The final blog

Hi Folks,
I was going to try and write something profound on this final blog but i am still feeling to tired to be inspired so this is all ya getting.Above everything else i want to say thanks to the Lord for getting me through.The applause of man means little if its without Gods approval and i know all glory belongs to Him and anything that we accomplish outside of what He has called us to do is vanity and stands for nothing in eternity.

I know some who have been following my journey are not believers or maybe just a bit religious but have not experienced God on a deeper level.I dont claim my relationship with the bloke upstairs is super close either and as i said thats one of the reasons for this trip.I dont think we ever will feel we have arrived as long as we are clothed in this body anyway.

In a world where so many have nothing and the others of us who have so much want more and more, there is a way to break out of the greed and selfishness that controls us and only seeks to make us unhappy as we offer our life on the alter to the idol of consumerism.

All i can say is check out what God has to say for yourself .As someone once said' its one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread'.You will find it in the person,Jesus.I dont mean the effeminate hollywood version with His long beautiful hair and rinso clean robes.I mean the man who was as tough as the nails that went into His hands and feet but who was also so gentle and sensitive to the needs of others .

If He was to play football (with the crows of course) He would be at centre half back stopping the enemies attack.Being humble He would be happy to set up the goals and let the forwards receive the glory.
Lets say we had a room full of 100 of the most famous men in history and they gathered to boast of there wonderful achievements each trying to claim the title of the greatest.

There was Socrates,Plato,Marx,Edison,Einstein,Freud,John Howard(only joking),Dickens ,Buddha,Beethoven,Muhammad,Curly Larry and Mo(only joking again),Marco Polo,Genghis Khan to name a few, enjoying the wine which had loosened there tongues to the foolishness of boasting.In the midst of this walks the risen Christ.(Through the wall of course).

Everyone stops talking and immediately realizes the stupidity of there previous conversation.The Lord doesnt need to say anything.His presence fills the room .Talk about charisma ..Even Richard Dawkins who had snuck in the backdoor and was boasting in the atheist delusion that such a person didnt exist,was dumbstruck .God in His mercy had given Him a free will to choose not to believe in Him despite the evidence because He wanted not robots but lovers from the heart.

If anyone can find me a better person in history ,with more powerful and profound words than what this son of a carpenter spoke and who had a bigger impact than all those great men in that room i am all ears. When we see Him in the next life we also will be so amazed we will hardly be able to utter a word but its the words we hear from Him that will count so much.

Hopefully it will be 'well done thou good and faithful servant ' and not 'depart from me, i never knew you'.It really doesnt take much introspection to realize we are sinners.Who hasnt broken most or all of the commandments.Whether we are to proud to admit it or not we need a savior and turn from the things that are so destructive in our lives.We need to ask the Holy Spirit to come into our lives to help us overcome the dark side of our fallen human nature.

Most preachers go on to long and i dont mean to preach but to say simply i am still on the road to find more of the truth .I may have found just a grain of sand of the truth and know in my own weaknesses all i can do is look to the love and mercy of the One who holds the key to life .We can only try and share a few of the crumbs from the bread we have been given.

After a sermon usually comes the collection plate so i will take this time to remind you its not to late to give to the cause i did the ride for.Even if its that 10 dollars i have been chasing.If you want to keep in touch you can contact me at bkscan24@yahoo.com.au.Thanks once again for following my journey and all the support you have given.I am truly so appreciative of that.I dont think i will be doing another one .I might just stick with lawn bowls.

God bless,
Bernie

it is finished,thank God

Namaste,
I have finally finished the journey that started 15 weeks ago and i still havnt grasped it yet that i dont have to keep riding and sleep out and i can have a shower every day and not have to eat tuna and crackers and life can hopefully be different .

Arriving in San francisco last night about 10pm i had imagined how i might feel at the completion of the trip thinking i would be so excited and relieved and want to celebrate but reality is so often different and i was just so tired all i wanted to do was have a shower ,go to bed ,phone a few people and go to sleep.

This is exactly what i did and was happy to leave it at that.The last few days were still hard work and i really had to push it right to the end.Its good to be here at the ywam base and this morning joined a team that made a thousand sandwiches for the homeless and tonight we went out giving them hot chocolate drinks.Many were open and wanted prayer and it
was great to see young people with a heart to get out there and minister Gods love to those who are really struggling.

I would like to make one more final blog before i blog off into the sunset but need 2 or 3 days to reflect on the last few months before i express it so dont turn off yet.I do want to thank everyone who has been a support in some way with finances or prayer or messaging and encouraging me in some way.Its been amazing and humbling and i am very thankful to know there are people who were there when i needed them.

Catch you in back here soon.I need to get some more sleep now.

on the road again and nearing the end

Gday,

Thanks so much everyone for your support to get going again.Its a far cheaper version but with only a few days left i would have done it on a skateboard if i had to .The first day back on the road i got 3 punctures after only having that many for the whole trip.

Just when i thought things might start to get easy the following day i was riding all day into the strongest wind of the journey.I was hardly moving.To make it harder it was the worst road with no shoulder and trucks missing me by inches.They call it blood road for good reason as its claimed many lives including actor James Dean.I passed the spot he died back in the 50s.That night i had to sleep on the side of the road and with my new cheap sleeping bag it was like being wrapped in a table cloth.Brrrrr.

