Wrights On A Mission

Divine Appointments on the Road

The alarm went off at 6:30 a.m., and there was no time to waste. We had a lot of miles to cover today! We packed up the bikes and headed over to the KOA café for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. By 8:00 a.m., the kickstands were up, and we were on the road and ready for the 400-mile ride to the Yankton KOA in South Dakota.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect—65 degrees, sunny skies, and a beautiful day for riding. We headed out of Custer on Highway 16A toward the Badlands National Park.

As we came around the bend near the Custer State Park Visitor Center, we noticed cars stopping everywhere. At first, we wondered what was going on. Then we saw them—a whole herd of buffalo just hanging out along the road! Some were standing right in the roadway, while others were rolling around in the dirt, kicking up clouds of dust. Tourists were everywhere, stopping to take pictures and watch the spectacle.

We hung back and waited for some of the chaos to settle before moving ahead. On motorcycles, we are much more vulnerable, so we wanted a clear path and took our time passing through. Of course, I had my GoPro recording because I wanted to capture the excitement too!

Another incredible experience—and we had barely even started our day.

It reminded me how often God places beauty and wonder right in front of us when we are willing to slow down and notice it. “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” —Psalm 118:24

And what a day He had made!

We stopped for gas in Hermosa before entering the Badlands because there isn’t much opportunity to fuel up once you get in. We filled the bikes and pulled into a parking space to take care of our cameras and gear.

That’s when we met Todd.

Todd was riding a Honda Grom, a compact 124.9cc motorcycle. It was such a neat little bike, especially seeing someone traveling long distance on one! He asked Melvin if he could help him tighten his chain.

“Of course,” Melvin told him. “I’d be happy to help. Do you have tools?”

Todd said he had an 8mm wrench and a pair of vice grips he had just purchased.

So Melvin showed him how to tighten the chain, and while they worked, Todd began telling us about his journey.

He was traveling across the country on his Honda Grom along the TransAmerica Trail.

He pulled out his maps and showed us the route he was taking.

“Wow! That’s amazing!” we said.

But as we stood there talking, this simple roadside motorcycle repair became something much more.

It became a divine appointment.

We prayed with Todd for safety and protection over his journey. We gave him a Spoken Word—the Gospel of John—a Promise Book filled with Scripture indexed by topics, a bike blessing sticker, and a Wrights on a Mission sticker.

There was an immediate connection between us. Maybe it was because we all understand the joy of motorcycles and adventure. Maybe it was because we are all travelers on the road. Or maybe, just maybe, God had arranged our paths to cross before we ever left Custer that morning.

I told Todd, “No matter where you are, if you need help, look up a CMA’er and they will help you.”

He seemed comforted by that.

Then I told him one of our favorite CMA sayings:

“Here if you need us!”

And that really is what ministry is about.

Sometimes ministry happens in a church. Sometimes it happens at a rally. Sometimes it happens around a campfire or over a meal.

And sometimes it happens beside a motorcycle at a gas station.

We may have thought we were stopping for gas, but God had another reason for that stop.

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” —Proverbs 16:9

Todd headed out first, and a few miles later we caught up with him on the highway. As we passed, we waved to each other. It was one of those simple moments that makes you smile and reminds you that the road is filled with people God may place in your path for a reason.

And who knows? Maybe our paths will cross again someday.

From there, we entered the Badlands—and what a sight it was!

We quickly found the perfect place to pull over and capture some photos and video. Massive wind-carved rock layers rose from the earth, forming sharp spires and steep walls that seemed to reach toward the sky.

The colors were incredible—stripes of tan, pink, and dark gray layered throughout the rock, almost like pages in a history book written by the Creator Himself.

Then, suddenly, the rocky landscape opened into wide grassy prairies. Green and golden grass stretched as far as we could see.

It was breathtaking.

Pictures simply cannot capture the depth and detail of a place like this. You have to stand there, breathe the air, and take it all in for yourself.

Looking at those towering formations, I couldn’t help but think about the greatness of our God.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” —Psalm 19:1

The farther we traveled, the more I was reminded that creation itself points us back to the Creator.

Eventually, we left the Badlands behind and stopped at a gas station and grocery store in the Native American area of the Badlands. A tour bus pulled in, and a large group of people got off.

One man who spoke broken English came over and said, “Nice bike!”

Then he showed me a picture of his BMW.

I smiled and gave him a thumbs-up, and Melvin gave him a CMA tract.

Another little opportunity.

Another person.

Another chance to plant a seed.

We also finished some of our leftovers from yesterday’s dinner while four dogs, who appeared to be strays, gathered around us hoping we would share our food with them.

After that, it was time to make some miles.

We rode for a couple of hours before stopping for gas again. This time, we sat down and enjoyed an ice cream sandwich before climbing back on the bikes.

A few more hours of riding brought us to a late lunch of chicken tenders and fries. Then it was back on the road again.

Mile after mile.

Hour after hour.

The sun continued its journey across the sky as we continued ours.

Finally, around 7:30 p.m., we pulled into the Yankton KOA.

We had been in the saddle for at least ten hours.

It was a long day.

But it was a good day.

And we were tired.

The camp store was already closed, but our cabin key was waiting for us on the after-hours board. We opened the door to our little cabin and discovered something that felt like absolute luxury after weeks of tent camping—

air conditioning and a TV!

Sometimes you don’t realize how much you appreciate the little things until you’ve gone without them for a while.

I suggested we head back into town for pizza. On the way in, I had noticed Charlie’s Pizza House and thought it looked like a good place to eat.

So we took Gracie, since all of her bags were already off, and rode back into town.

Charlie’s Pizza House opened in 1959 and is known as South Dakota’s oldest pizza house. We had to try their famous pizza—and, of course, we couldn’t leave without trying their 1919 Root Beer on tap!

It was another great meal and a perfect way to end a long day.

If you’re ever traveling through Yankton, South Dakota, I would definitely recommend stopping there!

Then we headed back to our cabin, where we settled in for the night.

We had equipment to charge, footage to upload, and today’s blog to write. But most of all, we needed some good sleep.

Tomorrow is another long day of making miles. The plan is to ride about 320 miles. A little less than today, but still enough that we’ll need to get an early start.

As I look back on today, I’m reminded that this journey has never really been about the miles.

Yes, we have traveled thousands of miles.

We’ve seen incredible landscapes.

We’ve faced challenges.

We’ve ridden through rain, heat, wind, gravel, mountains, and long stretches of highway.

But some of the most meaningful moments have happened when we stopped.

Today, we stopped to help Todd.

And in that stop, God reminded us again that the people we meet along the way are part of the journey too.

We may never know what impact a simple conversation, a prayer, a Scripture, or a helping hand might have in someone’s life.

But we don’t have to know.

Our job is simply to be willing.

To notice.

To stop.

To help.

To pray.

To plant the seed.

And then trust God with the harvest.

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

That’s what this journey has been about from the beginning.

Wrights on a Mission.

Not just riding across the country.

Not just checking places off a map.

But following wherever God leads, watching for divine appointments, and being ready to say—

“Here if you need us!”

Tomorrow, we ride again.

Another day.

Another road.

Another 320 miles.

And, if God wills it, another opportunity to be His hands and feet along the way.

Until then, it’s time to rest.

Good night from Yankton, South Dakota.

Tomorrow, we make more miles—and we’ll see where God takes us next. 🙏🏍️🇺🇸