Hiking Through

Grandchildren And Other Small Voices

paulstutzman — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 18:52:12 +0000

How often do we take our friends and family for granted. Being separated from them while pedaling across America made me realize again how important they are to me. While I was gone my youngest grandson Blake, age one walked around carrying my book “Hiking Through” saying papa papa when he saw my photo on the dust jacket. My two year old grandson Brady was outside playing with his dad when I arrived at his house. He seemed excited to see me for about 10 seconds before saying ball ball to his dad and going back to hitting a tennis ball. This morning I took my four year old granddaughter Mallory on a doughnut and pumpkin run. She sat in the back seat and feasted on doughnut holes. How many are you eating, I asked her? There were enough for her entire family. I don’t count them I just eat them, she said. Mary was living to be a grandmother. I was dragged into the grandfather business kicking and screaming. It just sounds so …well… old. For 25 years I worked with younger workers and they kept me thinking young. Somewhere, somehow age sneaked up on me and I became a grandpa. I think I’ll do OK in the granddad business. Especially when I can actually communicate with them. Another year or two and we can communicate on the same intellectual level.

Last Sunday morning while preparing to leave for the airport I felt a strong urging in my spirit to take a copy of my book along for the flight. I had a feeling I would meet someone that needed to read the book. My little web book computer I had taken with me on my bike journey picked up a virus and was deathly sick. I stuck my big lap top computer in my backpack and because of that extra weight I removed the book and left it behind. Coming home from Atlanta a young couple sat beside me. In conversation I discovered they were returning from Oklahoma where they were returning from her mother’s house. Her father who was also her best friend had just recently been killed in an accident. I explained to her that I had been instructed to bring a book along to give to her but had not been obedient to the calling. Give me your address and I will send it to you. Turns out they were from Hartville, Ohio went to Hartville Mennonite and my previous pastor at Walnut Creek Mennonite was now their pastor. I told them to say hello to my good friends Ross and Jude Miller. Has that ever happened to you where you just felt in your spirit you should do something? Perhaps you felt it wasn’t real or perhaps what you were being told wasn’t convenient. The more you listen to that still small voice and respond the more in tuned you will become to it.

Florida Revisited

paulstutzman — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:26:59 +0000

I am back in a motel room in Florida. I could almost believe I’m back on the bike trip again. I am in Pompano Beach, Florida just several miles from where I rode my bicycle a little over a week ago. I flew out of Canton Akron Sunday noon into Fort Lauderdale with a connecting flight out of Atlanta. It was close and I only made my connecting flight by five minutes. Monday morning I will be doing an author interview to be broadcast on the Lifetime channel sometime in October. I had tried to reschedule the taping to coincide with my bike trip but was unable to do so. I have been home for one week now and have adjusted to my new lifestyle of not much exercise. I was reunited with my bicycle Thursday night. I had left it in Sarasota and it hitched a ride with a truck coming through Holmes County to pick up furniture for resale in Sarasota. At midnight I received a phone call that my bike was about to pass through my hometown of Berlin, Ohio in several minutes. I walked the short distance to the Dutch Cupboard parking lot and shortly thereafter was on another night ride. This ride was very short and took me home.

The Book Trail

paulstutzman — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 02:08:30 +0000

An absolutely beautiful day in Holmes County, Ohio. I love this time of year. Today I checked out my book racks in the community. But first my daily morning walk to Burger King for my morning wake me up cup of coffee. What happened? My coffee machine has been taken out and replaced with something called Seattles best coffee. They want us to think it’s an upgrade but I was in the restaurant business long enough to know thay are saving several pennies per cup by serving something tasting like used motor oil. Not only did they change my coffee now I have to change where I buy my coffee. I might as well accept the fact that like road conditions things are always changing. Troyer Cheese was completely out of books. I had a good conversation with the ladies at the Gospel Book Store. The Inn at Honey Run needed books and invited me to be the speaker at several fireside chats this winter. Keim Lumber needed books. Dutch Valley needs several cases of books. I will check in at Walnut Creek Cheese tomorrow. I am getting back in the swing of things. Life is good.

Change Change Change

paulstutzman — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 06:06:07 +0000

Everything has changed at home. I missed a whole season. My tomato plant became a monster. My granddaughter picked from this one plant all summer. I picked a dozen myself and there are still 50 on the plant. My rose bushes needed to be trimmed. I spent the day pulling weeds and unpacking my four boxes of stuff I sent home, including all the change I picked up off the roads. I counted my bounty and it totaled $12.53. That doesn’t include the wad I found in Kentucky. I have made several phone calls in an attempt to locate who might have lost that. I want to keep it but want to do so with a good conscience. I prefer not to give the exact amount but it was several hundred plus several hundred more. The $150.00 in gift certificates I found in Florida I left with Ivan. There was a name on one certificate and he will see if he can locate the person. Visited my third grandchild tonight, my how he has grown…The leaves are even changing colors on the trees. Just like the road conditions I rode on everything changes. Can’t anything ever just stay the same for a while?