Getting excited now as it will all be over in 3 or 4 days i think and hope.Will let you know within the hour of getting there.Keep praying people will respond to the media reporting on having my stuff stolen as that will make it all worthwhile.This will probably be the last update till i finish so catch ya then.
Bernie

The unexpected happens

Howdy partners,
Well ya never know whats going to happen in life eh.Nearing the end of my journey with only about 500kms to go i drop into a store to buy some fruit and a few miniutes later return to find bike ,trailer and most of my things gone.That night i sleep on a bench with only the shorts and shirt i have on me .I end up in a place for the homeless two nights later as little money is left.Not exactly what i had in mind when i began this journey.God has a warped sence of humour.

The good news is i know the Lord brings good out of every situation if we trust Him through it.Its not always easy but i know as more people now hear whats happened its far more likely for donations to come through for the charity which makes it all worthwhile.

Meanwhile i hope to be back on the road in the next couple of days as i am sure God will provide for me to be able to go on.One great thing also has been the support given to help me from friends ans strangers. Thank you all so much. I dont feel worthy but i truly love and appreciate you for it.

Pray for the homeless as well.I have got to like some of these guys.They just need a break to get them going again .

Will hopefully keep you updated with the final part of the journey if and when i can find a library as my laptop was also stolen.God bless the thief.I cant judge ,i use to be one myself.We are all sinners of some sort in need of forgiveness.

Bless you all,
Bernie

thankfulness

HI fOLKS,
I have left sin city behind and now over thr border into california but still in the desert so not to much to look at.I have found it hard to shake off the cold which has drained a bit of energy.I reckon i have blown my nose about 10,000 times over the last week.I knew you would find that facinating.

For the first time i am struggling a bit with keeping motivated.It may be the scenary ,the cold and that i am close to the finish but still a way off and need to stay focused on a daily basis as its conter productive to look to far ahead.There are still things on a spiritual and financial level i would like to get a breakthrough in but that is out of my control.

I have been thinking about thankfulness lately,The night before last when i was looking for a place to sleep i found my spot and thought great i get to sleep on dirt tonight not stones like the previous night.It then struck me as funny that i would be happy about a bed of dirt but it was relative and even the bed of stones wasnt that bad as i was so tired i slept well.It was like having acupressure while sleeping.

We do take so many things for granted and so many times dont appreciate our blessings.We talk about thw whinging poms but us aussies are the worst when it comes to complaining. A friend recently was cursing ETSA { the company that services our electricity} because of a blackout and it struck me how everyday we take for granted that we have nearly 100 percent access to it while so many have none or its limited.

I dont think there would be to many who give thanks when they have a hot shower or turn the tv on or the stove to cook ,the heater or air conditioner yet if we have to go a few hours without electricity our world comes crumbling down and how are we going to cope.We are becoming boring wimps and complainers and i am including myself here as i can match it with the worst of them especially when its wet and cold.

Somehow we have to remind ourselves we dont deserve the material blessing we have.We are simply fortunate to be born in developed countries where we have been given so much.To those who are christians we have been given the amazing gift of salvation and of knowing a God who loves us and wants to share Himself with us.Grasping that is another thing but we of all people are most blessed.Amazing grace,undeserved favour.

When i was in Africa i was constantly surprized how happy people were though not having much and not even sure of there next meal.Then arriving back to australia and the land of the long faces.My prayer is that i will learn to appreciate the mny blessings i have been given and to stop focusing on what i dont have.Even when things get a bit tough its a chance to grow and trust the One who cares for us.

Anyway i am getting sidetracked here but i guess sleeping on rocks can teach ya something.Must get back on the road.Appreciate ya prayers to keep going and with a positive attitude and dont forget the 10 dollar challenge.

Hope the Saints win the grand final but i think Geelong will, but i will be in the desert and not see a kick.It could be worse and the Crows playing and then i would be sad about not being able to watch the match.

Bless you all,
Bernie

viva Las Vegas

Greeting from Las Vegas,
If that sounds exciting ,dont believe it.Jesus went into the desert and was tempted.People come here to be tempted.If your not into gambling LV is a big yawn.If you succumb to it you can experiance a new dawn,of poverty and despair.Yep the place where many have come to get rich but leave with only sorrow.The good thing is there is YWAM and churches trying to help people put there lives back together and God is alive and well in the sin capital of the world.

The last 2 days of riding to get here were fairly intense as it was 100 degrees both days and i had a rotten cold and was coughing heaps and having to blow my nose every 30 seconds.I finally got some over the counter medication but it got worse.I eventually reread the label and realized i was taking tablets for blocked nose not runny[mere male] .Slowly getting better but fortunately i have two days here before starting the final leg of my trip.

I cant believe its so close to the end now with about 900 kms left .Depending on how difficult the mountains are i should be in San francisco early october.While i know i will be happy to complete the journey and take time to reflect on what i learnt from it i also know there can be a bit of a let down as you think ok what now, but i am sure that will open up in time.

I do want to make one last appeal for raising funds for The Home of the Open Heart.I know i mentioned it before but i will again and that is the idea of a ten dollar challenge.If everyone who reads this donates 10 dollars and askes at least one friend to donate 10 and so on is it possible it could keep rolling on.If we just got 10,000 out of six billion to donate that equals 100,000.Pipe dream maybe but ya dont know till you give it a go.For those whose email address i have i will send you then idea so all you have to do is forward it on.

