variety of scenery at 10 mph, the encouragement we received from family and friends, and the incredible generosity of restaurants, stores and hotels. Out of 97 nights we only paid for lodging 4 times!<br />
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The best part of our journey was interacting with people who got it. They would hear what we were doing and without hesitation would dig deep and give generously for the refugees. We noticed that those who would give like that were ones who did not necessarily appear super well-to-do. Often it seemed they might relate to what it is like to go without and be in need. In contrast, many people who would drive up in fancy cars and looked more put together would take our picture, excited, impressed and entertained, but all they would leave us with was a stinging, "Best of luck."<br />
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Besides uncaring people, the biggest struggle we encountered was wind. It didn't affect us often, but 3 days riding in 30-40 mph crosswinds in Kansas definitely topped our "bad day" chart! Other challenges included uncomfortable unicycle seats, the camber or angle of the road which caused us to lean the opposite way to stay on the unicycle and really strained our bodies, cold weather out west, snakes on the road and trail, spiders and webs across the road, and lack of sleep. We were most surprised by a lack of personnel and organizational support, and the general public's ignorance about how to function normally when unicycles are around.<br />
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Katie found strength during tough rides by mentally quoting Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." And He was with us! Every pedal of the way without a doubt! He is with Syrian refugees, too and we pray this Refuge Ride will help them know His love in tangible ways! <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://unishow.org/#/refuge-ride/donate" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">http://unishow.org/#/refuge-ride/donate</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roy from Bird City Kansas escorting us on narrow windy roads.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cows were sometimes our biggest fans.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many hotels that generously donated rooms for us. Thanks to all!</td></tr>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-87131249213810251252013-10-14T20:58:00.001-07:002018-11-07T23:20:37.208-08:00One Day At A TimeHow can one sum up 97 intense days crossing an entire country 3,511 miles wide, traveling 10 miles an hour on one wheel? Quite hard to do but here is round one...<br />
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When we started out on this journey we honestly didn't know if it was possible and if we'd even make it more than two weeks. The extent of Katie's prior cycling experience was riding her 3 speed antique Raleigh bicycle with a basket on front to the grocery store or the State Fair on occasion. Dustin, on the other hand, with 31 years of previous cycling experience has nearly worn out his knees. Three knee surgeries over the years has forced him to really baby them. Thus, we prayed, planned and prepared as much as we could and set out, taking one day at a time. <br />
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Yes, one day at a time is what got us through! 97 days later, on October 9, 2013, Katie became the second female and we the first couple to cover this distance and cross the entire United States on unicycles!<br />
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On tough days we would remember the struggle the refugees experience and pray for their needs. It really helped keep things in perspective. We chose to take on this challenge of riding unicycles across country and knew it would not be a cake walk. We prepared and had the best equipment available for such a journey. Even our most difficult day was far better than what the refugees experience on their best day. We had a roof over our heads every night, more than enough food each day, loved ones in contact with us cheering us on from near and far. <br />
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Displaced Syrians did not chose their circumstances. Many are in hiding or waiting at borders for a chance to flee or at best are sleeping in crowded tents. They are tired, hungry, thirsty, afraid and in great danger. They could not prepare for this crisis and many have fled with only the clothes on their backs. They have lost loved ones in indescribable ways or have not heard from family and friends in a long time. <br />
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And so, we pressed on, one day at a time! Our ride is over but the need is greater than ever. Please continue supporting Syrian refugees in any way you can! <a href="http://unishow.org/#/refuge-ride/donate">http://unishow.org/#/refuge-ride/donate</a><br />
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-14159015071587201272013-10-08T22:25:00.000-07:002013-10-08T22:25:08.888-07:00Be Prepared...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dustin carries extra gear in a bright blue dry bag that goes on his front unicycle rack. He cinches it down with three straps so it doesn't rub the inside of his knees as he rides.</div>
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That bag contains the following:</div>
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- Four port USB charger</div>
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- Cables to charge GoPro, GPS and phones</div>
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- Flip flops</div>
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- Extra water reservoir to carry water if need be</div>
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- Extra bearings</div>
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- Lock and cable</div>
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- Emergency bivy sacks (extremely small, lightweight, waterproof sleeping bag)</div>
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- Life Straw (water filter)</div>
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- Tarp</div>
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- Microfiber washcloth</div>
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- Rope</div>
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- Eye mask</div>
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- Earplugs</div>
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- Sea To Summit silk sleep liner with pillow insert (this brings much peace of mind/comfort when sleeping in sketchy beds)</div>
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- 10,000 mha back up battery and cables for phones and GPS</div>
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- Headphone case with phone headset and 16 gb flash drive and USB SD/MicroSD card reader</div>
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- Back-up Micro USB cable</div>
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- Back-up USB charger</div>
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- GoPro wireless remote charging cable</div>
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<br />kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-86053298894852426142013-10-04T20:56:00.000-07:002013-10-04T20:56:21.307-07:00The Burden We Carry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJwYnaB3up3PfnrzvYATpSDbE7lKXW2AptCfIJSeDazq2S4sTEL6jO-dqOmC32j95sVcOuJJ6LY-VYlIBKEnO8ezI-rT0IUTkZJJ3D6WIR17EPInVXZm4QB-4uGoNQecDYoo7zwJ4Z_TS/s1600/20131003_210353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJwYnaB3up3PfnrzvYATpSDbE7lKXW2AptCfIJSeDazq2S4sTEL6jO-dqOmC32j95sVcOuJJ6LY-VYlIBKEnO8ezI-rT0IUTkZJJ3D6WIR17EPInVXZm4QB-4uGoNQecDYoo7zwJ4Z_TS/s320/20131003_210353.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pack with water reservoir.</td></tr>
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We each travel with really nice Gregory back packs that hold 3 liter water reservoirs. A hose attaches to the reservoir that comes over our shoulder, connects to the shoulder strap and a nifty bite valve makes it easy to drink constantly.<br />
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Along with the contents listed below, our packs hold layers for various temperatures. Arm and leg warmers, 2 different jackets and a variety of gloves are either being worn or stowed in our packs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dustin's pack contents.</td></tr>
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Along with water, Dustin's Gregory Miwok 22 pack contains the following:</div>
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-Sunglasses and case</div>
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-Cleaning cloths</div>
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-Baggie with ID, GoPro battery, extra micro SD cards for GoPro</div>
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-Food bag with bars, fruit, energy and fruit chew, jerky and peanut butter for dark chocolate (most of this is consumed by the end of the day)</div>
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-Cycling hat</div>
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-Rubber bands</div>
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-Halt! dog spray</div>
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-Chamois cream</div>
