Still Trusting Him to Direct Every Mile

Last night, we were thankful for one simple blessing—the tent stayed dry. After the torrential rain and thunderstorm the night before, waking up to a dry tent felt like a gift from the Lord.

We slept in a little this morning and didn’t wake up until around 7:00. We walked over to the campground store and café for some coffee and breakfast, enjoying a slower start to the day.

At 9:00, Diago and his wife picked us up and took us to church. We attended Living Outreach Church in Custer, where we met Pastor Joel and Tim, the drummer. Melvin spent some time talking with them before the service began.

As we sat in church, I was reminded again that no matter where this journey takes us, God has already gone before us. We may not know who we will meet or what the day will bring, but He does.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” — Psalm 37:23

And today, He was ordering our steps once again.

After the service, we met Paul, who, along with his wife, travels year-round in their RV. They don’t have a traditional home—they simply travel wherever the road takes them. Paul is able to work as a stockbroker right from his RV.

What an incredible reminder that home isn’t always a place. Sometimes home is simply wherever God has called you to be.

Before we left, Pastor Joel and Paul prayed over us and our travels. Those prayers meant so much. There is something powerful about having fellow believers place you and your journey into the hands of God.

Diago and his wife then took us to lunch at Dairy Queen. And, of course, even lunch became an opportunity for ministry.

Melvin noticed a bicyclist sitting by himself in the corner. Unlike many of the cyclists we have met who travel across countries and continents, he simply enjoyed shorter bike rides. Melvin struck up a conversation with him and eventually shared about putting his faith and trust in Jesus. He gave him a gospel tract and planted a seed.

“I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” — 1 Corinthians 3:6

We may never know what happens with some of the seeds we plant along this journey. But that’s okay. Our job is simply to be faithful and obedient when God opens the door.

Today was also a day of goodbyes.

Diago and his wife were heading home, so after lunch we went back to camp, saddled up, and rode with them toward Newcastle. Eventually, we had to stop and go our separate ways.

Before we parted, we prayed over them and said our goodbyes.

It was another bittersweet farewell.

The past few days with them had been such a blessing. We had shared meals, rides, laughter, ministry, and a common passion for serving the Lord through CMA. The Sturgis Rally gave us an incredible opportunity to serve together, and I believe all of us were inspired by what God allowed us to be a part of.

There is something special about reconnecting with someone who shares the same heart for ministry. Melvin first met Diago two years ago at the School of Evangelism, and they hadn’t seen each other since. Yet when God brought our paths together again during this journey, it was as though no time had passed. In just a few short days, we shared rides, meals, laughter, ministry, and a common passion for serving the Lord through CMA. It was another reminder that God has a way of bringing the right people back into our lives at just the right time.

We said goodbye and watched them head toward home.

Then Melvin and I turned north.

Our next destination was Bridal Veil Falls.

The ride through the canyon was incredible. Sweeping curves carried us downward through the Black Hills, with towering rock formations surrounding the road. Every turn seemed to reveal another breathtaking view.

The scenery was beautiful, but as we have learned throughout this journey, sometimes the road itself becomes part of the adventure.

When we reached the falls, we parked the bikes and walked around.

Melvin met a group of about six bikers and, once again, the conversation turned toward Jesus. He shared the love of Christ with them. One of the ladies thanked him for sharing the Word, and one of the men told him he was ready to move on from the motorcycle club he was currently a part of.

Another divine appointment.

While Melvin was talking with the group, I had wandered down the road and found a group of mountain goats crossing the road. Of course, I had to stop and take some pictures!

Then I made my way toward the falls to get some closer pictures. I started walking down toward the stream when I noticed the rain beginning to fall.

I snapped one more picture and hurried back up the embankment toward the bike.

By the time I reached it, the rain was pouring.

I quickly put on my riding gear, and then the thunder started rolling and lightning began flashing across the sky.

We climbed back up through the canyon in a torrential downpour. At times, the rain was coming down so hard it felt almost like hail hitting us.