Sounds simple but it would be great to be able to raise a substantial amount to help Paul and Penny Wilcox continue to grow the work that they have worked so hard at for many years now.I figure it can be a bit like the world vision 40 hour famine thing where you pay the person after they have completed whatever task they agrred to do.Now that the trip is almost over they can give knowing i didnt quit or die half way.

I will certainly keep on trying to raise funds for at least the next two or three months as i think there is alot more out there that needs to be given.If 30 million people can come to Las Vegas every year to stupidly spend [WASTE] 20 billion then how small is 100,000 dollars to a worthwile cause.

Think of the millions of dollars Australians will spend in a few weeks time in one day on a horse race.Imagine how many people could be helped if somehow we could receive just one percent of what will be wasted that day.Nothing is impossible with God ,lets just pray and do what we can and see what happens.

Thanks for putting up with me this far,i will soon be out of the way but hang in for a bit longer.

The next few days look pretty tough with the heat and mountains and long stretches with no towns to get food or water but at least i know that in about two weeks its all over, YAHOO .You may not hear from me for a week or so as i doubt if there is going to be much internet available .

The YWAM base here is great with good people and its been good just to relax.Even got to go to the local swimming pool today.The cool change came in and it only got to 98 degrees.

Bless ya folks,
Bernie

every day is different

Hi ,
The last few days have been ones of contrast.Three nights back was the coldest night i have experianced as i slept in the open and woke up with a cold that i still have.The following day was rather boring with not much scenary to excite and overcast and cold conditions,a bit of a downer really.One good thing was i got given a free night to sleep in a guys campervan that had the most confortable couch i ever slept on.I f this keeps up i will become soft.Not that i am complaining Lord

Yesterday was amazing as i travelled through the zion national park with the most incedible mountains.I am not one to take heaps of photos but was stopping every 1oo yards to do so.It was all down hill which was great. Made me think how fantastic the new 7 wonders of the world must be if they are better than this.

I now have a 2 or 3 day trip to reach Las vegas with the temperature in the mid 90s.That will be an interesting place to stay a couple of days before starting the final leg to San francisco.Keep praying for money to come in for Home of the Open Heart as i know God can really bless them over this final part of the journey.

Cant believe its getting close to the end.I think from vegas to frisco will take about 2 weeks and then it will finally be over.I am glad i pushed it along with alot of night riding to shorten the time as another couple of months of this would drive me mad.

There are still more mountains to cross yet so its far from over but i have come this far by His grace and your support i am sure this last part will be fine.

See you next from the city thats built on a lie that says money is the answer and there is a way to get rich easily,just be stupid enough to bet another dollar.A fool and his money are easily parted.These people need to know there is a better answer to finding happiness and a purpose for there lives.

cya,
blackjack bernie

luxury

Shalom,
Last night i was so tired and after 5 nights of sleeping on rocky sideways i was desperate for a decent night sleep but was as broke as a Fransiscan monk.I prayed more in hope than faith and asked 2 motels for a free room and they said no but praise the Lord the 3rd one said ok.

A 60 dollar room for free.It was so good.I kept waking up groaning as it felt like the comfortableness was drawing all the tiredness out of my body.Now some money has come through and all i can say is thanks again St LUKES and anyone else who donated .Now i can but some decent food and keep going.

Knowing there is prayer and financial support has been a real blessing as i dont feel i am all alone in this.I have to be patiant now as i want it to come to an end real bad but there is still a way to go even though the end is nigh.

Well better get back on the road as a storm is coming soon and its about to get dark.No luxury room tonight but thats ok.I wouldnt appreciate it if it was everynight.

Bye for now,
Bernie

rest day

Hi Guys and Gals,
Its Sunday so its a rest day.Not that i timed it that way but i really need a day off and this little town of Escalanti seems an ok place.St lukes has helped again with a donation for food that should get me a fair bit of the final part of the journey.


Sometimes ya dont realize there are people who give a stuff until you have to ask for help.Its reasuring to know there are people who do give a fig.

Cant beleive how close to the finishing line its getting but still cant look to far ahead as there are still mountains ahead and after the killer day yesterday its still a day at a time.I think there is just over 3 weeks left.YAHOO.

Dont think i will be doing any rides on this scale again but ya never know what the future unfolds.

Thats it for now,God bless,
Bernie

CROWS ,HOW COULD YOU

HI ,
Well just when i thought it was safe to get back on a bike i find a mountain that was more intense than the rockies.It was so hard i barely have the energy to type this.I hope thats the last big one for a while.

As i said Utah has some of the most amazing mountains and one area i came through was where they use it as a backdrop to many of Hollywoods movies such as back to the future ,greatest story ever told and mission impossible.Riding through there at night with an almost full moon was like being on another planet.

Since Colorado i have had to create my own trail as the american discovery trail is not to good for bikes with trailers so i am taking a slightly longer bue more scenic route to Las vegas,hopefully not much longer.

I just read how the Crows lost,i am glad i couldnt watch it.As they say there is always next year.

I am at an interesting stage re money.I think i know have the grand sum of 30p to my namr with just enough food to last half a day so i will wait and see how the Lord provides.

I have a feeling there is still a bit to go through before this is all over but thats what its all about.

Catch ya soon,
Bernie

Utah

Howdy,
Well i dont know what happened to the last update but there is a gremlin somewhere or i probably pressed the wrong button.I wont go over it all again as i have to get back on the road but its going ok.Utah has amazing mountains and the weather is steady at 90F so its not to bad.