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-Respro Hump backpack rain cover</div>
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-Tripod</div>
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-Spare flashlight batteries</div>
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-Phone with waterproof case</div>
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-Swiss Army knife with pen</div>
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-Chapstick</div>
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-GoPro remote</div>
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-Safety pins</div>
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-Tire pressure gauge</div>
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-Multi tool</div>
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-Sanitizing hand wipes</div>
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-TP<br />
-10 lumen mini flashlight</div>
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-Fenix 120 lumen compact flashlight</div>
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-Refuge Ride mini cards</div>
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-First aid supplies</div>
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-Zip ties</div>
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-Emergency headlight handlebar mounts for the compact flashlights</div>
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-Bag with tools and lighter</div>
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Katie's Gregory Maya 18 pack contains:</div>
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-Phone in waterproof sleeve</div>
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-TP</div>
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-Bandaids</div>
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-Wet wipes</div>
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-Encouraging verse from friend</div>
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-Pen</div>
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-Sewing kit</div>
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-Hello Kitty wallet<br />
-10 lumen mini flashlight</div>
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-Fenix 120 lumen compact flashlight</div>
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-Pink Swiss Army knife</div>
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-Food bag</div>
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-<a href="http://www.thepstyle.com/" target="_blank">pStyle</a> - the most amazing invention for women to stand up and pee with ease!</div>
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-Sunglasses, case and cleaning cloth</div>
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-Blistex with sunscreen</div>
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-Refuge Ride cards</div>
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-Chamois cream</div>
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-Respro Hump rain pack cover </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgife-i4fAKm8l4KQE7OeYC8bS1BUQznDSlKIGFtmvhPhS-L9VlUpaWvcsOMeJ3GC63ap11aBFLo2Lmq6By3T6QPsyK229TJxAySQgeklwmfZCXA4_Nvv0K3VUq_PDv-qa4raO0v6knQ-6f/s1600/20131003_205658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgife-i4fAKm8l4KQE7OeYC8bS1BUQznDSlKIGFtmvhPhS-L9VlUpaWvcsOMeJ3GC63ap11aBFLo2Lmq6By3T6QPsyK229TJxAySQgeklwmfZCXA4_Nvv0K3VUq_PDv-qa4raO0v6knQ-6f/s320/20131003_205658.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie's pack contents.</td></tr>
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<br />kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-50485002809920858512013-10-03T22:44:00.003-07:002013-10-03T22:44:25.902-07:00As Typical As A Day Gets On The Refuge Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you are interested in what a typical day on the Refuge Ride looks like then read on. </div>
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We get up at 6a, pack our belongings and put on riding clothes that hopefully dried from hand washing the night before. Away goes our clothes line which is our emergency rope strung around the legs of an inverted ironing board or whatever is available in the room. We fill our water packs with 1 to 3 litres of water and sometimes ice, depending on weather, number of services we will see on our route and distance between. </div>
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At breakfast we load up on as much hearty food as is provided and our stomachs can handle, usually eggs, sausage, yogurt, waffles, milk, oj, bananas and the like. If available we take fruit, bagels and cream cheese for lunch down the road. We refill our food bags with granola bars, jerky, fruit snacks, energy chews and most importantly, dark chocolate.</div>
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We'll check out at the front desk of the hotel and thank them for donating a room, hand out cards and answer questions about the Refuge Ride project to inquisitive people in the lobby or outside the hotel and on a good day, receive some donations. After stretching and praying and either putting on sunscreen and sunglasses or hat, gloves and jackets, we fasten on our helmets and back packs, turn on the GoPro and off we go on day #?? of the Refuge Ride!</div>
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Every 5 miles or so we'll take a short break to stretch, rearrange layers of clothing once we warm up if need be and every other stop eat something. Often we'll ride up to a car that has passed us, pulled over and someone is taking pictures or video of us riding up. We'll hold hands and pose in front of them on our unis, give them a card and tell them why we are doing such an insane journey. We tell them we do pictures for donations for Syrian refugees. </div>
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On we ride, over the river, through the woods, up and down the hills and across the country. We are constantly watching traffic approaching in our little helmet mirrors and jump off our unis if we see vehicles crossing the line into the shoulder behind us if there is one, or jump off if there is little shoulder and we see 2 semis or motorhomes about to converge next to us. When semis pass us we brace for the wall of wind they bring. We get lots of honks, waves and thumbs up from passerbys who may have seen us on the news, heard us on the radio or are just excited to see weirdos cruising along the highway on one wheel. And there are always the cows that continue to bring us such encouragement with their undivided attention. </div>
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If we come upon a gas station (or coffee shop!) we'll stop in and refill our water packs if need be, often receiving donated power drinks (or decaf mochas!) from kind employees. With our unis parked in front we inevitably get into conversation with people about the crazy big unis and what we are doing on them. Katie will take advantage of breaks along the way to do a bit of business and call hotels to secure donations for sleeps down the road.</div>
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We always give a "Hallelujah!" when we arrive at our destination for the day. Before even entering we take pictures of the hotel or lodging and inspect our tires, removing rocks, glass, corn, thorns or whatever debris the tread may have picked up. This can save us from having a bad next morning. After checking in we settle in, immediately shower then <span style="background-color: white;">wash all our sweaty riding clothes in the sink. Usually we'll use up a small bar of soap during the clothes washing process. We never take for granted the blessing of running water! After ringing out our wet clothes we lay them out on a towel, roll them up and twist the towel (a trick we learned from Dustin's mom). It always amazes us how much water the towel soaks up which greatly speeds up the drying process. We then </span><span style="background-color: white;">hang up the clothes on the makeshift clothes line.</span></div>
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Each day we receive an email or call from Katie's wonderful dad telling us who has donated dinner for us that evening. Though bleary eyed, we eat a hearty dinner, take pictures of the fine and generous establishment and whole-heartedly thank the powers that be who have contributed to the Refuge Ride through their donation.</div>
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Back at the hotel, Katie inputs stats and journals about the day while Dustin adjusts and reviews the route for the next day and posts a Facebook update for the next morning. We usually fall asleep working on our evening tasks but manage to finish before turning in after midnight to sleep for 5-6 hours before getting up to start over again. </div>
