Bike Trips
2010-2012 Bike Trip Anniversary Brochure
Our 18th RideMissouri 300
June 2010
Ride the Katy Trail from Sedalia to St. Charles a suburb of St. Louis or bring your family for the first weekend and ride together.
Our 19th RideGreat Lakes 250
June 2011
Bike the Great Lakes area of Wisconsin and Michigan. Experience the north shore wilderness and the hospitality of the great mid-west.
20th Anniversary RideThe "Route 66" 300
June 2012
Travel the old route 66 through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California – 60 miles in each state.
Marking Twenty Years of Biking
History
In the summer of 1998 a small group of youth and adults from a large local church embarked on an adventure that would last 20 years. “Back in 1988, we had no concept of cell phones, laptops, the Internet, or GPS navigation systems, which have completely changed the way we plan and map out bike trips, but for that matter we also had no idea what kind of impact 20 years of biking would have on so many people,” said Ken Dossett, director of On The Rock Ministries and bike trip organizer.
For 17 summers since 1988, the youth of First United Methodist Church and now youth associated with The Rock have ridden highways, red rocks, coastal sandy beaches, orange groves, deserts, ski slopes, and mountain ranges. In between riding they've also canoed and rafted water ways, hiked mountain slopes, traveled in steam trains, and eaten gourmet meals at the Broadmore Hotel in Colorado Springs and hot dogs at Dime-A-Dog night at a ballpark in Columbus.
That summer of 1988, eleven bike riders, Robert Moreland, Matt Archer, Roger McClain, Daniel McClain, Jennifer Stearns, Windy Dossett, Brad Cozad, Beth Moreland, Aaron Keltner, and Clarence Lanning finished what became known as the Oklahoma 100 – The Eleven Who Dared. Little did they realize that they would set into motion a tradition that would continue for 20 years. That year they rode from Bartlesville through Claremore to Buzzard's Roost near Green Leaf State Park in Braggs, Oklahoma. They spent their first night in Claremore, not resting but bowling and shooting at a local rifle range. They got up the next morning to face a grueling hill. “We've learned a lot since then,” said Dossett. “We usually stick to biking trails now instead of highways, and try to avoid the grueling hills when we can.”
Locations
Each year a different state has been selected because of its bike paths, scenic beauty, or points of interest, although some routes and trips have been revisited. For some young people the bike trips have provided the chance to see and do many things they would have never been able to do, such as fly over the Grand Canyon, bike across the Canadian border, tour Gettysburg on a bike, climb Mt. Yale in Colorado and reach 13,000 feet, raft the Snake River rapids, watch the story of Ruth unfold in a Sight and Sound Production, canoe the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, or eat cinnamon rolls at Naniboujou Inn on Lake Superior where Babe Ruth used to dine.
Purpose
In the midst of the adventure Dossett says, “The greatest reward has been watching young people put their trust in their Father in Heaven for their strength to endure a ten hour biking day, or riding 70 miles, or riding through wind, rain, snow, or parching heat. The bike trips are a powerful way for young people to put their faith to the test and have proven results they can see.”
The bike riders have encountered many interesting people during their trips such as the Jesuit priest who was making a pilgrimage across the country. They met him in Santa Fe, New Mexico at a city park; he joined them in their praise and worship time and some of the bike riders shared some of their spending money as a love offering to sped him along his journey. “That's not unusal,” noted Dossett. “We've had lots of strangers, fellow campers, families and individuals join in with us at night during our devotional times at state park camp sites.”
Accomodations
Camp sites aren't the only accommodations the riders seek, many times churches open their doors to the group, so they can sleep on the floor. Some generous churches have provided a meal and church members have even offered their homes for showering. Last year in Ohio, a small church in a small town in Hendersonville, had several church members who sat on their porches and directed the riders to four different houses so they could shower.
In the summer of 2008, 36 youth and adults, with about a one to one ratio for mentor ventured to Minnesota and Wisconsin for the 300 mile bike ride, June 21-29. The riders ranged from 13 to 66. “This year we white water rafted the St. Croix River, watched Foot Loose at a Dinner Theater in the Wisconsin Dells, toured a cave with lanterns, and rode some of the most renowned rails to trails bike paths in the country. “Not all the participants biked; we had some team members who strictly went to support the riders.” They will navigated and directed the riders, pitched tents, cooked meals, gave back rubs, and prepared and handout snacks along the way.
Volunteers
Dossett credited several OTRM board members and volunteers with the success of the bike program. “Roger and Dixie McClain have been involved in every bike trip. Roger leads at the front of the pack and Dixie supports and drives the bike trailer. Without their encouragement, this bike program wouldn't exist. Cliff Stearns of OTRM board chairman began biking with us three years ago after hearing about the bike trips for years from his own kids. This year his grandson will be accompanying him on the trip. Malcolm and Barbara Joyce, long time Free Wheel riders and Bartlesville Pedalers, have raised thousands of dollars in scholarships so that no youth will be turned away from participating in the trip due to lack of funds. And we couldn't make these trips without our numerous financial and prayer supporters.”
“When I have the privilege to reminisce with Rock alumni or FUMC youth group members from the 1990s, eventually the conversation will drift towards the bike trips, and over and over again I hear these young adults recall the adventures they encountered, the life lessons they learned, and the confidence they gained in overcoming life's obstacles with the help of the Lord while on the trips. That's priceless and why we keep offering these encounters,” recalled Dossett.