Eventually, we pulled into the Latchstring Restaurant to take shelter.

A hot cup of coffee and a piece of pie sounded pretty good about then!

As we sat inside waiting for the storm to pass, a family sitting near us noticed the CMA patch on Melvin’s vest.

They were from Canada and were traveling on adventure bikes.

And once again, a CMA patch opened a door.

Melvin shared the good news of Jesus and the message of salvation with them. What a blessing it was to discover that they were believers too. We encouraged one another, talked about Alaska, and heard that they were continuing their travels toward Colorado.

It reminded me that God can use something as simple as a patch on a vest to start a conversation that has eternal significance.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

The storm took about an hour to move through. Several other bikers had also taken refuge at the restaurant, and eventually we all found ourselves watching the skies, waiting for an opportunity to ride.

Finally, there was a break in the rain.

One by one, the bikers climbed back on their motorcycles.

So did we.

We finished riding through Spearfish Canyon and made our way toward Deadwood.

Deadwood was alive with motorcycles, people shopping, and folks heading out for dinner. Walking down Main Street felt like stepping back into the 1876 Gold Rush era.

The historic town sits tucked into the narrow Black Hills canyon, surrounded by 19th-century Victorian brick and stone storefronts. There were casinos, saloons, gift shops, a brick-paved Main Street, and enough motorcycles to remind you that this was still very much the Black Hills.

It felt like walking onto the set of an old Western movie—but with a modern-day twist.

And, of course, when we saw the ice cream shops, we had to stop and try some.

We walked over to Outlaw Square, which usually has live music, but being late on a Sunday evening, things were pretty quiet.

It was getting late, and we still had about an hour ride back to Custer, so we saddled up and headed out of the old Western town.

Thankfully, we missed the next storm.

The roads were wet, but the rain held off. In the distance, a beautiful rainbow stretched across the sky and seemed to touch the rolling Black Hills.

I couldn’t help but think about the promise God gave Noah after the storm.

“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” — Genesis 9:13

After riding through so many storms on this journey, that rainbow felt like another little reminder from God:

I am still here. I am still with you. Keep going.

As darkness settled in, we could see lightning flashing across the sky in the distance. It stretched from horizon to horizon, almost like a concert of lights.

It was beautiful from a distance.

And I was very grateful we weren’t riding through that particular storm.

Once today was enough for me!

We finally arrived back at camp around 9:00 p.m. Thankfully, we made it without a single drop of rain. The roads were wet, but we stayed dry.

And just like that, another day of our adventure came to an end.

But the work wasn’t quite finished.

There was footage to upload, electronics to charge, pictures to organize, and, of course, today’s blog to write.

As I sit here reflecting on Day 59, I can’t help but see how God continues to weave every part of this journey together.

The church service.

The prayers.

The friends we had to say goodbye to.

The biker who needed to hear about Jesus.

The family from Canada.

The man who is searching for a new direction.

The storm.

The rainbow.

The roads.

The people.

The unexpected conversations.

None of it feels accidental.

We started this journey with a destination in mind, but God has continued to remind us that the destination isn’t the most important part.

The mission is.

And after 59 days, we are still trusting Him to direct every mile.

The journey isn’t over yet.

There are still roads to ride.

People to meet.

Prayers to pray.

Seeds to plant.

Stories to tell.

And divine appointments waiting somewhere ahead.

So let’s keep riding.

Let’s keep watching.

Let’s keep listening.

Let’s keep saying yes when God opens a door.

Because we don’t know what tomorrow holds.

But we know Who holds tomorrow.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” — Proverbs 3:5–6

The road continues.

The mission continues.

And we can’t wait to see where He leads us next.

We are—

Wrights On A Mission.

If you’d like to continue riding along with us as we make our way back across the country, we’d love to have you join us on YouTube and Facebook at Wrights On A Mission.

The journey isn’t over yet.

And we can’t wait to see where God leads us next!