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There you have it. One day at a time with the support, prayers and contributions of many, we're making this cross country trek to bring hope and help to Syrian refugees a reality!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another inquisitive passer by.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEdL460RNyCFjEW3vWZe2ZRbXcwOqvqLD8l0SftqHMEzsi3tCkEhR_rxEIwPXV8fex3xwf1dmMAbyotsvp5pnHy7SPS9Ih4KmgQN_v3kcsPhY-2D_4Rr8gZknoGjyU49L2w-cn_h5MsFQ/s1600/2013-08-20+18.47.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEdL460RNyCFjEW3vWZe2ZRbXcwOqvqLD8l0SftqHMEzsi3tCkEhR_rxEIwPXV8fex3xwf1dmMAbyotsvp5pnHy7SPS9Ih4KmgQN_v3kcsPhY-2D_4Rr8gZknoGjyU49L2w-cn_h5MsFQ/s320/2013-08-20+18.47.35.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry is done and wrung out. Getting ready for a roll and twist in a towel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxYZW05Z-pIZhDAt_uHzTusXO1XzUK5w0JqnlCRUaKYCqXhawMV2hShXt9ha7DISxLPdguE182kfAKBFxvFzC2J-AWaPPuwIVHIZD3EhWyZyL1LuuhgCy8Y9lutUFa8nR_q9qwQFlmMdo/s1600/2013-08-20+18.49.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxYZW05Z-pIZhDAt_uHzTusXO1XzUK5w0JqnlCRUaKYCqXhawMV2hShXt9ha7DISxLPdguE182kfAKBFxvFzC2J-AWaPPuwIVHIZD3EhWyZyL1LuuhgCy8Y9lutUFa8nR_q9qwQFlmMdo/s320/2013-08-20+18.49.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twisting the laundry in a towel. Before learning this trick we often had wet clothes the next morning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrt4cM3-EvuRqIrH8oTx7-uf4V2zxhb8m6NQxLLBQ7kFo3v0veaCWgOcDkU9dyi04OgxaP_AK8y4-rn0-TkSpmCuOWUVb1XQecVoPUl3HUt8SByrvWKuAgEa5hMBhzFYhi5X7Ks6qFVpN/s1600/2013-06-29+18.29.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrt4cM3-EvuRqIrH8oTx7-uf4V2zxhb8m6NQxLLBQ7kFo3v0veaCWgOcDkU9dyi04OgxaP_AK8y4-rn0-TkSpmCuOWUVb1XQecVoPUl3HUt8SByrvWKuAgEa5hMBhzFYhi5X7Ks6qFVpN/s320/2013-06-29+18.29.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironing boards have more than one use.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tH8lw9j5k-PbUCAp1IU6-WzF3tjZIvQYQp2jMMa94EEzFUuytrZIfuoUCSUaBGYl2xBzkyW95EaG48WrU89bH-zPeXmJHqquQdZfuVywcvPoQ5gMfL0z5GIPvKA9hpUaYieth_rjEyxU/s1600/2013-07-01+05.26.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tH8lw9j5k-PbUCAp1IU6-WzF3tjZIvQYQp2jMMa94EEzFUuytrZIfuoUCSUaBGYl2xBzkyW95EaG48WrU89bH-zPeXmJHqquQdZfuVywcvPoQ5gMfL0z5GIPvKA9hpUaYieth_rjEyxU/s320/2013-07-01+05.26.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some nights we get to practice the limbo every time we need to leave the room.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Katie confirming another hotel donation along the road.</td></tr>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-47253787052893644072013-09-21T22:18:00.000-07:002013-09-22T06:56:17.855-07:00Ode to Buhl IdahoSome towns we can't wait to get out of. Some towns we don't want to leave. Iuka MS was one of those towns we would have loved to ride around all day, as was Wray CO and Buhl ID. Maybe it's the four letter towns that rise above their names. <br />
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We rolled into Buhl on day 77 and stopped at the Country Store. A cashier personally bought us jerky, insisting we get 2 packages. Eighty year old Willy was putting gas in his truck when we rode up and came inside the store to visit. Turns out he used to ride unicycle and had a brother-in-law who also rode, built unis and tried to start a unicycle club in Buhl back in the day.</div>
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On the hunt for a coffee shop, we were directed to Broadway Java, which is an amazing place! A sign on the cash register read, "Your God can move mountains", an inspirational verse was hand designed on each cup sleeve and great music was playing. Stepping in there was a much needed breath of fresh air. The owner not only made us the best salted carmel and Mexican mocha's known to man, but gave a huge donation to the refugees! Soon we were joined by Willy, his brother-in-law Greg, and a recent high school graduate Jacob, who had received a handmade unicycle from Greg and was now tearing up the roads and trails with it. We had a great visit with them. They called the local paper who sent a reporter to the coffee shop to interview us and take pictures before we left.</div>
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A few blocks down we got word that our support vehicle was catching up with us. We rendezvoused in Cloverleaf Creamery parking lot which turned out to be a delicious meeting point. Everyone going in and out of the shop talked to us and another reporter from the same paper came over and did a second interview. As we were finally wrapping up to leave, Dustin got into a conversation with the owner of the Creamery and we couldn't turn down her generous offer of "killer chocolate" ice cream in homemade waffle cones PLUS a half gallon of their fresh skim milk in an old fashioned hefty glass bottle! And enjoy we did! </div>
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Thanks Buhl for the encouraging response to the RefugeRide and for your support and prayers!</div>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-18464209103448847862013-09-18T13:07:00.001-07:002013-09-18T13:07:32.402-07:00Lava Hot Springs and Support Team!What a treat to have our route take us through Lava Hot Springs Idaho! We were blessed by a wonderful stay at the Serenity House which included beds, breakfast and road side assistance. The owner Jack lived just down the road and came by to meet us and bring us special bread. When our van wouldn't start the next morning he drove over to give a jump start to get us on our way. He also sent along delicious dried fruit and cookies he had made.<br />
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When we first arrived in Lava Hot Springs we met Mike and Darla walking their dog. Darla invited us to stop by Blue Moon Bar & Grill the next day for the best cheeseburgers around. She has worked there for 27 years and wasn't joking about making a mean bacon cheeseburger! Wow! As an avid cycler, runner and swimmer, she appreciated the challenge of unicycling across America. When we arrived at The Blue Moon she even gave us a bag full of energy gel, chews and bars! When Dustin brought his unis in to get a picture, another customer asked to see him get on. Dustin hopped on and rode around the bar for a little demo. Darla announced to everyone in there about the Refuge Ride and the need of Syrian refugees. Thanks Darla for blessing us along our journey!<br />
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Can't forget to mention that we were able to enjoy the actual hot springs in Lava Hot Springs! They had many pools varying in degrees from 112f to 102f. I don't think we made it past 105f degrees. Super relaxing and about zapped us of all energy for the night!<br />
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We are so thankful to have Dustin's mom and step-dad with us these days! It's been over 2 weeks now and we are still enjoying each others company. Many of their friends think they are out on vacation but we have really put them to work. Each day they drive us to where we left off the previous evening. They patiently wait for us to stretch, apply sunscreen and muster enough umph to get on our unis and head out for the day. They pray with us then off we go.<br />
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They drive our route for the day scouting out the roads and services along the way and report back to us their findings. On a few really cold and rainy days they have stopped with us every few miles to let us jump in the warm van for breaks. Heading up and down some long mountains with low visibility they have driven slowly behind us, with flashers flashing to ensure cars pass us with care. They drive ahead to our lodging for the night, check in, put our bags in our room, stock our fridge and set out snacks. We are getting spoiled! It is so encouraging to see their friendly faces throughout the day keeping us encouraged and laughing.<br />
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We get an email each day from Katie's dad telling us where we will eat dinner that night. He spends time calling restaurants each day finding places that will donate meals for us, helping cut costs and allow more money raised go to the refugees. Such a blessing to have dinner decisions taken care of! He has also been contacting media along the way, which has resulted in numerous radio, newspaper and<a href="http://www.localnews8.com/news/syrian-conflict-hits-home-for-minnesota-couple/-/308662/21942858/-/3rfwj2z/-/index.html" target="_blank"> TV spots</a>.<br />
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And we know there are countless more praying with us and sharing about this project and giving generously! For all this we are thankful! Keep it up team!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darla at the Blue Moon</td></tr>
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<br />kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-87562104229378061662013-09-12T09:21:00.001-07:002013-09-12T09:21:49.230-07:00Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...As we were riding on I80 into Rocks Springs WY things got exciting. Dustin took a tumble off his uni rolling <i>away </i>from traffic thankfully, resulting in some nice bruises. Then we jumped off our unis to avoid a semi crossing the white line into the shoulder behind us. Next a Wyoming Highway Patrol officer pulled up behind us. Officer Weitzel was super nice and just wanted to see how we were faring on the interstate and if we had enough food and water and how the ride was going. We met his brother back in Laramie and his brother had called to let him know we were coming and to keep an eye out for us. The officer said they kept getting calls from people saying, "There are two unicyclists on the interstate!" He would tell them, "Ya, OK..." As if, what's your point?! They thought they were turning us in but he and we knew it was perfectly legal for us to ride the interstate in WY. Crazy, but legal. <br />
