Washita County

Day 15 Foss, OK - Edmond, OK
Miles 118
How many truckers kindly honked - 3
How many rude cars passed us - 2

Warning: This is going to be a long Blog post

I got up before Caroline got up. I didn't want to be in the small bathroom when one of the cyclists should be in there preparing for the morning ride. So I tip-toed out of the small framed 1room cabin and walked to the community shower and bathroom. Once I got dressed and ready for the day, I went back to the cabin and got my laptop out. My pictures had not been synced from my iPhone to my computer when I was working on my blog on Sunday night, so here I was able to quickly add the correct photos onto Day 14 and send that out before we left on our journey for the day.

This morning, I realized that I hadn't taken a picture of Day X with Neil, so I quickly asked him if I could take his photo. The sun was rising and it was a perfect time to take the shot. I've wanted to ask him for the photo shot, but I know he is preoccupied with the day of cycling, but today seemed like a good time, as there was kinda a "lull" in the morning packing and such.

The riders left right on time. They had several other riders to join them from Dallas, plus Cherree, Neil and Vela's adult daughter had arrived and will be joining us for several days. As soon as they left, Glenn and I followed behind. We got on I40 and met them as they were going under the underpass where a bunch of birds were building their nests. I thought they were bats, but they were swollows Glenn said.

The bikers were headed to the McDonalds in Clinton. Neil ran into a motorcyclists who was traveling from Fresno or Orange County to Tennesses. We had met this same guy at the KOA campgrounds on Sunday night. Glenn and I had talked a little to him, and now we run into him agin at McDonalds. Neil was able to have a good conversation with him.

Once we got to McDonalds, we connected with Loretta and her husband. Loretta's niece is S Riffe from Northwest Bible Church. Loretta was just so super exited that the #ConversationsCoasttoCoast team was coming near her town. She is from Corn, Oklahoma. So, we made several missionary connections, as the Corn academy is famous for housing missionary kids from back in the 70's and 80's. I'm not sure if they still do that anymore. But they knew the Blyckers, Nellis from Mexico and Goertz. Now that I'm thinking, I bet they would have known the Phillippi kids. Any way, Loretta had her grandson with them, Jack and he just loved the idea of what Neil was doing. Coast to Coast conversations. And bicycles.

After a quick breakfast, the cyclists were off. We asked if we could take Jack in the van with us as we go down the highway for about 10 miles. Harold tased along. While we were driving, they got to listen to the walkie talkies and the communication that way. And we explained how we would stop for them to take a break and Glenn would serve them cold water, or just ice, or maybe some cheese sticks or even fresh fruit. We explained to Jack some interesting details about how they travel about 100 miles a day and their habits. I got a nice email from Loretta thanking us that we engaged with Jack. Even Neil had a picture of the two of them together. I was so blessed by what Loretta wrote to me in an email, that I must share it on my blog. I skipped through it earlier in the day, but really didn't read it word for word til right now, 12:55am as I write it. But I must enclose it and may it be a reminder of what it's like to share Jesus and be a light in the World.

Judy, Glen, Vela,
It was absolutely a delight meeting the cross-country conversation team at McDonalds
this morning. Thank you so much!!!. Our 13 year old grandson, Jack Irick, is visiting
us, but lives in Euless, TX. He was so excited to learn there were fellow "Texans"
riding not just across America, but within a few miles of our home near Corn,
Oklahoma.
Judy, your invitation to ride in the van and follow the bikers for 15 miles will
definitely compete with his trip to Disney World this summer. After meeting Neil and
the team, looking at your website, and watching several of the video posts, Jack
said, and I quote, "Today I met some people who are really sorta famousish".
Most of all, he saw the love of Jesus presented in a new, kid friendly, venue---a
bicycle. That's Awesome!!
Now he is committed to follow you each day, pray for you and your bikes, no more
flats, strength to get up long hills and face wind, and for Jaden to be healed of
cancer. He wants to come to Northwest Bible Church and see Mr. Neil again after he
finishes this ride.
The instagram picture of Jack sitting next to Neil at McDonalds has many proud views
today.
Extend our thanks, appreciation, and love to Neil. We experienced JESUS in a
fun-filled, refreshing way.

Our love, prayers, and blessings from the Oklahoma Heartland,
Howard & Loretta Schmidt, Jack Irick

PS: Glen, small world that several of your MK friends attended Corn Bible Academy

We continued on following the cyclists. They did make a quick pit stop out near some open corn or wheat fields. The done went up several times. One time we saw it flying right over I 40 was we were on the over pass, and the cyclists was on the service road. I know that will be a spectacular arial view.