Cotton Fields In The Sky

paulstutzman — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:49:20 +0000

While flying home I looked out my window and saw thousands of individual small white clouds. It reminded me of the cotton fields I passed in Alabama. It looked just like a cotton field planted in the sky. It reminded me of so many memories of my journey across America. Oceans, Mountains, deserts, and plains. Memories of large grain silos in Kansas that looked like castles in the morning sun. Following rivers and mountain ranges in Colorado. Pedaling through vineyards in California. Memories of stunning vista’s along Oregons coastline. But most of all memories of the people I met. The cotton field God planted in the sky reminded me of what Henry David Thoreau wrote in “Life in the Woods” he said it’s OK to build castles in the sky, we just needed to build foundations beneath them. As I glanced out my window I could see for a great distance. What would take me a week to pedal was visible from my airline seat. I saw the landscape as an entire unrolled movie reel from 24,000 feet. However I knew I had seen every frame of that reel individually. Just like those castles in the sky I now have to begin building the foundation under my 5,000 mile journey…… Yesterday while riding the one mile to my book signing at Dutch Heritage Restaurant I found $150.00 worth of gift certificates on the road shoulder… America’s road shoulders…the gift that keeps on giving. I will miss those little roadside surprises…..I am back home and visited with two of my grandchildren. They seemed to still like me. It is always good to come home.

Through Biking Day Two

paulstutzman — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 03:21:04 +0000

I weighed myself yesterday and discovered I lost 30 pounds on the bike trip. I now weigh less then I did 40 years ago when I graduated from high school. Who says you can’t go back. Spent the morning at Dutch Heritage Restaurant visiting with folks that had followed my blog. Tonight we had a get together at the restaurant with the folks I rode with. My cousin Marv and his wife Rita were there. Ivan and Fran Miller, Marv and Zelda, Todd and Myrna and their family including my new riding partners Ethan and Elliot. Two people you have not heard about were also there. Two years ago I was in Florida for several months writing my book “Hiking Through.” Across the road from me lived Harry and Gabby Anderson. Harry is a bicycle rider, and an avid outdoors man. Marv and I took a 30 mile ride with him one day that winter. Harry is 80 something years old. He rode circles around Marv and I. Harry was planning on riding with me for several days. We both were looking forward to this with great anticipation. I especially relished the thought of payback. This time I was ready, I was in biker shape. Harry was really going to have to work to keep up with me. Unfortunately Harry is going through regimens of chemotherapy for lung cancer and was not able to join me. It was sure good seeing him though. I have never seen a man his age in better shape. I will need to keep in shape so he doesn’t put me to shame again. We all had a good time together and I was reminded how fortunate I was to have so many friends that honored me. It is because I chose to follow the path God offered me that I am meeting these new friends and reconnecting with old friends. How often are we confronted with new or different paths but fear of the unknown keeps us from traveling down that unknown path. I can assure you that path is scary but it is filled with surprises and adventure. Take a chance, take a few steps down your unknown pathway and see what happens…go ahead…I dare you. Tomorrow morning my good and long suffering friend Ivan will once again haul me to the airport and my journey home. Many people have asked me what adventure I will do for my third book. It is this, Hiking Through, Biking Through, and I’m Through…..Have a blessed Sunday..I know I will..Blessings, Paul Stutzman

Biking Through Sarasota Florida

paulstutzman — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 03:09:06 +0000

Biked two {2} miles today. The terain was flat, a slight breeze on my back, good road conditions, nice shoulders too. I think I could have done 3 miles but why push it. I had good intentions of jotting thoughts and reflections of my bike trip today. Instead I spent the whole day talking with people and selling a few books. It was great sitting in the lobby at Troyers Dutch Heritage Restaurant and meeting folks from all over. Some had followed my journey others were introduced to my adventures for the first time. Boths Marv’s that had joined me on the ride stopped in. I met a couple from Burkes County Pa. tonight. They attend the same church as Eugene and Grace Brubaker in Burnsville, Pa. I slept in their basement one night on my Appalachian Trail hike. Tomorrow morning I will be back at the restaurant to meet more people and sign more books. I must get to bed and rest up from my epic 2 mile bike ride today. Sunday morning Ivan will take me to the Tampa airport for my flight back to Ohio. Can’t wait to see my friends and family.