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Riding from Little America to Kemerer WY the other day, a car passed with an Ohio plate that read EZ PHOTO. It stopped on the side of the road ahead. A guy got out and videoed and photographed us with various fancy electronics. Turns out Ed Zirkle is driving around America working on a documentary capturing the lives and stories of those he meets along the way. He happened to pass us that day and captured our story and that very night uploaded it to<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1034318" target="_blank"> CNN iReport</a>. <br />
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Thanks Wyoming for all the good times! At the border we stopped to take pictures by the "Welcome To Utah" sign. We met a guy from Boulder who had planned on parasailing in Utah off a mountain we could see in the distance. He said usually the winds come from the west which would have been perfect for his sail. However, he said there has been this weird storm system over the area lately causing the winds to come from the east! Sorry about your canceled parasail sir, but we believe God is shielding us and guiding our journey with favorable conditions overall! We continue to marvel at God's hand along our way.<br />
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<br />kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-14677101121768864682013-09-08T19:27:00.001-07:002013-09-08T19:27:23.085-07:00Wild Wild WestThe RefugeRide continues through Wyoming. We have seen countless prairie dogs scurrying from hole to hole and even encountered a big rattle snake taking up the highway shoulder right in front of us. Antelope seem to shimmer in the sunshine and deer walking right through town is the norm around here. We've seen rainbows several days lately as bright sunny blue skies and dark rain clouds comfortably share the great expanse above. The vast open spaces and high plains are beautiful and riding under the huge sky all day makes us realize how small we are, yet how big God is.<br /><br />We have had our first experience unicycling on the Interstate here in Wyoming. I 80 has been good to us. Though it's noisy with lots of semis rushing past at 75+ mph, the shoulder has been wide and smooth and we know we are getting lots of attention. Most professional truck drivers will move over to the left lane to pass us, while many motorhomes, U-Hauls and cars will not. Sinclair WY was on our I 80 route, home to Sinclair Oil Company, the West's most modern refinery. This was exciting to ride through since Katie's maiden name is Sinclair.<br /><br />As we were riding from toward Rock Springs on I 80 literally in the middle of nowhere, we rode up to a car broken down on the shoulder. Luis was on his way from Mexico to see his son in Salt Lake City UT when a belt broke on his Toyota Yaris. His phone was dead so he used our phone to call his roadside assistance. He had limited English so we wrote out what mile marker he was at and how far he was from the next town. He wasn't having much luck with them since they kept thinking he was in Michigan then said they would send a tow truck from Kearney Nebraska for $600. We got Katie's dad on the line a few times to help us communicate with Luis since he knows Spanish. At several points Luis had both our phones to his ears, on hold with the insurance company on one side and talking to Katie's dad on the other. We waited an hour and half with Luis until a tow truck finally came. It was surprising to us that in that whole time, no one else stopped to see if we needed help. Luis said maybe this happened so we could all meet.<br /><br />We are very reliant on our little rear view mirrors that stick out from our helmets. They help us see what is coming up from behind and Dustin will stick out his bright yellow glove if it looks like someone isn't moving over. We are so used to those mirrors that often in the evening, when we are walking to dinner or a store, we have both found ourselves looking up to where the mirror usually is to see if a bike or car is coming up behind us. Silly us!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-9309514527365068322013-09-05T23:39:00.000-07:002013-09-06T05:51:03.268-07:00Colorado RecapWe've gone over 2,300 miles now and are still going strong! About 1,000 to go and almost feel like we are on the home stretch. We know there are still many adventures on the road ahead so keep on rolling with us!<br />
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We had some great times in Colorado! The flat eastern side of the state was enjoyable with massive cattle feed lots and endless farm fields. We even got to meet Nolan Stone, General Manager of the Five Rivers Cattle Feeding in Kersey, home to 80,000 cattle. He heard we were riding by and drove out to the entrance to take a picture.</div>
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As we were eating breakfast at the amazing Doc's Bed and Breakfast in Wray we saw a guy ride by on his unicycle. We were very excited since this is the first uni rider we've sighted on the Refuge Ride so far. Lance is Wray's resident unicyclist and it was neat to meet up again with him, his wife and 2 kids that evening for dinner. </div>
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In Wray we also met a neat couple, Dick and Marty. Dick is still an avid cyclist and he and his daughter used to ride lots together. They gave us contact info for their daughter who owns a great pizza place in Greeley. When we got to Greeley we looked up Tracy at Fonta's Pizza and she and her husband Troy graciously personally delivered an amazing calzone dinner to us at our hotel. Such a tasty blessing and fun connection! </div>
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Katie celebrated her birthday on the 31st en route from Greeley to Fort Collins. It was a treat to ride part of the way on the Poudre River Trail and it almost seemed like a fun activity that we may have chosen to do on a birthday anyway...almost. :) A donated dinner had been pre-arranged in Fort Collins by the great Dave Sinclair at Texas Roadhouse, one of our favorite places. The manager had spread the word about the Refuge Ride and after we had been seated, dozens of servers and staff came to our table, sometimes in groups, to thank us for what we are doing and ask us about the ride and project. It was a very encouraging experience and we were so blessed by our thoughtful server "Moose", Keenan and the rest of the gang there. They even made Katie's birthday super memorable and had her sit on a horse saddle, wear a pink cowboy hat, tipped the hanging light in her direction and had her swing a napkin in the air like a lasso while they sang and cheered.<br />
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Fort Collins began a new phase of our ride. Support arrived all the way from Minnesota! Dustin's mom and step dad are now driving with us through the hills and wild west of WY and beyond. It has been an incredible blessing to be able to unload the weight of our racks and bags with them and not have to ride from hotel door to hotel door, since it's difficult to find hotels in this neck of the woods within our daily riding average of 50 miles. We saw some beautiful scenery climbing out of Colorado into Wyoming. Riding to 8,000 feet was challenging but we made it and the view and terrain were breathtaking</div>
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Thanks to everyone in Colorado who supported the Refuge Ride! Off we go into the wild blue yonder. Refuge Ride or bust!</div>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-23962438129507773122013-08-27T22:28:00.000-07:002013-08-28T05:18:45.547-07:00What a Day!<div class="mobile-photo">
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Day 53 was an amazing day! Early in the morning we dealt with our 3rd flat of the trip from a burr. As we were patching the hole, a guy stopped on his motorcycle to see if we were OK. Little did we know what a blessing it would be to meet Roy!<br />
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After we got the flat fixed and were about 30 seconds down the road, a van pulled up beside us and we heard, "You're staying at our house tonight. Can we take any of your burdens?" While experiencing our third day of heavy winds, this was music to our ears! Katie was able to unload her back unicycle bag which had been acting as a sail in the wind.<br />
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A few long and windy hours down the road a truck stopped ahead of us and out comes Roy with cold drinks for us! He had gone home and driven back to find us just to bring us drinks!<br />
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Katie's dad had arranged a special donated lunch in Bird City KS at our half way point for the day. People drive for hours to get steaks at Big Ed's. They don't open until 5p but when they heard about the Refuge Ride project, Shayla graciously opened their doors and cooked us a private delicious steak lunch plus! Roy came in and brought treats from his garden then drove us to his home where Charles Lindbergh had boarded when he had been barn storming in the area.<br />
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When we got back to our unis at Big Ed's, Katie's tire was flat again from a pinched tube. Shayla let us hang out in Big Ed's AC while Roy assisted Dustin changing the tube.<br />
