Wrap Up

Well it has been nearly a week since coming home from the Tour. Last night 
I reviewed the trip in my dreams alot and it truly was a dream come true. 
When Tom Z and I first started to think about the trip it was just a thought 
and now it is history. There were so many happenings during the trip that 
it would be hard to summarize. Suffice it to say that there were many 
summits and many downhills and all were well earned. We had lots of good 
food and the weather for the entire trip was excellent. By the time we got 
to Glacier Park in Montana and rode the Going to the Sun Highway, it seemed 
to be an easy ride and it was a great day to see the beauty of Gods 
creation.

As always, when you have a group of people riding and camping together you 
wonder how it will go. I must say one of the highlights of the trip was 
getting to know everyone on the team. Bev (Toms sister) was our Support 
Angel and drove the support vehicle and made our dinners. Iden (Bev's 
husband) was our camp scout and always came up with a winning campsite for 
the night. Laurel ( Tom's niece and Bev'/Iden's granddaughter ) was our 
camp comedian and kept us entertained. Chloe ( Bev's dog ) was even fun to 
watch as she would sit and watch the chipmunk she treeed for long periods 
while the chippy scolded her. Wally (Tom's brother-in-law) was our support 
driver/rider for the last half of the trip. The riders for the first half 
of the trip were Katy/Red Rocket, Eddie/Fast Eddie, Tom/Tailgunner and 
myself/Grayjay. The last half of the trip the riders were Tom and Wally 
playing truck tag and trying to keep up with me. Anyway, it made the trip 
even more special to be with a group of wonderful people who cared for each 
other and love the God of our Universe.

Thanks so much to all the pledgers that have supported the Stayton Christian 
School. The total team mileage was 4877 miles. If all the pledges come 
in we will have raised over $2500 for the school to use for Tuition 
assistance or another Christian effort.

The following is the Bikers Creed that I came up with while riding.

Take what the Lord gives you.
Wether the road is rough or smooth,
Wether the wind is in your face or at your back,
Wether the road is up or down,
It is all good.......Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Give God the Glory!................J 

 

Odometer started at 7,000.  That means that Poppa J rode 1861.1 miles.

 

Trip ended with Poppa J, Uncle Wally, and Tom.

 

Hug between friends as they end the 2012 Tour de Faith.

Total miles of the team was 4,877.

Tom - 1,100

Katy - 796

Eddie - 804

Wally - 300

Poppa J - 1,861

8/24/12 - Check in by Poppa J

It was 30 degrees this morning in between La Grande & Ukiah.  The Tour de Faith team is currently east of Mt. Vernon & west of John Dae, spending the night at Clyde Holiday State Park where they will get showers tonight!  They are head to Prineville tomorrow.

Postcard from Poppa J

Post mark unreadable with picture of elk

Burns Family,
I saw a white tipped fox run across road as I was leaving this a.m.  Also a buck male dear with a big rack of antlers.  Later I saw some wild turkeys and rode right through them.  They scattered and flew every which way.  I heard an osprey call and saw one go fishing but came up empty handed.  I rode 147 today over LoLo Pass.  Home is calling.
Love you all,
Poppa

Nancy's Facebook Post on 8/21/12

Tour de Faith: Group made it to Glacier National Park, rode up & down on the Going to the Sun Road. Jay, Tom & Wally parted company with rest of group on Saturday. The 3 peddlemen rode to Missoula where they stayed a night with Brian & Jan Potter in Missoula (which they thoroughly enjoyed; thank you very much). Camping tonight in Lewiston, ID. Headed to Enterprise, Elgin, Ukiah,... Mt. Vernon (that's what Jay said) & then head west. To be continued...

Postcards from Poppa J

Post marked 8/18/12 with picture of two mountain goats

Dear Grant & Riley (grandsons),

These goats made me think of you two boys.  A big brother and a little brother.  Both of you watch out for each other and watch out for Granna for me.  Today I rode up to Logan Pass and then back down to our campsite.  It was great fun.  You would like all the mountains and waterfalls and wildflowers and wildlife.  We have to be very careful cause there are bears around.  I love you!

-Poppa J

Post marked 8/18/12 with picture of Glacier National Park

You would like the views.  Lots of trails to hike.  We rode the "Going to the sun" Hwy today and it was a great climb and a great down hill back to our campsite.  The river was cold for me but Lake MacDonald was warm for the others.  My odometer reads 7999.3.  I started at 7000.  Half way home and we start that way tomorrow.  I think I will be like a horse going to water.  I love you.

-Poppa J

Tour de Faith Team

Katy Zilverberg continues on down the road with the Tour de Faith Team.

Nancy's Facebook post on 8/14/2012

"Tour de Faith: Now in Sand Point, Idaho. Trip still going well except for the heat. 

Jay has ridden 800 miles as of this afternoon."

 

8/14/12 - Still in Idaho.  Stop for a little chat on the road.

Team fuel up.                                                                                                              Headed to Montana.

Postcard from Poppa J - 8/13/12

Dear Family,
  Nice mountains surround Durrington.  I got to enjoy the place while waiting for the team to catch up. We will be heading toward more mountains today . . . infinity and beyond . . .  We are earning out down hills.  Take care of Granna.
Love you,
Poppa J

August 15 - Wednesday

The Tour de Faith group is in Montana at the intersection of Hwy 58 & 200 and headed to Thompson Falls.  There was lots of rain and quite a few trains that went through where they stayed last night.  Their hope is to make it into Glacier National Park by tomorrow night and stay there for two nights.  Saturday the group plans to split up and Popp J, Tom, and Uncle Willie will start their track back towards home.

Day 7 - Saturday

"Dad & Eddie are in Winthrop, WA. Rest are trying to catch up. Stayed at the summit about 1/2 hour & enjoyed view, etc. before going down to Winthrop--hard ride down. Headed to Loup Loup CG outside of Twisp for the night." - via phone call with J's lovely wife, Nancy.

Day 4 - Wednesday

Sun. - J got to Milwaukie about 2pm & visited with friend, Erika & Mal, for a couple of hours.  Then he went to his nights destination, the Jensens, in Portland.  They ate dinner at Red Robin & J hit the sack.

Mon. - J rode to Springdale extra early to meet the rest of the group. They were delayed by traffic so not sure when they actually started biking. They headed east on the Old Gorge Hwy to Cascade Locks & crossed over to WA, on through Carson & north to Paradise Campground.

Tue. - The group continued north & rode toward Swift Reservoir. Then on Hwy 90 to FR25 to Randle, then Hwy 12 to Packwood. Camping at La Wis Wis Campground (about 22 miles from Randle).

Wed. - Left Wis Wis & continued north to Cayuse Pass & down to Enumclaw and on to Kanasket/Palmer State Park to spend the night.

4:05pm, Wednesday, August 8th's phone message to daughter, Janci:
"We are in Edenclaw, WA headed to Kanasket/Palmer State park.  We got up the gorge, around Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainer, and things are going pretty well."

August 5th - Day 1

Poppa J with his favorite, and only, grandkids.

 Poppa J & Riley (above)






Poppa J & Tessa (right)

Granna & Poppa J with the munchkins.

 He was cheered on by his lovely wife - Nancy, daughter - Janci, son-in-law - Jason, and four grandkids (Grant, Lydia, Riley, and Tessa) all sporting their lime green 

Tour De Faith t-shirts.  

Saying goodbye for approximately 3 1/2 weeks or 1,900 miles.

J Grant took off at 8:50am this morning from Foothills Church in Stayton, OR. With his banana and gear on board his bike, he headed to Portland to spend the night with his Nancy's sister and husband, Emily & John Jensen.