I hope to get to Las Vegas in a weeks time and hopefully stay at the ywam base if they have room. After that its across the mountains in California for the home stretch so i hope to finish early october all going well.

I have to cry poverty again as i am now down to 12 dollars so if you can continue to help for these last few weeks it would be so appreciated .The bank is westpack.Bernard Scanlan
bsb 035016 account571887.Thanks for all those who have helped me get by so far,its been great to receive that support and encouragement.

Cant believe it will be over in a few weeks.I will be able to catch up with the Adelaide YWAM team when they arrive in San fransico which is amazing timing.

Bless you all and please Crows thrash those magpies.So sad i will miss it.If anyone can tape it for me that would be great .On the off chance we lose just erase it.Catch ya soon,
Bernie

just more of the same

Hi ,
Well the last few days have been reasonably hard but not to bad.Coming from Colorado to Utah i went through about 40 miles of the most amazing country.Riding between mountains next to the Colorado river at night with an almost full moon was like being on another planet.

This is where many movies were made including mission impossible,back to the future ,the greatest story ever told and plenty of westerns and john wayne .The formation of the mountain and terrain are freaky.

The last couple of days hasnt been much to look at just desert,rather boring like going from Port Augusta to Alice Springs.The temperature is about 90 so its not to bad but it gets harder the next few days with more mountains to climb.

The only drag is at this time of the year not being able to watch the football especially with my team the mighty Crows playing.American football just doesnt cut it.Real men dont wear padding.

I feel i am over the hurdle now and even though there are still hard days ahead i can see the end in sight and the final day of riding will be so good especially ending it in Sanfransico at the YWAM base and catching up with the team from Adelaide.

I intend to celebrate with a big bowl of cheescake ,chocolate and icecream and red wine if i have any money left.Cant get to far ahead of myself though as it is still a way off.

I am still praying for some breakthroughs between now and then but God has His own time table. Thats about it for now ,nothing to exciting to report ,its just one mile after another.Slowly,slowly wins the race.I am hanging out for some normal life now.

Catch ya in a few days,
Bernie

Hi Guys and Gals,

I am really getting tired now and would appreciate your prayers to get me through this last 2000kms.Travelling into Utah was amazing as the mountains were huge and so different to Colorado with there freaky formations.Riding at night with the almost full moon lighting the way i felt like i was on another planet.

The heat is intense when having to ride up with the head wind but the nights are great.

confessions of a shoplifter

Gday,
I was hungry and just came from church so i went to the local huge market ,grocery store and bought 3 dollars worth of chicken where they put the price on the item and you are supposed to pay at the check out.I decided i would sit at the tables and eat it immediately.Unfortunately for me i made a mistake.

I forgot to pick up the empty packet and take it to the counter.I bougth some other food and paid for it but as i was leaving a security gaurd told me to come to the office.I wasnt worried just surprized because i knew i hadnt done anything wrong until they showed me the wrapper.

An employee walked in and sarcastically said 'enjoyed ya free meal,well now its gonna cost you'.Amazing how the accused are mainly presumed guilty until and if you can prove your innocense.I guess they were never going to believe the i forgot reason as that is what a guilty person would say so i cant blame them for going ahead and charging me.

Yes ,up to 250 dollars but at least the chicken was nice.Not that i can claim to have never have done such a thing many ,many years ago.I use to walk into Harris Scarfe up to 6 times a day and take a sterio and sell it to my favourite second hand store.Years later when i felt convicted about it i fessed up to the store but they kindly let me off.I am glad i didnt have to pay back 4 times the amount like one dude in the bible did.

So there you go ,from charity bike rider to crim because of 3 dollars of chicken.I was going to cry fowl play but i dont think it would have helped.

Took an extra day off today because i was still heaps tired but will definately cross over into Utah tomorrow.Catch ya then,
Yours in crime,
Bernie

days 6 to 9

Hi Folks,
After 9 days in the rockies i am stuffed.If you dont know aussie venacular it means very exhausted.Today is a day off and i am walking around like a zombie,i can hardly move.It has been full on.There were mountains over 12,ooo ft that took 8 hrs to ride up,barely keeping the bike moving.Freezing nights and sleeping out have caught up with me .

Coming out of the mountains yesterday i was hit by another extreme and that was a 92 degree day which was a bit of a shock after the cold and added to the exhaustion.I finally arrived at a town and stayed at a hostel to get some much needed rest.

To see the beauty of the mountains made it all worth it and i wont bother to try and describe it as i wouldnt do it justice but i think it may be even more spectacular than the mountains i climbed to the Everest base camp i did a few years ago.

I still have another day of riding before crossing into Utah where it looks like the challenge will be coping with 100 degress + heat and making sure i find enough water along the way.

I have now hit the 6000kms and as i have done alot of riding at night i think i am ahead of schedule and hope to finish sometime in October.I cant believe this thing will finally come to an end but that still seems along way off and anything can happen between now and then.

Would love to hear from some of you who have been following this journey by posting a comment just to convince me i am not talking to myself.I do appreciate all the support i have received in many ways along the trip as it would not have been possible for me to get this far without it, so thanks heaps.

