Archive for August, 2012
Read the bike ride article that was published in “The Reporter”…
Posted: August 12, 2012 in Bike Ride Across America 20120
The Pierce family has returned to Columbia, MO! We arrived sometime after 2:00 AM on August 8th. While there are many people to thank for supporting our family and helping make my bicycle ride across America a success, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the Jivetti family.
Billy, Lillian and Belinda have spent their summer living in our house and caring for it while we were away. The house sitting arrangement worked well for both of our families, as the Jivettis needed a place to stay while Billy finished earning his Ph.D. in Rural Sociology and we needed caretakers while traveling over the summer.
I first got to know Billy through a mutual friend, Sharon Kinden, who has been working with Billy to build a hospital, the Fellbaum Clinic, in Billy’s home village in Kenya. Our congregation, Campus Lutheran, is supportong this project in a variety of ways and I’d encourage you to take a moment to look at the Pathways Africa website and see for yourself the caring work that is taking place.
It is truly a God thing – how He brings people together and blesses us and others through those relationships!
My family stayed in Connecticut for a few days after finishing the bike ride. We especially enjoyed our time with my brother Kyle and his family… cousins playing in the swimming pool, driving antique vehicles, and eating Mystic Pizza!
On Saturday evening I had an opportunity to share about my bike ride and the ministry of Lutheran Campus Mission Association at Christ Lutheran Church in Niantic, CT. The congregation has been including campus ministry inserts in their bulletins and collected a door offering. Then, on Sunday morning, I returned to Storrs, CT and was welcomed again by Hope Lutheran Church. I was the guest preacher and enjoyed sharing God’s Word and talking with congregation members about campus ministry. Hope is a campus congregation next to the University of Connecticut. Many thanks to everyone who blessed our family’s visit!
3,671 miles!
This afternoon I completed my 3,671 mile bicycle journey across America and dipped my wheels in the waters of Long Island Sound. 
My brother Kyle joined me for the second half of today’s ride, navigating our route to the beach at Rocky Neck State Park, CT.
Kyle’s house was along our route, so we stopped and recruited some additional riders for the last 9 miles to the ocean. My daughter, Emma, and Kyle’s sons, Jon and Mark, rode with us for the final stretch.
While the bike ride is complete, I’ll still be providing some blog posts in the upcoming days with reflections about my trip. It’s also not too late to make a donation to Lutheran Campus Mission Association. Stay tuned for post-ride details…
CampusBikeRideUSA 