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We finally hit the road again to St. Francis KS for a wonderful stay with Pastor JW and Janelle who extended great kindness and hospitality to us.</div>
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On day 54, as we headed out of St. Francis KS, a motorcyclist passed us with his arm enthusiastically pumping the air. He stopped ahead and began attaching a flag on the end of a pole to the back of his motorcycle. It was Roy! He had come to ride behind us and be our "pilot car" for over 20 miles on narrow, hilly roads into Nebraska. We've never been so stress free on the roads nor had vehicles slow down and give us so much space. He even brought us cold cucumbers and ice water! Roy has been a God sent guardian angel these past few days and we are extremely grateful!<br />
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There are so many more amazing encounters that we'll have to expound on later. Thanks to all who are keeping the Refuge Ride going strong!</div>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-48754583638334369282013-08-25T17:21:00.001-07:002013-08-25T17:21:37.488-07:00Never Thought We Could Actually Get Our Socks Blown Off<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9woq30xQqxgM51F-jQvPOrXB00Z0XFlYxk-uUDfjehPxbN2QThzedZkSNdAMgcwbDylDf3eXffNKXpM5y7LolbzErBAB0HBkvlKTAAc0AZnVKMCga5WCHwjVdDUqgQEsuCNhwFwrX_3eB/s1600/20130822_132932-797488.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9woq30xQqxgM51F-jQvPOrXB00Z0XFlYxk-uUDfjehPxbN2QThzedZkSNdAMgcwbDylDf3eXffNKXpM5y7LolbzErBAB0HBkvlKTAAc0AZnVKMCga5WCHwjVdDUqgQEsuCNhwFwrX_3eB/s320/20130822_132932-797488.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5916216512867722514" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXIc4WAYkgmbfUNyZHBFTjPW7CGsFYqUqLwbCM_V38HTGE2kbFD7pY2QeeMjcnce3FyO-W6X4Nwq7w0_nN6OET7JUxXrKcngrLFiAmt2aZum5WY0M21Xd-WHs7FBiVHSphL7Dquy2I1Cb/s1600/20130822_124242-700373.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXIc4WAYkgmbfUNyZHBFTjPW7CGsFYqUqLwbCM_V38HTGE2kbFD7pY2QeeMjcnce3FyO-W6X4Nwq7w0_nN6OET7JUxXrKcngrLFiAmt2aZum5WY0M21Xd-WHs7FBiVHSphL7Dquy2I1Cb/s320/20130822_124242-700373.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5916216521383151666" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">We have had quite a few newspaper interviews lately and even a live radio broadcast with Tad Felts in Phillipsburg KS. It was a privilege to be interviewed by Tad who has been broadcasting for 65 years. He is in the Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame and has received special recognized by Kansas legislature. He is a very neat guy and talked with us on the air for 35 minutes about the Refuge Ride project.<br> </p> <p dir="ltr">Recently we had our longest ride at 64 miles. We even had a tail wind! The last few days have been shorter miles but the wind, a whole different story. We spent one day in 27 mph cross winds, gusting at 35 mph. Now that was a challenge! Thankfully there wasn't much traffic so we could ride side by side holding hands much of the day to support each other so we wouldn't get blown over. Once as we were riding solo, there were oncoming cars and a semi passed us from behind bringing such a wall of wind that it blew Dustin off the road and off his unicycle. He rolled his ankle which now only hurts when he walks but not when he pedals, fortunately. <br> </p> <p dir="ltr">It is surprising to us how the level of generosity varys from place to place. Some towns are super receptive and we wish we could ride circles around it all day and connect with people. Other places seem interested in the novelty and entertainment of seeing us, but turn a deaf ear to the need and heartbreak of Syrians we are representing. "Best of luck to you" just doesn't go very far to help meet real needs for those in desperate circumstances.<br> </p> <p dir="ltr">Thanks for tuning in!</p> kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-53460555080229297172013-08-21T06:05:00.001-07:002013-08-21T06:13:02.607-07:00It's a Team Effort<div class="mobile-photo">
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A big shout out to Katie's dad who has been doing some very helpful ride support and PR. The past few days he has called restaurants along our route and secured meal donations so we can just roll in and refuel. Such a blessing and reduces decisions we need to make on these busy, intense days. We also got a call from friends back home offering to cover a hotel night. We are so thankful for those helping out in creative ways!<br />
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Because of a prearranged donated meal at Taco John's in Concordia KS, we got to meet the generous town mayor who also owns the restaurant. He is the third mayor we've had the privilege of meeting on this ride.<br />
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Today we shared quiet country roads with hundreds of fuzzy caterpillars making a run for it. They were each a different color and shade: red, black, blond, grey. I think we managed to avoid running over any of these little guys. </div>
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We've noticed lately how faded things are becoming that are exposed to the sun all day. Our helmets, shirts and Respro pack covers are not nearly as vivid as they were when we started out. Crazy what a little sun will do. We may blend right into the scenery by the time we get to Oregon.<br />
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We take lots of short breaks on the side of the road to stretch and give our seats a rest. Though we are standing there eating a bar or taking pictures, so many times people have stopped to ask if we are ok saying it looks like we've had a h#&@ of an accident. It's just how our unicycles look laying on the ground, I guess. We tell them they are unicycles and are supposed to look like that. Most people think our bike came apart in a terrible crash. Thankfully we're still rolling along strong! So glad you are journeying with us! </div>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-40054926212155060092013-08-17T22:32:00.000-07:002013-08-17T22:32:14.927-07:00Riding Till the Cows Come HomeOur biggest fans are cows! Seriously! We share the Refuge Ride project with the many cows we ride by along country farm roads. We ring our bells, tell them what we are doing and invite them to join us. They often seem more interested than people and stop what they are doing (eating) with grass hanging out of their mouths and turn their heads to follow us as they watch us roll out of sight. They are not enthusiastic but very attentive!<br /><br />We recently had a few days riding the Katy Trail in Missouri. It was fun to be on the same route as Lewis and Clark and Daniel Boone. It was slightly encouraging that as slow as we travel on unicycles, we still made faster progress than these guys sailing upstream on the Missouri River. We almost ran over two pretty brown snakes along the trail and learned later that they are very poisonous copperheads. So thankful for God's protection on all terrain.<br /><br />Riding in Kansas has not been boring. People are on a mission to get from there to there and slowing down for unicyclists on the road is not on the agenda. We've been shouted at to "Get off the road!" more than once in KS and someone even called the police to complain that we were on the road and people were having to slow down for us. Officer Akers was very kind when he pulled us over and we had a nice chat with him as he did his duty checking us out and helping us find a different route around a busy construction detour.<br /><br />Leaving Lawrence KS was entertaining as a spry photographer from Lawrence Journal-World jumped out from behind bushes to snap pictures of us with his big camera then had us pose for some shots he took while laying in the road. We were relieved he didn't get run over and impressed by his ability to turn photography into an athletic sport!<br /><br />We recently added a Donation Honor Roll page on <a href="http://unishow.org/#/refuge-ride/donation-honor-roll">RefugeRide.org</a>. Check out the growing number who have donated goods and services to help keep costs low on this cross country journey. We are so thankful!<br /><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-54032402047325491702013-08-06T21:28:00.001-07:002013-08-06T21:28:35.510-07:00Life On The Road<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKE5b0uHjrSy0VQiEmGvkcspPRCftRwWq-_6VaFZ31LQvpOHgpZoJR5Ha66WWy3SWyyXA02Q2MKpvHIPkb60pgFv0kRyD48WAqEA7EmCv4HB2ZGvicqPoQNChsXM1Lly6MUf0nipQecrDW/s1600/20130803_135134-715511.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKE5b0uHjrSy0VQiEmGvkcspPRCftRwWq-_6VaFZ31LQvpOHgpZoJR5Ha66WWy3SWyyXA02Q2MKpvHIPkb60pgFv0kRyD48WAqEA7EmCv4HB2ZGvicqPoQNChsXM1Lly6MUf0nipQecrDW/s320/20130803_135134-715511.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5909229538508590642" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9KZWdwwMQ_b0Kbu4W3nikF_DhguzcU5nxijQFoIhsXtABtVxWL1bxVXzXTzV2CiQ3QOBVB_1f6vn2_jYGyk7yzWerFMbgKzt0k1sZUOU8Z-Gd7D8DXbwSJlq1BCioHV4k_bVti8Ox82J/s1600/20130804_091906-718087.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9KZWdwwMQ_b0Kbu4W3nikF_DhguzcU5nxijQFoIhsXtABtVxWL1bxVXzXTzV2CiQ3QOBVB_1f6vn2_jYGyk7yzWerFMbgKzt0k1sZUOU8Z-Gd7D8DXbwSJlq1BCioHV4k_bVti8Ox82J/s320/20130804_091906-718087.