Go the crows.For those not from Australia,we in Adelaide have a strange love for crows that started in 1991 when thousands of people would gather to watch them every week or two and developed an even greater love for them in 1997 and 98 due to seeing them in full flight.There are a few losers that dont like them but we dont worry about those that cant appreciate how good they are. Check them out if you ever come here.They mainly hang out in the suburb of West Lakes.

A joke for the kids. QWhy cant an elephant ride a bicycle?
A.Because he doesnt have a thumb to ring the bell.
Q.What is the hardest part of learning to ride a bike.
A.The road.
Q.Why couldnt the bicycle stand up for itself.
A.Because it was two tyred.

Well i must be tired so i better go before the jokes get worse.
Utah should be interesting .The mormons might see me as a possible recruit seeing i am halfway there with my bicycle but i dont like there uniforms.

Bye for now,
Bernie

just taking it easy on day 5

Howdy Dudes,
Not much to say today except i didnt think i would have my easiest day in the rockies.It was downhill all the way but all that means is its back up the mountains tommorrow but thats ok.If every day was this easy i would feel i was cheating as no challenging times would get boring.

Back to sleeping out again tonight but at least it doesnt look like rain.Keep praying for a big breakthrough in donations for Home of the Open Heart ,i am sure God wants to bless this great work in Thailand.Check their website and send their website on to potential donors as that would make me a happy man.

How do other people get money for their charity doing similar things.I heard of someone raising 50,000 just doing a ten day challenge.Must be who ya know not what you do.I wont give up though God has ways of surprizing when all seems lost.

rocky mountain high colorado.days 3 and 4

Gday ,
Day 3 and 4 have had there challenges as expected.Yesterdays climb was even harder than the previous day but this time i could also enjoy the ride down.Again i had to stop every 50 to 100 yards to get my breath due to the altitude but the good thing about that it gives you time to soak in the beauty .

I arrived pretty tired at a place called Brekenridge which is really nice and a womans dream with an amazing variety of shops.As usual i found a place to sleep outside only to be woken up a few hours later by the rain.I soon found the cover for my sleeping bag wasnt as water proof as it was meant to be and slowly i became wet.

Eventually i had enough and got up feeling not to happy but decided to check my mobile to see if a mate had texted me the footy scores.Well i found something better than that which was that the folks from St Lukes church had taken up a collection and raised 300 dollars for me.This is from a small church that you wouldnt call affluent.

This was on top of the normal 250 they are giving me once a month while i am on this journey.I was down to my last 45 dollars so sitting there in the wet at 6am that was a nice way to cheer me up.Thats the thing i am finding about this trip.If i am having a hard day God always seems to have a way of bringing a positive so i dont get down for long.

The opposite is true to in that when things seem to be cruising they have a way of suddenly changing and a different challenge presents itself.While each day has the same cycling routine ya never know what to expect.Storms come and go so quickly.It looked like i was heading into one today ,it was so cold.I had 6 layers of clothing on including my poncho yet 10 miniutes later the sun was out and i am looking for my sunglasses and down to 2 layers.

I feel that God really wants me to know He loves me and i can trust Him.Its easy to believe that in your head but its another thing to believe it in your heart.A couple of weeks ago while riding something went wrong and i really spat the dummy and told God that i didnt believe He loved me and was playing mind games.What shocked me was i said it with such conviction from a place deep within my heart.

I really had to acknowledge that and my prayer since has been that i will receive a revelation of that so whatever happens in my life i will see that He is there in the midst of it bringing good out of it and seeing that the worst low in life is when we can have the greatest high with Him.Again thats easy to say but how deep is that belief.

He is showing me His charecter in so many ways.Trust is a big thing.I have to trust Him in 3 areas on this ride. 1.That He will give me the strength to get to the end of the ride. 2.That He will provide for me along the way .Its a bit hard riding up hill on an empty stomach.Its a sad fact that about 2 billion people in the world arnt sure of there next meal and when you arnt sure of ya next meal it certainly challenges your faith. 3. Is that He will provide a significant amount of funds for Home of the Open Heart. This is the one i have battled with most because it will simply not happen if He doesnt do it.

So its an interesting time.Its against our human nature to trust in this way as we all want to think we are and can control out own destiny without any outside help especially from a God we cant see or touch and sometimes doubt He is there and could possibly care about us pathetic creatures.

Even tonight as i was riding into this new town and i thought God i havent had a shower for nearly 4 days ,i dont want to sleep out in the cold again .I want a nice warm bed and get a good sleep but i didnt have enough money for the normal cost of a room.I found out about a hostel that charges 20 dollars and i just had enough to pay and even better its not a dive but a really lovely ,cosy and warm house.

Well its late so i better make the most of that bed.Goodnight and God bless.
Bernie

2nd day in the rockys

Shalom,
Well today was certainly different.I think i thought for a while yesterday that i may have overestimated how hard it was going to be,not so .Today was tough and for one reason,altitude.I hope not attitude.So often i would have to stop every 100 yards to get my breath and i tired easily.

Also in sleeping out ya dont get the hours or quality of sleep needed.It didnt help last night when as i was bunking down a cop spotted me and warned me of bears and mountain lions.I slept with one eye open.

At nearly 11000 feet its cold at night and i have 4 layers of clothing on but at least i have the luxury of some grass underneath tonight to soften my sleep.Hopefully tommorrow maybe a bit easier ,i must be due to go down the mountain soon.

