Wrights On A Mission

More Miles, More Divine Appointments

What a blessing it was to wake up this morning after a good night’s sleep in the cabin at the Yankton KOA. The air conditioning kept the cabin at the perfect temperature all night, and after 63 days on the road, a comfortable bed and a good night’s sleep felt like a little gift from God.

We were up at 6:30 a.m. and had everything packed and ready to go by 7:30. After 63 days of doing this, we have become pretty efficient at packing up our bikes! There is something satisfying about knowing exactly where everything belongs and getting it all secured and ready for another day of adventure.

We pointed our bikes east and headed out of town.

Today wasn’t going to be one of those glamorous riding days filled with breathtaking mountain passes or spectacular scenery. Today was about making miles. We didn’t even have a specific destination in mind. We simply wanted to ride about 320 miles, find a place to stay, and keep moving toward home.

And yet, we have learned something important on this journey:

God doesn’t need a spectacular destination to create a divine appointment.

Sometimes He meets us on a mountain. Sometimes beside a glacier. And sometimes He meets us at a gas station.

Our first stop was Casey’s in Vermillion, South Dakota. While we were there, Melvin met two Native Americans and had the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with them. He also gave them a copy of CMA’s Hope for the Highway Bible book.

Coffee, an apple fritter, a full tank of gas, and an opportunity to share Jesus before 9 a.m.—not a bad way to begin the day!

It reminded me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

We may have been heading home, but the mission wasn’t over.

It never is.

Around 10:19, we stopped at Petro Mart in Missouri Valley for more gas and, of course, more coffee. There we met Mike, who lives locally. He told Melvin about his dirt bike and loved the sticker we gave him because he enjoys putting stickers on his trailer.

As they talked, we discovered that Mike was planning to ride in the Black Hills with a friend who lives there. Then he mentioned that he also knew someone who was part of CMA and lived right there in the Missouri Valley area.

Another connection.

Another conversation.

Another reminder that God is constantly putting people in our path.

We were back on the interstate by 11:12 and rode until about 12:40, when we stopped for gas in DeSoto, Iowa.

That’s when Melvin asked the important question:

“What’s for lunch?”

I had to laugh because I was tired of gas station food and even more tired of sitting on a curb to eat it. Apparently, many gas stations these days have decided tables are optional!

So I pulled out my phone and searched for a restaurant. Right across the street was a little place called Ambeos Roadhouse and Grill.

Great decision!

From the outside, it looked like an old farmhouse. Inside, they were playing 80s country music, and the rustic barn-wood décor gave the place an old-fashioned, homey feeling. It was small and cozy, with plenty of outdoor patio space and picnic tables, but we chose to sit inside where the air conditioning felt wonderful.

We ordered their famous hand-cut, pounded and grilled pork tenderloin. They also had poutine—one of my favorites—but I managed to resist today.

Well… sort of.

As we ate, Melvin and I kept looking at the map, trying to figure out a better road to take than the interstate. After all these weeks of riding, we both agree that motorcycles and interstates aren’t our favorite combination. They’re crowded, noisy and, honestly, pretty boring—even though they are great for making miles.

Then Melvin noticed a local biker named Dan.

He told Melvin about Highway 92, a road that runs east and west through Iowa. It was only about 14 minutes from where we were.

That was all the convincing we needed.

Off the interstate we went!

We headed toward Winterset, Iowa, which happens to be the birthplace of John Wayne, and picked up Highway 92. What a difference! The scenery changed, the pace slowed down, and suddenly the ride felt like an adventure again.

Sometimes you just have to get off the well-traveled road.

I couldn’t help but think about Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

We didn’t have every mile planned today.

We didn’t know exactly where we would sleep.

But we knew who was directing our path.

We followed Highway 92 all the way to Knoxville. I knew we needed to turn south after Knoxville, so we stopped at a gas station to check the map.

And there it was again.

Another conversation.

A local man was there filling up his dirt bikes, and naturally, he and Melvin started talking motorcycles. Before long, they were talking about our trip, our mission and sharing the Gospel.

Then he told us about an ice cream shop down the road.

Well… obviously we had to check that out!

We rode over, only to discover that it didn’t open until 4 p.m.

It was 3:30.

Apparently, even ice cream has its appointed time.

So we decided we would find another one farther down the road.

By 5 p.m., we made it to Bloomfield, Iowa, where we found Marv & Charlie’s Ice Cream Shop. We settled into the cool air conditioning with our ice cream and finally started thinking seriously about where we were going to spend the night.

I tried calling about three places roughly 60 miles away in Keokuk, Illinois, but being right along the Mississippi River, everything was booked.

We could have kept riding.

But sometimes wisdom is knowing when to stop.

Rather than riding another hour and risking having nowhere to stay, we decided to stay right there in Bloomfield.

A small Iowa town.

Two little motels.

And one room waiting for us.

We drove over to the Southfork Motel and Grill, and it turned out to be perfect. Quiet. Simple. Affordable. Exactly what we needed.

As we began unloading the motorcycles, we met two very sweet ladies, Ruth and Mary. Ruth was in her mid-80s, and her daughter was driving her.

Melvin told them that we had ridden all the way to Alaska and were now making our way home.

Ruth looked at me and said,

“You have more courage than me.”

I smiled and thanked her.

It has been a long journey, and now we are less than a week from home.

We chatted for a while, and then Melvin shared the Gospel with them.

Then Ruth told us that her dad had been a preacher.

And just like that, two strangers at a little motel in Bloomfield became another divine appointment.

There is something so beautiful about meeting fellow believers along the road. You may have never met before, but there is an immediate connection because we share the same Savior.

Ruth and Mary blessed us and prayed for safe travels as we continue our journey home.

I thought about how often Scripture reminds us that our steps are not random.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” — Psalm 37:23

Today, God ordered our steps through gas stations, coffee shops, a local biker, a closed ice cream shop, a small-town motel and two sweet ladies named Ruth and Mary.

Not every day of this adventure is going to be breathtaking.

Some days are simply about putting miles behind us.

Some days are about finding a place to sleep.

Some days are about eating a pork tenderloin instead of another gas station sandwich.

Some days are about fighting traffic and watching the miles slowly tick away.

But even on the ordinary days, God is still working.

There are people He wants us to meet.

There are conversations He wants us to have.

There are lives He wants us to touch.

And there are moments when we realize that what looked like an ordinary stop was actually part of His plan all along.

Tonight, we finally got to enjoy a warm shower. We finished our leftovers from lunch for dinner while Melvin watched some TV, and I worked on today’s blog, charged our equipment and uploaded footage.

Tomorrow will be another long day—another 300-plus miles toward home.

So tonight, we rest.

We don’t know exactly what tomorrow will bring.

But after 63 days on this journey, we have learned that we don’t have to know.

We simply have to keep following the One who does.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105

The adventure may be winding down, but the mission continues.

Tomorrow, we’ll make more miles.

And we’ll see where God takes us next.

Good night from Bloomfield, Iowa. 🙏🏍️🇺🇸

Until then, it’s time to rest.