Divine Appointments on the Prairie

Williston, North Dakota to Shelby, Montana

Today began around 7:00 a.m. with the wonderful smell of bacon and eggs cooking on the stove. Joyce was up bright and early preparing breakfast for us. After several nights of camping, I was especially grateful for a soft bed instead of a tent floor and a warm home-cooked meal waiting for us. Earl and Joyce truly have the gift of hospitality.

As we enjoyed coffee with breakfast, we spent time talking about life, faith, and our mission of sharing the love of Jesus throughout this 12,000-mile motorcycle journey to Alaska. We are continually amazed by how God places people in our path and uses simple conversations to encourage one another.

After breakfast, we took a few final photos together, packed our bikes, and loaded our gear. Saying goodbye was bittersweet. In just one evening, these new friends had become such a blessing to us. We hope that someday they will make the trip to visit us in the Adirondacks.

Today’s ride covered approximately 400 miles from Williston, North Dakota, to Shelby, Montana. The morning air was crisp and cool at about 64 degrees, and the skies were clear. We were thankful for a beautiful riding day after battling rain and strong winds across North Dakota yesterday.

About two hours into the ride, we stopped for fuel and coffee. As I went to pay for my coffee, the cashier smiled and told me it was free. That makes the second time on this trip that someone has unexpectedly blessed me with a cup of coffee. Moments like these remind us that God is watching over our mission and working through the kindness of complete strangers. God is so good.

As we stood outside enjoying the sunshine and our coffee, I noticed an older gentleman slowly making his way from his truck toward the store. I greeted him and asked how he was doing.

Melvin then asked him his favorite question: “What would Jesus ride?”

Without hesitation, the man replied, “Probably a Gold Wing.”

We all laughed and agreed that was a pretty good answer. After introducing ourselves, we learned his name was Doug.

Melvin then said, “Jesus loves you. He really does.”

Doug’s response immediately caught our attention.

“I know,” he said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Doug went on to explain that he had undergone surgery that very morning and was currently battling cancer. What began as a casual conversation at a gas station quickly became a divine appointment. We had the privilege of praying with Doug for healing, strength, and recovery.

Standing there beside the gas pumps, we were reminded once again that encounters like these are never accidents. God orchestrates moments and places people in our path for a reason. We truly believe meeting Doug was not a coincidence, but an opportunity for Jesus to share His love through us.

The remainder of the ride was absolutely beautiful. Temperatures climbed to a comfortable 75 degrees, and we spent the day cruising through wide-open prairies with distant mountain views painting the horizon. The scenery became more breathtaking with every mile.

We arrived in Shelby around 5:00 p.m. Before reaching camp, we stopped to pick up supplies for dinner and then headed to Lake Shel-oole Campground. Dinner was simple but delicious—steak strips with peppers, onions, and mushrooms cooked right at camp.

We’re beginning to settle into a rhythm on the road: setting up camp, preparing meals, charging electronics, backing up footage, and writing these daily updates. The only thing I’m falling behind on is editing videos for our YouTube channel! Thankfully, once we reach Alaska, we’ll have several days at a campground that will allow me to catch up on video production and share more of our journey with everyone following along.

Tomorrow brings another exciting milestone as we cross into Canada and make our way toward Calgary.

Thank you for following along on this incredible adventure. Until tomorrow, keep reading our daily blog updates and follow our journey in real time through DigiCrumbs:

https://www.digicrumbs.app/start?code=f6ac15a3

As always, thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. Every mile reminds us that this journey is about much more than motorcycles—it’s about the people God places along the way.