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5909229544824601202" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">We are so thankful and amazed at how well the Refuge Ride continues to go. 33 days down and we have only paid for lodging 2 times! When hotels have not been able to donate, churches have covered our lodging. We are very thankful for the First Christian Church of Sikeston MO, Lynwood Baptist Church of Cape Girardeau MO, First Baptist Church Du Quoin IL and the Sparta Ministerial Alliance of Sparta IL for their generosity and partnership and putting us up for the night. </p> <p dir="ltr">Also a big shout out to The Davie School Inn for a wonderful stay in Anna IL in a former 4th grade classroom (<a href="http://davieschoolinn.com">davieschoolinn.com</a>). Should you ever be in the area you must book a room and enjoy the brilliant renovation of an old school house and Gary's home cooking! Speaking of home cooking...it was so great to have friends right on our route in TN! We haven't seen them in 3 years and it was wonderful to reconnect and be blessed by fellowship and a washing machine!</p> <p dir="ltr">On day 30 we crossed the 1,000 mile mark of our cross country trek on a busy road in Cape Girardeau. We stopped on the side of the road and jumped around a bit to celebrate. People may have thought we were slightly deranged but we were excited to have made it this far by the grace of God! Many more miles to go and we are up for the challenge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Our equipment has been doing great so far. We are all set with a new pump that will hopefully hold up better than the last. We pretty much have our daily routine down for riding, stopping to connect with people, eating, updating social media and sleeping. That about sums up our lives these days. </p> <p dir="ltr">We have met so many wonderful people and experienced generosity and kindness in unique ways. For example, we were resting in front of a gas station in IL and two kids on vacation from NC came over with a plate of brownies their aunt made that morning and they wanted to share them with us. So sweet in more ways than one!</p> kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-90123871070954135172013-07-30T09:48:00.001-07:002013-07-30T09:48:55.011-07:00On The Road Again<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nUmL3jx2blZxy8qvtGK9fbbQFLwlBlPBTL6u8CHvrosS0zZIcKlaODvuZ1qWdHGgMKMfCTeusmVq2iIfXsErUGShcuyC2rq74qeHZYEeVghwBKCUQ1Ie9zBJ4fTfuAXPFKTkFtzE86vU/s1600/2013-07-24+13.02.33-735011.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nUmL3jx2blZxy8qvtGK9fbbQFLwlBlPBTL6u8CHvrosS0zZIcKlaODvuZ1qWdHGgMKMfCTeusmVq2iIfXsErUGShcuyC2rq74qeHZYEeVghwBKCUQ1Ie9zBJ4fTfuAXPFKTkFtzE86vU/s320/2013-07-24+13.02.33-735011.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5906451631389460706" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NkQgRcGpSRpzfKYEvdj3DiG2Tcg2Q6K8vpE_DPiY4kLxsRnoty3lDvO2br9arkAx1sYQVovh1a1eA87ExwgE9-yfr-t3Z-OQLf5goDWioKnHGqjH_Qpwoq8FIe-dgnMa-0bQHuO7j6oT/s1600/2013-07-27+08.14.31-737751.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NkQgRcGpSRpzfKYEvdj3DiG2Tcg2Q6K8vpE_DPiY4kLxsRnoty3lDvO2br9arkAx1sYQVovh1a1eA87ExwgE9-yfr-t3Z-OQLf5goDWioKnHGqjH_Qpwoq8FIe-dgnMa-0bQHuO7j6oT/s320/2013-07-27+08.14.31-737751.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5906451647026539266" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5ayq_J2B1ARrmfNaswV96ZOk0jqHwW-0asnX35QhP1N9J7woCm4ek2cI4a7YQxkOeZ7drTxWXxdr9GOM3WA4vmr8EjzMaLKjhc-ogJzv72Ijp84wYJYWiFUSSSbkVkk7vw2EGjBW29qa/s1600/2013-07-27+11.34.52-740146.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5ayq_J2B1ARrmfNaswV96ZOk0jqHwW-0asnX35QhP1N9J7woCm4ek2cI4a7YQxkOeZ7drTxWXxdr9GOM3WA4vmr8EjzMaLKjhc-ogJzv72Ijp84wYJYWiFUSSSbkVkk7vw2EGjBW29qa/s320/2013-07-27+11.34.52-740146.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5906451653140127586" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">We have been back on the road a week since Switzerland and already we have been overwhelmed with blessings from God each pedal of the way.</p> <p dir="ltr">On these long 40 to 50 mile days God sure has given us the strength we need in creative ways. One lady pulled over as we were resting on the side of the road and gave us frozen blueberries and a donation for the refugees. Another lady stopped to take pictures of us riding by and when we shared our cause she not only donated but bought us cold drinks at a nearby gas station. </p> <p dir="ltr">A man drove by slowly in a truck vidoeing us on a busy road. Dustin rode along beside him and handed him a card and he handed back a donation, our wheels never stopping.</p> <p dir="ltr">We stopped at an antique shop along the Decatur Highway in Alabama for a little break. Turns out Fred Hunter from Absolutely Alabama (<a href="http://absolutelyalabama.com">absolutelyalabama.com</a>) on Fox 6 Birmingham was there doing a story on this shop. They liked our unicycles and asked if they could catch up with us down the road in a few hours and do a story on us. And they did! It was a great couple hours spent with them interviewing and recording us from the side of the road, while driving alongside and in front of us and they even gave Dustin the camera to shoot us riding along. </p> <p dir="ltr">We rolled into Cullman AL without knowing where we were going to stay for the night since our advance calling yielded no donation anywhere in town. We were headed to where we had found the best rate but stopped in at Comfort Suites to see how we'd fare. The receptionist made one call and they donated a beautiful room for us!</p> <p dir="ltr">We had been strung along all day by a hotel in Florence AL who thought they could donate room. We were headed there until a call at 6p when they said they had no room for us. We stopped at a picnic table to figure out what to do, feeling like we had run out of options. Just then the phone rang and it was Lauren Schifano who lives in Florence and will be riding her unicycle across Alabama soon (<a href="http://www.uniacrossbama.blogspot.com">www.uniacrossbama.blogspot.com</a>), inviting us to stay the night with her and her fam! What an answer to prayer and God's perfect timing! </p> <p dir="ltr">It was nearly the same story in Selmer TN as Cullman AL. Stopped at one hotel and the price was high. Went to the next hotel and they were expecting us! Greeted us by name and said the First Baptist Church had covered our night. The church had a wrong number for us so we missed the memo but God didn't! We connected with the youth pastor that evening and enjoyed some delish Mexican food with him and his fam at the #1 restaurant in TN! Thanks Chandlers!</p> <p dir="ltr">Katie picked up a tack leaving Florence and we discovered it shortly down the road. Dustin patched it but our top-of-the-line pump didn't like the 65 psi of the big wheel and the connecting threads melted from the heat of the volume. Again, in God's providence our route that day happened to be along the <a href="http://www.handy100.com">www.handy100.com</a> so it was a perfect day to have a problem with the pump that's supposed to solve our problems. We made it to a ride rest stop set up along the route where they had a pump, snacks, drinks and super friendly, helpful guys from The Shoals Bike Club to lend a hand. <br> Oh yes, God is watching over us!</p> kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-85622920394033281082013-07-21T06:23:00.000-07:002013-07-21T06:23:17.381-07:00Swiss GenerosityOur 2 week break in Switzerland was not fruitless for the Refuge Ride. Many friends we connected with throughout our stay gave generously for the Refugees. The group we partnered with for these outreaches in Switzerland plans on taking an offering for the Refuge Ride next week at their community meeting. The generous 11 year old boy who gave the first Swiss donation also gave us the last donation before we packed up and flew back to the USA. He and a friend came back to our last show in Montreux and contributed an even larger bill. So special!<br />
<br />
It is a great encouragement to have so many, young and old, from around the world generously join us on this venture to help Syrians in crisis. Thank you!<br />
<br />
We have mixed feelings about resuming the ride in 2 short days on July 23rd. Ready or not, open roads here we come!<br />
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-50160823245549671022013-07-15T06:09:00.000-07:002013-07-21T06:23:52.728-07:00Refuge Ride Around The World<div class="MsoNormal">
Though we are doing outreaches in Switzerland these 2 weeks,
pausing the actual riding across America, the Refuge Ride is still rolling
along. After one of our shows the other
night at the Montreux Jazz Festival, an 11 year old Swiss boy had a lengthy chat
with Dustin and asked questions about many things including the Refuge Ride. When he learned what we were raising money
for he immediately reached in his pocket and handed over 1 Franc. A few minutes later he opened up his wallet and gave 5 Francs then came back a bit later with a larger
bill. What a precious, generous boy who
is doing what he can to help make a difference.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are so happy to have reconnected with our Syrian friend Jmool
whom we met here last year during the Jazz Festival in Montreux. Last year Jmool attended
our show with a young boy who had just come from Syria and lost both his
parents the week before in the conflict.