Glenn was trying to connect up with John H. and another cyclists. We were trying to figure out where they could eat lunch. There were very many towns in this area. And we would pass through a town but it wasn't quite lunch time, and the next town was farther away. So, in communication with Jeff and (where's Vela when we need her? Side Note: Vela took one of the vehicles that had come from Dallas and was able to drive to the hotel, do some class work and leisurely drive down I-40 and wait for us to arrive 11 hours later and it only took her 1 1/2 hours) Glenn we decided to meet John at the Love's Traffic stop and then it was changed to stop at Sonic. Glenn and I split a hamburger and onion rings.

While sitting around the picnic table, John H got to meet their other cyclists. John knows this area. He knows what roads are good and what are not. He suggested an alternate route and he was leading the pack. I'm thankful that he was able to lead the group through the corn or wheat fields. It was here that we saw a lot of flooding. I hear that there has been massive flooding in the area, however, I haven't had a lick of TV or news in the past 2.5 weeks and even more. We saw debris of wood that was stuck in trees and you just knew it was from the effects of the flooding in the past few days or weeks.

We made a "pit stop" at a convenience store. And this time it was in the shade. So often we have found no shade (especially out in the dessert), so this was a welcomed sight. We had to keep pushing as tonight, most of the team was staying at a Home2Suite Hotel in Edmond and 4 of us are staying at a lake house just 15 minutes down the road. We also had plans to have dinner together after everyone showered. A bus load of folks from Northwest Bible and the Bureau Sunday school class had driven up to surprise Neal and encourage him.

We also needed to get Una and one of the riders to the hotel so they could take an "Uber" to the airport for the 8:15pm flight to Dallas. Two days earlier I had texted 2 folks at Metropolitan Baptist Church to ask if they could drive these 2 folks to the airport. And just like clock work, Rebecca volunteered. She was at the hotel waiting for us. The hardest thing was to get Una away from the gang so they drive through traffic and get to the airport and not miss their flight. Also, I had called Joanie to come to the hotel to pick up John. They were there for the arrival of the cyclists.

Next was the party at the Bar-B-Que place the Sharla L. had organized. We took Neil, Vela and their daughter down the road to the "surprise" party. I sat and talked "a mile a minute" with Judy S. She was so excited about my blog about this journey, and I'm thinking, "its just what I do, nothing special and Glenn doesn't even proofread my stuff, because we just don't have time, and my grammar is awful, etc, etc, etc." However, Judy went on and on and on about it. Neil give a special talk, on how he was really planning on having a party to celebrate Jadon. Jadon is a young boy who is struggling with cancer and how Neil is riding 1,000 miles or it might be 3,000 miles in the month of June to Cycle for Childhood Cancer. And its all because Neil was kind to a banker, that started a relationship that will hopefully point the family to Christ. And its all about having easy to start conversations with people and like Neil has said before, just being kind. Wow, where did that rabbit trail go?

After the party, drove 15 minutes past the hotel and 4 of us are staying in John's friend that has a weekend house at a private late. We quickly unloaded our stuff and then Glenn and I turned around and drove back out to the Wall-Mart store to get a few things. James needed some cold medicine as he was feeling kinda getting that "chills" feeling. Ugh. He also needed some toothpaste. Gotta keep those teeth clean. We picked up cereal and milk for the boys, and fruit, especially banana for Caroline. It wasn't until midnight when we got. back home.

During this trip, our "Betsy", Garmin GPS died, so Glenn and I purchased a New "Betsy" to help us navigate through the streets and hi ways. I'm going to check with Glenn to see maybe this new Garmin, we'll give her a new name. I propose we use Chuckwagon 16. Hmm

And guess what? The house was locked. I told Glenn to go around to every door and make sure. It was left open for us, so we didn't have a key. Sadly, Glenn had to call Jeff up and wake him up. Tuesday morning, Glenn will work at repacking the vehicle. The van gets trashed everyday. Because there is such a rush to get the water to the cyclists or maybe they want some that is not in their "box", then we have to try to remember where something was packed. And now with more cyclists here traveling along, it will be interesting to see how this works out. But then again, we'll have more cars too. Oh well.

Sometimes I feel I wish the day would have gone smoother, I wished we would not have made that wrong turn, but thankful that we only went 1 block out of the way, or that we could have gotten that bag of ice at the last gas station we passed or that I wasn't feeling so worn out.

My heart is blessed when I read this email from Loretta (Read above). I'm thankful that I have not had any major conflicts with the other team members. I especially am thankful that Wes has been kind to Glenn and me as we have learned some of the "cyclists lingo". And I'm thankful for the divine appointments we have inspite of our weaknesses. Because those wrong turns happen for a reason. Those extra smile to someone we meet make a difference.Read more