Biking Through Day Sixty Nine Key West

paulstutzman — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:18:46 +0000

How do you cross a 7 mile bridge? The same as you would a 1 mile bridge. Hitch up your skirt, suck it up, and pedal like crazy. Ever since crossing the first large bridge in Washington state on July 11Th. I have had that 7 mile bridge in the back of my mind. I arrived at that bridge shortly after six thirty this morning. It was dark when I started across. I thought about life, grandchildren, friends, family, all you folks praying for me anything to keep my mind from thinking about being miles out in the ocean on a bridge. By the time I reached the other side it was daylight. It reminded me of the Cross, another bridge from darkness to light. The morning was spent in contemplation of the journey I had taken and about to complete. I was also pedaling in anticipation of meeting my friends Ivan and Fran at Key West. They had driven over 300 miles from Sarasota to pick me up and bring me back. So many thoughts were floating through my mind this morning. On July 10TH. I left Neah Bay in the NW corner Of Washington state with a dream, Pedaling my bicycle to Key West, Florida. I thought to many people were biking coast to coast so it must be to easy. It sounded quite simple when I pictured it in my mind. How hard could it really be? Just pick a road and pedal away I thought. I will admit while pedaling down the coast of Oregon, Key West seemed impossible. I was almost embarresed to tell people where I was going because they all seemed to think it was an impossibly crazy idea. I suppose it was but so are a lot of dreams and goals we set for ourselves. I am still trying to figure out why I set these goals that are just at the fringes of my ability to achieve. There is obviously the satisfaction of achieving something difficult but there has to be more to it than that. I will sort through that question tomorrow at the book signing and will blog what I figure out tomorrow night…..Oh by the way, I finished the bike trip today. It was a short 50 mile trip to Key West and RT A1A. My friends the Millers rode their bicycles several miles to meet me. The last several miles were some of the easiest miles yet. A wide concrete walking and bike path following the shore line. At 11am I arrived at the large concrete buoy marking the SE corner of America. Of course today was also the day they chose to paint the marker and barricade it from the public. Imagine pedaling 5,ooo miles only to be stopped 5 feet short of the SE point. I explained my dilemma to the painter and he allowed me to climb over the barricade. Ivan lifted my bike over the top and my journey was over. Here is what is hard to believe. This summer was one of the worst weather seasons in a long time. It was hot and rainy all over the nation. In 69 days I had 2 rain storms, 67 days I stayed dry. I had storms in front of me and behind me. Here is another incredible thing. I rode my bicycle across the entire continent without any flat tires. I had two early on. One in my motel room which I just pumped up and rode to a bike dealer who changed it. The only one I actually changed was in California when the front tube sprung a leak. From then on perfection, no flats, no bike issues whatsoever. I didn’t even check my tire pressure from Colorado until somewhere in Alabama. Not one maintenance problem. If Alvin Raber from Raber’s bike shop between Millersburg and Benton is as good a businessman as I think he is, he will want that bike back to display in his store. Either I am one lucky man or God was looking out for me. Since I know God sent me on this trip for a purpose I believe it was the latter. Finally I want to thank Jason “Goose” Miller for the map and web site. I needed that to keep track of where I was from day to day. Thanks to Dan Schlabach from “The Little Cottage Company” for snagging the domain “Biking Through.” Now I have to negotiate with him to get it for myself. A special thanks to all you folks who have followed me and prayed for me. I had such a peace about this trip and knew I was being lifted up in prayer. I was never in fear of anyone I met, even though a lady broke into my room one night. She is now my friend and a wonderful prayer warrier and woman of God. It was so comforting to check into my motel room in the evening get cleaned up and read the encouraging notes from you folks. You will never know how much that meant. I will continue to blog at least through the weekend since I know some of you have scheduled my rambling into your daily schedule. If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them. For those of you who don’t know the cast of characters who have been encouraging me, I invite you to come to Ohio’s Amish Country for a reunion. My mom and dad can sing for you. My sisters will be happy to talk till you yell.. STOP!