This direct contact with Syrians even here in Switzerland inspired the Refuge
Ride and our desire to help those facing incomprehensible circumstances in
Syria.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
We just received a message from a mom in England whose son
is riding unicycle from the UK through Holland to Belgium. Any money they raise on this ride they want
to contribute to the Refuge Ride! God is
on the move around the world! Thanks for moving with us!</div>
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<o:p></o:p>kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-3950765356106068152013-07-08T19:51:00.001-07:002013-07-08T20:44:02.230-07:00What Keeps Us Going<div class="mobile-photo">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOheWN5BcBdiqa1kMwfZ7aInm6clkRlnvCKLvYhvek37QUXC1vB2oTo7PIXLaeQWLYAgzN6EgutTFRxXtr6IJu7n0zBEwsFHdswHnvyBPZt_PHKxuHqY3OKjmAPKR2ytM9IpaU454CLN1a/s1600/20130706_143410_LLS-713493.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5898443147479475522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOheWN5BcBdiqa1kMwfZ7aInm6clkRlnvCKLvYhvek37QUXC1vB2oTo7PIXLaeQWLYAgzN6EgutTFRxXtr6IJu7n0zBEwsFHdswHnvyBPZt_PHKxuHqY3OKjmAPKR2ytM9IpaU454CLN1a/s320/20130706_143410_LLS-713493.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div dir="ltr">
Today's hills were a challenge for sure! Probably nothing compared to what is to come but enough for this stage of the game. During one really steep climb, I was done and about to bail with my legs and lungs screaming. Dustin rode up beside me and held my hand so I could keep my balance as we inched our way up the steep, long grade together! A few times cars came up behind us and we rode single file but once they passed, there he was, making all the difference. Such an example of how God is always right there with us, giving us strength when we don't have enough to go on! <br />
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Ethel Lane phoned us again the other day! She must hear God because again it was perfect timing! We had stopped under a bridge to momentarily escape the pouring rain after some challenging hills when she called. She had been thinking of and praying for us in the rain and wondered how we were doing. We are so thankful for our new and faithfully encouraging friend who is one of many helping to keep us going! <br />
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Sunday night we were blessed to be connected by a volunteer on our support team to First Baptist Church in Pell City AL in St. Clair County. They covered our hotel, fed us and allowed us to share briefly in their evening service. They thoroughly blessed us by their warm welcome and generosity.<br />
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<div dir="ltr">
Now we pause the Refuge Ride for an outreach in Switzerland until July 23rd. It was largely through this outreach last year that this whole ride started. There we met a boy about 10 years old who had just come from Syria the week before where both of his parents had been killed in the unrest. This broke our hearts and we knew we wanted to do something to help Syrians suffering so greatly. <br />
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Thank you for journeying with us these 562 miles and helping make a difference. Stay tuned for much more...</div>
kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-74640280678252015752013-07-06T06:11:00.000-07:002013-07-06T07:50:09.612-07:00Trails and Tails<div class="mobile-photo">
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<div dir="ltr">
It has been such a treat to be on the trail and off the road these last 3 days, with no cars to worry about and few dogs to out ride.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
We thought the trail would be busy this holiday weekend but we saw more turtles, rabbits, deer and fox than we did people.</div>
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We did meet up with a fun group of tandem riders at our hotel in Cedartown GA. We told them our tandem broke. :-) </div>
<div dir="ltr">
And as we were taking off the next morning we met Kenny Herriot from Scotland. He is one of the best wheelchair racers in the world who is in the area for a few months training. Check out this inspiring man: <a href="http://www.kennyherriot.co.uk/">http://www.kennyherriot.co.uk</a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
From Cedartown we crossed the state line from GA into AL and the Silver Commet Trail became the Chief Ladiga Trail. As we rode into Piedmont AL, our destination for the day, a biker approached us looking excited to see us. He had heard about us from the tandem group he had crossed paths with earlier. He was headed back to Cedartown on his 100 mile ride that day but was in no hurry and wanted to take us out for ice cream! We had a special visit at Solid Rock Cafe with our enthusiastic new Colombian friend Emilio.</div>
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It was nice to be picked up in Piedmont by friends from MN who are vacationing nearby and stay with them for the night. Fun times! </div>
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<br />kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-44023056834478950142013-07-04T20:12:00.001-07:002013-07-04T20:12:10.532-07:00More Than Chicken<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7QIH9AFhAR27i5RTMvfC-gsuAyJzNA9iFMJfTCFvj0VE1AkKeeLhjVzjFmKQgtRwUbflHgGA4TdKKeUTNiIIUNzi4SFDzGV0DiRxMijCVRiNtlNcR6lm-NSGdEpLIqzLue1aoMjPgqaA/s1600/2013-07-02+14.14.12-730533.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7QIH9AFhAR27i5RTMvfC-gsuAyJzNA9iFMJfTCFvj0VE1AkKeeLhjVzjFmKQgtRwUbflHgGA4TdKKeUTNiIIUNzi4SFDzGV0DiRxMijCVRiNtlNcR6lm-NSGdEpLIqzLue1aoMjPgqaA/s320/2013-07-02+14.14.12-730533.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5896964027281997794" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">We had an amazing experience at Chick-fik-A in Austel GA the other day. The manager seated us, had a server take our order from the table and covered the bill. Becca was our kind and attentive server who returned to our table with a wad of cash. She and the other servers had been wondering what to do with tips they had received lately and they all decided to contribute them to the Refuge Ride! They told other tables about the Ride and people stoped by to ask us for cards, give donations and tell us they would be praying for us. A policeman even handed us cash on his way out. Several times while we were sitting there, servers brought us more of their tips. We were so encouraged and blessed by the generosity of Becca and the other servers and customers there that day! Thank you Chick-fil-A! </p> kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-44284032370253129412013-06-29T18:21:00.001-07:002013-06-29T18:21:48.676-07:00The Ups and Downs<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOlvzpS5F8kQC5dLjPX2rzJKnv0VGm5q2n9QKs21c2iwJEEy8kJqGuhrql_QA0Lf7UnaEnH-EyTMaVrPHfEp0GIqDHVGNVTlYBBwz-1W3WyB5y9z1fqpqGlhBe5wtppO3B1m5qpdE3St8/s1600/20130629_150622-708676.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOlvzpS5F8kQC5dLjPX2rzJKnv0VGm5q2n9QKs21c2iwJEEy8kJqGuhrql_QA0Lf7UnaEnH-EyTMaVrPHfEp0GIqDHVGNVTlYBBwz-1W3WyB5y9z1fqpqGlhBe5wtppO3B1m5qpdE3St8/s320/20130629_150622-708676.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5895080166528453346" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4xPREAlwTAABsx9Yq4D2avTn6hbL-nQZEN5EfxdiPN1ONl032yq1fv7H_b-2AR54ReaY_BQD83pNoEwMJ_Tgyc7BQRa8meQ2W_usjDYu4ZA7c2RaotvMfXaY-0yT8z8G4NqPCMzGinku/s1600/20130629_161304-711188.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4xPREAlwTAABsx9Yq4D2avTn6hbL-nQZEN5EfxdiPN1ONl032yq1fv7H_b-2AR54ReaY_BQD83pNoEwMJ_Tgyc7BQRa8meQ2W_usjDYu4ZA7c2RaotvMfXaY-0yT8z8G4NqPCMzGinku/s320/20130629_161304-711188.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5895080176849288722" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">Whoever said Georgia was flat should not be allowed to have dessert for a month! Oh the hills today! We are feeling God's strength each pedal of the way, though our knees and legs are definitely feeling it. It was a cooler morning in the 70's which was super nice and we met the afternoon thunderstorm at our hotel driveway.