Oh for the comfort of bed and warmth,but its all good fun.Bless you all,
Bernie

ist day rocking in the rockys

Greetings,
Well the ist day went really well.The weather was perfect and the mountain climb steady but not overly hard.In thinking about all the hard things i was to face i hardly thought of the absolute beauty that would greet me as soon as i entered the rocky mountains.It is magnificant and its only the start.Even riding at night i could still appreciate there splendour.

I am under no illusion though that it wont be as good as this all the way as far as the elements go but i will enjoy the first 3 days of good sunny days before the storms hit on sunday and apparently they can be full on but thats for another day.

Its late now and i have to find a tree to sleep under.Its a crazy way of living but its different and God has some good trees to choose from. Goodnight.

Howdy folks,
Well i have finally arrived at my much anticipated Denver Colorado.Yes the first thing i did when i spotted the mountains in the distance was to play john denvers song rocky mountain high.I am staying at the ywam base which is great .Its good to be part of a family that is all over the world and just feel totally at home in.

I will have a couple of days break here before tackling the hardest part of the journey.This is the base that had the tragedy about 1 year ago when a guy came in and shot 2 ywamers dead and injured others.The base are doing fine now and have moved on from that.

The last few days have been good ,in the reasonably hard bracket but also enjoyable at times.I have another mosquito story though.I was riding for several hours when i got swamped by hunreds of them.For the next 4 hours of every second i was either scratching or killing them.

They were driving me mad .I finally came to a house and a guy gave me a repellant that actually worked.Its a wonder no one has used them as a form of torture.After a few hours i would confess to anything.

I would appreciate ya prayers over the coming weeks as i combat the mountains,altitude.and probably attitude,humidity,cold,rain,wind,all the lovely elements that will certainly be a big challenge but i know i will get there with the Lords help and your support.

Thats about it for now.Many blessings,
Bernie

the mountains are calling

Hi Folks,
Hope you are all doing well and enjoying life.I only have 2 days before i start the challenging rocky mountains though i think its not until 3 days into Colarado that the hard part begins.Mountains ,cold and less oxygen ,sounds like fun.At least i will be able to stay at the ywam base in Denver on my way through ,which will be great.

I have been constantly amazed on this trip how God brings about help and changes things around when ya really need it.There have been many times when i thought i am to tired to go far today or feel a bit down but with some prayer in a matter of miniutes i can feel fine again and have a renewed energy .I am sure thats also your prayers helping me.

The last couple of days the wind and heat have eased off .The one thing that is really bugging me though is mosquitoes.Why were those irritating things ever created other than to keep the repelant people in a job .They need to invent one that actually works.

There is a need to improvise at times .As you would appreciate its important to have clean underwear.Well i wash them in petrol station toilets .How to dry them? Obvious.Put them on the handle bars of the bike and they dry as i ride along .Beautiful eh.

Keep me in your prayers duting this next difficult stage .At least i will experiance the beauty of the mountains.God never gives us more than we can handle so i know as with all of us ,if we look to Him in whatever our circumstances ,He will help,teach and bless us in whatever we have to go through .

Pray also for Home of the open Heart as we wait to see God move in the area of financial blessing for that charity.

Love and Peace,
(well it is the anniversary of woodstock)
Bernie

nebraska and some more

Howdy Folks,
I am now half way across Nebraska and though hot and windy its not to bad.I had a good time last night when i arrived at a small town in a place called Poke. I was just deciding which tree i would sleep under when a guy Jeff on his motor bike invited me back to his place for a meal and he let me stay the night.His wife and three kids where great and very hospitable and it was a great time.
There have been some good times like that along the way and times when i have a real sence of freedom ,with the sun on me and a breeze and ya think how good is this ,riding across America.I rememeber one time i knew a storm was coming and i really hate riding in the rain so i was dreading it as i was out miles from anywhere.

As it started to come down i just made it to under a bridge that gave me enough protection.I was not sure if it would pass soon or i would have to ride on in it but as i sat there i had this sence of a deep peace and presence of God.I felt i could have stayed all day but when the rain stopped 30 mins later so did this feeling and in felt a bit disappointed it was over.

So there are good times,i dont want to share just those harder trials.A big part of why i am doing this is to try and find a greater reality of who God is.I am glad now that i am doing this by myself because i think having someone with me would be a distraction from achieving that .We all need to draw away at times to find the real reason we are here for.

I really like the ywam community i live at and my church at St Lukes but it is very easy at times to drift along and become comfortable and enjoy all the good things but still not have ya heart where it should be .God cleans up the mess you come to Him with, the addictions and whatever but there is so much more and i think i want to find out about the more.I certainly hope that happens along the way.I have had a little taste here and there.

Some other MAJOR things i have discovered about America are .They dont have outside taps ,i have to fill my water bottles in the toilet or the restroom as they politely call them here.They have the best donuts in the world ,yum.The drivers are funny when it comes to passing bicycle riders.Maybe its because i havent come across any riders using main roads or highways and drivers arnt use to seeing people riding along but they go way over to the other side if no car is coming and try and stay well clear .Thats great because in Australia i think alot of drivers play the game of seeing how close they can get without hiting you.

Americans also have a religiousity that i havent found at home.That is not always so good. Religion can be such a counterfeit and can seem almost like the real thing but isnt.Take away the facade and you have a people as in need of a genuine experiance and a life that shows that as people in any non christian country.