Biking Through Day Sixty Eight

paulstutzman — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:13:39 +0000

My first 10 miles this morning were a game of dodge-em. It was still dark when I left and RT. 1 was under construction. I jumped from one side of the road to the other seeking room to ride. It was a scary 10 miles. The construction ended and I was awarded with 15 miles of good riding conditions. In Key Largo I was forced back on the road again for a while but then it improved and there were places where they even had bike trails along side the road. I traveled through numerous little beach towns today. Tavernier, Plantation, Islamorada, were several on my way to Marathon, Florida. I pedaled 79 miles today averaging over 14mph. I briefly considered going the distance to Key West for a 125 mile day but a storm was approaching and I thought better of it. I have been so incredibly blessed with the weather on this trip. The first 28 days no rain. Utah dumped rain on me for 2 day in a row then nothing but a few drops here and there. The storms were either ahead of me or behind me. Yesterday I dodged under the Indian casino awning in time to miss a storm. Today I saw another rain storm approaching and I took shelter under some trees in some rich guys drive way. It started to rain harder and his open garage seemed like a good place to seek shelter. Past the private property no trespassing sign I pushed my bike, and spent a half hour in somebody’s water front mansion. While riding over a bridge today I almost ruined my front wheel. All at once I heard a noise that sounded like someone playing kettle drums on my bicycle. I quickly squeezed both brakes to check out the sound. I had run over the handle of a five gallon bucket. The curved end of the metal handle had hooked itself on one of my front spokes. Fortunatly the plastic piece covering the middle had slipped to the other end and was rubbing against the spokes. It was wedged between the fork and my tire. It could easily have torn out some spokes. At 1 o’clock another storm was approaching and erased any thoughts of biking any further. I checked in the Banana Bay Resort in Marathon just minutes before the skies opened and dumped large quantities of rain. At 3 o’clock I had visitors from Sarasota stop in with trail magic. My friends from Sarasota, Ivan and Fran Miller were driving down to Key West to pick me up tomorrow. They stopped and brought drinks, meat and cheese, trail mix, chicken salad and grapes. Fran laughed at what she called my toothpick legs and suggested perhaps an alligator had taken bites out of my legs. No Fran, I am just 99% fat free. You guys did a good job of putting some fat back on. Ivan is one of the managers at Troyers Heritage Restaurant on Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota, Florida. I was with them in Hutchinson, Kansas a while back. I meet them in the most unusual places. I will be at the restaurant Friday afternoon and evening and Saturday morning till 11 o’clock signing books. It is hard to believe that just 48 miles away is Key West and the end of my bike ride. Several months ago Key West seemed impossible but I just kept on riding as if it could happen. It sure wasn’t easy but crazy adventures like this shouldn’t be easy. If you are ever tempted to bicycle from the NW corner of America to the SW corner, take some good advise…DON’T.

Biking Through Day Sixty Seven

paulstutzman — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 01:27:39 +0000

I spoke to quick about Florida’s shoulders being the best. I left South Bay at five thirty, in the dark. Lots of semi’s also were out that early. The entire shoulder had a checkerboard grove cut in it. For the next 40 miles I stayed on the highway except when an 18 wheeler was approaching. The groves weren’t as bad as Georgia’s but if I had a container of cream along it would have turned into butter rather quickly. All across America I have bobbed and weaved around tire debris. Retread tires are a lot like snakes in that they will eventually shed. When they do it makes an ugly debris field for bikers. The wires in the steel belted tires are a major contributor to flat tires. Somehow this trash always finds its way to the shoulder. This morning in the darkness I kerblutzed over several of these carcasses. For only the second time on my journey I drove through a plague of bugs this morning. They were attracted to my feeble light and swarmed around me so thick it looked like a snow storm. They stuck to my skin, in my hair, clogged up my eyes. I viewed this scene in bug eyed wonderment. I turned off the light to escape the pestilent swarm. After several hours I arrived at the Broward County line and was greeted by fresh pavement and a brand new shoulder, so new it was devoid of any dead treads. It was a 50 mile stretch with no places to get water. There was water all around though. Pumping stations lined the road side directing water into channels. Finally 5 miles past I75 and Alligator Alley I arrived at a truck stop. I was sitting outside when a lady sat at a table beside me. Upon finding out how far I had pedaled she prounced me crazy. Turns out she had been going through a rough stretch and was trying to get her life back on track. Her father had been her best friend but had committed suicide several years ago. I assured her this was no chance encounter and God had a reason for us meeting. Ten miles later I took RT 997 south towards Homestead. This became the most harrowing ride yet. It was a two lane road with no shoulder at all. I kept looking in my mirror to make sure cars and trucks were trying to avoid me. Occasionally a car would zip past me as it passed vehicles in the other lane. Another problem became apparant, a storm was approaching, huge black clouds that were pouring rain were coming toward me. In the distance I observed a large building. The race was on. I arrived under the awning of an Indian Casino by RT 41 just before the skys opened up. It delayed me one hour but I stayed dry. I noticed numerous Indian Casino’s across America. How fitting, the white man stole their land, now they take our money. A little bit of justice there. While waiting for the storm to pass I called Ina and she immediatly detected my deflated spirit. She prayed over the phone for God’s blessing, safety and sunshine. It’s good to have a prayer hotline. A short time later the sun did come out and the final 18 miles into Homestead actually had a shoulder. I passed mile after mile of nurseries growing all varieties of plants from palm trees to hibiscus flowers. Also many fruit and produce stands. I pedaled through Homestead and ended up in Florida City having pedaled 93 miles. I am by RT 1 which will take me to Key Largo in the morning then down through the Keys. There are over 100 islands down through the Keys with 42 bridges including the 7 mile bridge which I will cross on my final day of biking on Thursday. Keep praying for safety. The next two days will include some difficult miles.