</p> <p dir="ltr">Coming in to Forsyth this afternoon we rode past a birthday party in someone's yard. They asked if they could take a picture of us. They did and we stopped to visit. We handed out cards, answered some questions, collected a few donations, wished the cousins a happy birthday and were on our way.</p> <p dir="ltr">I think the party gave us a craving for blizzards especially when we saw a DQ the exit before our hotel. As we rode up to it we heard Addison Road, playing followed by Toby Mac and other familiar artists. Dripping with sweat we spoke with the manager about the Refuge Ride and she offered us anything we wanted on the house. We got the blizzards plus! Practically the entire staff got in on the thank you picture! They even told us they would be praying for us.</p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, some motorcyclists were waiting to see who belonged to the unicycles. They are a bikers ministry and after hearing about our project gathered around and prayed for us!</p> <p dir="ltr">Just a few of the many great connections of the day. </p> kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-24177016354373828982013-06-28T19:29:00.000-07:002013-06-28T19:30:05.057-07:00More Than Road Kill<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7w3EYjQ5fkKyOTR7tQt6Hn7Zr9ad_gfxlTGazXRHXoartdvV0cOh3pXRbRqoAHa1oWIfoZ019JVfRteWX2aOPoNUDrqsrpFLvFl_hXDTnIU4Mf1WxspQdOGUCVOGIVmKdWC06U57i5Gz/s1600/2013-06-22+19.17.30-705057.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7w3EYjQ5fkKyOTR7tQt6Hn7Zr9ad_gfxlTGazXRHXoartdvV0cOh3pXRbRqoAHa1oWIfoZ019JVfRteWX2aOPoNUDrqsrpFLvFl_hXDTnIU4Mf1WxspQdOGUCVOGIVmKdWC06U57i5Gz/s320/2013-06-22+19.17.30-705057.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894726671864840114" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">Who knew there were so many cactus and armadillos and snakes in Georgia! We sure didn't. The armadillos must be nocturnal since we've only seen them "sleeping" by the roadside. And only one in 15 snakes we've seen are alive.</p> <p dir="ltr">We met a super kind lady a few days ago named Ethel outside a post office as we were passing through town. She said we were shining brightly with all our colors and she just had to talk to us. After exchanging only a few sentences she grabbed our sweaty hands and started praying for us for God's protection and blessing on our journey. It was just what we needed to get our day off to the right start. She encouraged us more than she'll ever know. She phoned yesterday to see how we were progressing and to let us know she is still praying for us and having others pray too. God bless Ethel!</p> <p dir="ltr">We've had so many opportunities to share the purpose of the Refuge Ride and the need in Syria. While riding through Dublin, GA, police approached us with lights flashing saying they saw us balancing at a traffic light and just had to pull us over to meet us. Immediately before this we were being photographed for a local paper.</p> <p dir="ltr">When we stop at an intersection to figure out which way to go or when we rest by the side of the road, people will roll down their windows to see what's up. We give them our card and explain the Refuge Ride Project and many will donate right then and there.</p> <p dir="ltr">People will drive by us slowly or pull ahead and stop and watch us come by. Dustin will usually ride up next to them and hand them a card.</p> <p dir="ltr">At gas stations and restaurants people will ask us all kinds of questions, spanning a wide range of brilliance. Most common: "What is that?" (referring to our unis) and "How far are you going on those?" We take every opportunity to share!</p> <p dir="ltr">Today an ambulance whizzed by us on the road and scared us with, "What the he**?!" over the loud speaker.</p> <p dir="ltr">Thanks for journeying with us. This is quite an adventure!</p> kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-5348852616189724652013-06-25T18:07:00.000-07:002013-06-25T18:07:57.191-07:00The Journey Has Begun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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After an encouraging send-off from our organization OM USA in Tyrone, GA, a teammate graciously drove us the 5 hours to Tybee Island on the coast. </div>
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After being dropped off at our wonderful donated accommodations at the Sea and Breeze Hotel we walked down to the pier where we would start our adventure the next morning. We had butterflies in anticipation of the journey actually happening after so much planning, praying and preparing. We knew we were not ready to the level we would have liked organizationally but were excited to get on the road and work things out as we went.</div>
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That was four days and 129 miles ago. We can now say the Refuge Ride has officially and successfully begun. We have been amazed by the generosity and kindness we have already experienced. Someone handed us cold water from their car window as we rode by. Numerous restaurants and hotels have graciously donated food and rooms. People have prayed with us for safety and success in parking lots. People have donated instantly when hearing about our cause, even from their cars while slowly driving by to talk to us. We were invited into a home for graham crackers, bananas, almond milk and prayer. When resting by the side of the road, people have stopped to asked if we were OK or needed anything. </div>
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On the downside, we have been chased by 3 dogs. Hopefully that number won't increase too much!</div>
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The journey continues. Stay tuned...</div>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2487700778231940940.post-46472349683440879892013-06-20T05:18:00.000-07:002013-06-25T18:09:25.731-07:00Refuge Ride Revving Up!Things have been coming together for the Refuge Ride and we are quite encouraged. It has been a mad scramble the last few weeks preparing for take off, but ready or not, off we took! <br />
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We arrived in Atlanta Wednesday afternoon, July 19th, bringing not only Refuge Rideg gear, but all our equipment for the Switzerland outreach in a few weeks: 4 large cases, 2 small cases and backpacks. Fortunatly our 2 boxes with big wheel unis which flew cargo were also waiting there for us. After being picked up at the airport by fellow OM Artists, we hit up Chick-fil-A for lunch. Apparently our order took a bit longer than normal so the manager surprised us with coupons for a free meal and dessert on a future visit! Gotta love those smiles from God! </div>
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We are so thankful for the huge recent blessings lately:</div>
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- kind office workers dropping Dustin's medical bills from when he broke his arm from $2,000 to $250!<br />
- friends donating a GoPro for us to capture adventures down the road.</div>
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- friends willing to keep replacement tires, tubes, cranks, spokes and cycling clothes ready to ship out to us at a moments notice if need be.</div>
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- friends who work for Delta coming to our house to pick up our big wheel unis in 2 big boxes to drop off as cargo at the airport, covering the $55 shipping fee and saving us $600 in excess and oversized baggage.</div>
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- friends making UPS runs for gear returns and taking us to the airport.</div>
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- nice Delta workers who are sending us a $250 check for busting a wheel on one of our cases during the flight.</div>
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- friends calling from across the miles just to pray with us over the phone.</div>
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- friends sending us on our way with inspriational cards and gifts.</div>
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kelm clanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16393095122629868357noreply@blogger.com0