You can have some strange thought as ya riding along.I was thinking the other day whatever happened to Jethro from the beverly hillbillies.Now you would have to be about my age to remember it but if you do you would think it pretty wierd to think of Jethro.

Well its time to get back on the saddle.Thanks for taking the time to read .Continue to pray for Gods provision for Paul and Penny fom Home of the Open Heart to be able to build a place for the babies with AIDS ,to give them the care they need and help with the other work they are doing.Check out more details on their website .

Thanks for all your prayers ,support and finances in helping me get this far.Still along way to go but as i tell myself many times ,its one day at a time.

Bless you all,
Bernie

Gday ,
Well i am now at the border of Iowa and Nabraska.Last post i mentioned how good the weather had been but i reckon God must have decided i was getting it to easy as 2 days later i had the most demanding day so far.The temp got to 96 plus humidity and head wind and hills made for a full on 12 hours in the saddle.

To top off the day i slept in my favourite place, a cematry and it was still very hot and i was dity and sweaty and the mozzies were really bad so i am spraying repellant all over me but i reckon they liked the stuff .i went through nearly half a bottle of the horrible greasy stuff ,but i finally got a few hours sleep.Are there any natural non greasy repellants ,if so let me know.The next day was nearly as hot but with some storms for good measure.Next time i email something positive i will try and not let God see it.

I do think from here it gets alot tougher with the weather and hills and in just over a week the rocky mountains which will make what i have experianced so far like the warm up.If i was to rate the ride so far it would be roughly like this .Reasonably hard to tough 50 %.very tough 25% good 15%, very good 10%.

If you come across any good inspirational quotes post them as i may need them over the next 3 months . In the next day or two i will reach the 4000km mark which is half of the 8000 i will travel.Sadly it isnt really half way in time as the next 4000 will take longer due to the mountains and weather conditions.At worst i hope to finish by November 25th in time to experiance thanksgiving with ywam San francisco which is a couple of days later.I think i will be the most thankful person there.

That will be 5 months to the day since i started and i will celebrate september 11th as the half way mark and as a reminder to pray for those who lost loved ones on that day.Its also the day the crows should be battling it out in the finals.Sorry for all you not from Adelaide and dont know what i am talking about.

Keep praying for a breakthrough in finances for Home of the Open Heart and for strenght to keep going.Also that i may experance more of God as i often feel there is so much more .Its a bit like the song Bono sings ' I still havent found what i am looking for'.I know i have found the truth and the truth is a person, Jesus but i have hardly scratched the surface of who He is and to be used by Him .

Sorry but i need to bring this up again as the finances are again getting low.I need money for food and accomadation when i am not sleeping outside.If you can help my bank is Westpak.name Bernard Scanlan bsb 035016 account 571887. Thanks heaps for any help you can give.

Thats about it for now.I know some people have trouble posting commemts dont give up but if you cant you can always contace me on bkscan24@yahoo.com.au.
Bless you all,
Bernie

a bit of God stuff,sorry non christians

Hi,
Great to hear from Mr Neumanns class,i really appreciate you supporting the cause and encouraging me.I am sure your effort will go well and you find a joy that comes with helping others.

I am now in IOWA and learning to trust the Lord to take a day at a time and not to worry about what may or may not happen the next day.I have been so blessed with good weather as it been the coolest summer on record here.I love the heat but its been far better riding in 28 or 30 C than the usual hotter and more humid stuff.

There are good and hard days but i am slowly learning that God is there regardless and His grace is there when we need to endure and there when we can simply enjoy His goodness .The God of the mountain is with us in the valley and really there is no such thing as a bad day in the Lord but just a different way for Him to express His love even if we cant always appreciate it at the time.

I am trying real hard not to dwell on how hard the rocky mountains are going to be and have to trust that somehow God will get me up there.Keep praying God will release the finances to help the work of Home Of The Open Heart .Check out the website.Pray for me also as i know without that it becomes so much harder and almost impossible to continue. Thanks also to those who are donating to me personally so i can buy food and get accomodation when needed .Thats so great and as yet i havnt had to go on a fast.

Bless you all and if you find the time let others know about this website because you never know who might respond and open there wallet .There may even be a millionaire being burdened with to much money who is looking for a good cause to support.

In about 6 days i will be at the halfway mark and i will certainly celebrate that with a malted milk shake.Cant believe i am at that mark so soon.The hardest part is still ahead but i have a powerful God on my side and when i am at my weakest His strength is there in greater measure.

Bless you all and i pray for you also that each one will find more of His love and joy in relationship with Him and in serving Him with all the gifts He has given you to bring about a positive change in this world that is crying out for us to show them a better way.

Cheers,
Bernie

one day at a time

Howdy friends,
Well its been a few days now since having to leave my new friends and continue on through Indianna and now have arrived in Illinois.I got shouted out to dinner before leaving and it was the best meal ever with red wine ,chicken and prawns and the most decadent dessert.It was hard to get back on the road after that.

I felt really refreshed and biked the first day until 4 am but the next day was my first of bad weather with it raining all day, but i still prefer that to climbing mountains.Also had one day where i got a bit down and felt i really didnt want to be out there and wondering how i was ever going to complete this thing but somehow God gets you through and with a good sleep its a new day and the problems of yesterday are gone.I also sence its your prayers that are making the difference and i am really thankful for that.

The last few days the weather has been perfect and i have been able to sleep outside again which i really enjoy as it not only saves money but its great waking up to beautiful surroundings and i am usually so tired i hardly notice the hard ground.

