Following the One Who Leads

What a blessing it was to wake up this morning after a great night’s sleep on a real, soft, comfortable mattress! It has been a while since we slept on an actual bed. Even the cabins we stayed in along the way had those hard, plastic-covered mattresses that reminded me of a hospital room. They were certainly better than sleeping pads on the ground, but last night’s bed was something special.

It felt like Heaven! 😂

But as good as that bed felt, we knew we couldn’t stay there. There were still miles to make and a mission to continue.

We had one small cup of coffee at the hotel, packed up, and were back on the road by 7:30 a.m.

Today was another long day of making miles, but as we have learned over these past 64 days, God often has something more important planned than simply getting from Point A to Point B.

Our first stop was Montrose, Iowa. We weren’t expecting much more than a quick stop, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover this charming little town sitting right along the Mississippi River, directly across from Nauvoo, Illinois.

We grabbed some apple fritters and coffee and walked down to the river to take some pictures and capture a little drone footage. The weather couldn’t have been better—low 80s, partly cloudy skies, and a beautiful breeze.

It was one of those simple moments that makes you stop and say, “Thank You, Lord.”

Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

And we were.

By 9:40, we were back on the road, riding through Keokuk, Iowa, where we crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois.

From there, we continued east toward Ipava, Illinois. We stopped for a cold drink and a small snack, finding two milk crates in the shade where we could sit for a few minutes and cool down.

Nothing fancy.

Just two tired riders, two milk crates, a cold drink, and a little shade.

And sometimes, those are the moments you appreciate the most.

Back on the bikes we went, passing endless fields of corn and rows of wind turbines as we made our way along Illinois Route 136.

Then, just before the town of Emden, everything changed.

We saw a car off the road, and almost immediately we knew something was wrong. A man was injured and bleeding badly.

We pulled the bikes off the road and Melvin immediately went to help.

There was blood everywhere, and the young man had significant road rash. I kept looking around, wondering where the motorcycle was, because it looked like the kind of accident you might expect to involve a bike. But there was no motorcycle, and the nearby car didn’t appear to have any damage.

I stayed back and helped slow traffic while Melvin continued assisting the injured man and then worked alongside the EMS personnel when they arrived.

Eventually, they had him stabilized, placed on the stretcher, and loaded into the ambulance.

Only then did Melvin walk back toward our bikes. Along the way, he talked with a truck driver who had stopped. The man wasn’t a believer, but Melvin was able to plant a seed of faith in his heart.

Another unexpected encounter.

Another Divine appointment.

We later learned that the injured man had jumped from a moving vehicle. We don’t know what circumstances brought him to that moment, but we know God does.

So we prayed.

We prayed for healing for his physical injuries, but we also prayed for his heart, his mind, and whatever pain he may have been carrying that led him to make such a desperate choice.

Sometimes we encounter people for only a few minutes, but those few minutes can matter for eternity.

Galatians 6:9 reminds us, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

We may never know what comes from a simple act of kindness, a conversation, or a prayer.

But we can trust God with the seed.

About 20 minutes later, we came upon another unexpected opportunity.

This time it was a female motorcyclist who had broken down along the road.

Of course, we stopped.

Unfortunately, her clutch cable had broken, and it wasn’t something we could repair with what we had. Her husband was already on his way, but he was still about 45 minutes away.

So we stood there and talked for a while.

She told us she rides with the Moto Maids, participating in parades and other motorcycle events. We enjoyed hearing about her riding adventures, and once again, we found ourselves reminded that sometimes the destination isn’t the important part.

Sometimes the people God puts along the road are.

A local man eventually stopped in a town truck. He put his yellow flashers on, letting us know he would stay with her and make sure she was safe.

So we continued on.

Another Divine appointment.

Another opportunity to stop.

Another reminder that God orders our steps—even when those steps happen to be on two wheels.

We rode another 60 miles before realizing that it was already 2:30 in the afternoon and neither of us had eaten lunch.

We were hungry!

So we stopped at the Wild Hare Grill in Fisher, Illinois. I had a chicken Caesar wrap, and Melvin had a catfish sandwich with fries.

It was delicious—and exactly what we needed after hours of riding in the heat.

After lunch, we made one final gas stop in Attica, grabbed a quick ice cream, and then prepared for the final push into Frankfort, Indiana.

We arrived around 6:00 p.m. after an 11-hour day and 370 miles.

Not every day on this journey has been glamorous.

Some days have been breathtaking.

Some have been exhausting.

Some have been filled with incredible scenery and unforgettable adventures.

And some have simply been about making miles.

But even on the days when we feel like we are just traveling down the highway trying to get closer to home, God is still writing the story.

Today proved that once again.

We thought we were riding through Illinois trying to make miles.

God saw people who needed help.

A young man needed someone to stop.

A truck driver needed to hear a seed of faith.

A stranded rider needed someone to stay with her until help arrived.

And we just happened to be there.

Or perhaps it wasn’t “just.”

Maybe it was God.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

We can make our plans.

We can map our routes.

We can calculate our mileage.

We can decide what time we want to arrive.

But ultimately, God establishes the steps.

Tonight, we are in Frankfort, Indiana.

We ate leftovers for dinner, finished today’s blog, charged all the equipment, uploaded our footage, watched a little television, and went to bed early.

Tomorrow, we have about 270 miles left to ride to reach our final destination in Jackson, Ohio.

After 64 days, the finish line is getting close.

But tonight, we rest.

We don’t know exactly what tomorrow will bring.

And after everything we have experienced on this journey, we have learned something important:

We don’t have to know.

We simply have to keep following the One who does.

Isaiah 30:21 says, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’”

That has been the story of this entire journey.

One road.

One day.

One Divine appointment at a time.

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

Tomorrow, we’ll make more miles.

Tomorrow, we’ll take another step toward home.

And tomorrow, we’ll see where God takes us next.

Because we may not know what is around the next bend, but we know Who is already there.

Good night from Frankfort, Indiana. 🙏🏍️🇺🇸

Until tomorrow, it’s time to rest.