One thing i would appreciate your prayers for is that this trip will raise heaps of money for the cause in Thailand as we still havent seen any significant amount come through yet.There is money out there we just need ideas on how to get it and most importantly for God to touch the heart of the rich and not so wealthy to give .If we can spend millions on the pokies and waste money in so many ways surely its not expecting to much for a few hundred thousand to help sick babies and others in desperate need.It will be a huge disappointment to get to the end of this journey and find little has been raised.I cant believe that is Gods will ,so lets pray together and see Him do a great thing.Go and check out Home of the Open Heart and be inspired.

Well i must get back out on the road.Good to see the Crows had a great win over Port, sorry i missed seeing the demolition.Bless ya folks,
Bernie

Cincinatti

Gday,
Well i am now in Cincanati and being really blessed. As i had gone over the 2000 kms (quarter distance)i felt i should celebrate that by having 2 days off.I was tired but also felt a need for company as it had been nearly 4 weeks by myself and was getting a bit sick of my own company.I stopped to get some food and a guy (Shawn) comes over and we get talking and he invites me back to stay with his wife Marilyn and son Nick.He was also with a friend Linda.

I am now into my second day off and feel so spoiled.I have the house to myself today and can do normal things like sleep in a bed (nick gave me his room),have a shower,watch tv and just totally relax.Things i would normally take for granted but in this context take on new meaning and feel so much of Gods love in Him providing this for me.Also got to go to church yesterday which was great and they all prayed for me , so i just feel its been such a good break and the hospitality and fellowship so refreshing.God is good.

I love the little things that happen along the way.The other day i got going earlier than usual after sleeping behind a school that i shared with a skunk.They have no fear of humans,i guess they know they can give you a spray or bite and kill you if you dont get treatment.Anyway about 7 30 am i stop at a church where guys are outside and i ask for water and turns out there amish mennonites who dont have tv or computers .Had a great time with them and they prayed for me and a young guy rode with me for a a while and gave me a donation.When a lot of ya day is a grind its those little things that keep ya going.

I keep hearing horror stories how hard its going to be to cross the rocky mountains but no point thinking about it now.This next section will be a lot flatter which i will appreciate and i am trying to look at it as just a job.Some people go to the office or clock on at the factory i start the working day when my feet hit the pedals.It can seem that mundane at times,its only when someone asks what and where am i going and get there reaction that i am reminded that it is a bit different.

Sometimes i might ask for the dirctions to a place 30 kms away and they might respond by saying 'your not going that far on your bike'.Then explain no, i am actually going to San francisco and they just cant believe it along with the fact i am from far,far away Australia.

I even got to share the faith with Linda who asked a lot of questions which i enjoyed a lot. So its been a good couple of days which i am glad to share cos at one stage i thought i was going to be writting horror stories all the way.I am sure there will be more of them but its great when there is good stuff to report as well.
Cheers,
Bernie

just another day in paradise

Hi everyone,
Not a great deal to add today.Been sleeping out lately so havnt got to use the net but its going along pretty ok the last few days.I had a bike problem today and it looked like i would have to walk it for 4 hours to get it fixed when someone gave me a lift thank GOD cos i really wasnt to keen on that idea.The guy Richard from rent and roll bicycles in Chillicothe spent 90 mins on it and didnt charge me and gave me a light and chain oil as well so people have been good.Trying not to let the hard times prevent me from enjoying the good.Getting lost has been a great way to get to talk to others or find a beautiful spot i would have missed.Sleeping out while a bit rough on the back is still great in its quite beauty.It seems when things go wrong its just another way for GOD to show how He cares and to see the good side of humans.One young boy even got me to ride back to his place so he could give me 6 dollars to the cause.
I am learning nothing that happens on this trip or in life when we have God is a bad experiance.There are lessons and a chance for growth but i am sure glad i dont have to go through the battles without Him.
If you thought my taste in music was bad with John Denver the song that keeps going through my head as i travel through Ohio is Olivia Newton John and her song 'down by the banks of the Ohio'.Sadly i dont have the cd,i must get it soon ,ha.
I am going to make an effort and not make this time all work and no play.Life is meant to be celebrated and joyful,i think i need to tap into that more.So much gets back to our attitude to what we are dealt and we can chose anger,self pity ,bitterness etc or we can allow circumstances to shape us into better ,caring ,compassionate and whole people.The negative ,ugly stuff sucks .
Hope to stay at ywam in Dayton for a day at the end of this week which will be great to have some company and meet some more ywamers.For those that dont know it stand for Youth With A Mission or as we jokingly say youth without any money.Its not just youth though as there are plenty of old buggers like me in it.If you have any desire for mission work on any level you should look into it.There is a place for anyone and whatever way you want to express your heart in serving God you can find that in ywam as its very broad in its capacity to allow the individual to be creative, at the same time develop a warm and caring community to help that happen.
True happiness is really only found when we lose ourselves in the service of God and others.
See ya in a few miles as it is here.I prefer kilometres ,it sounds like i have travelled further.
Cheers,
Bernie

another day

Gday mates,
That includes mateses.While it was good to have a day off and get some needed rest i found i really didnt enjoy it as not much to do and with more time to think, there is time for negativity to creep in and all the doubts about raising the money and my own financial needs and how am i going to last the distance .When i am on the road all my energy is taken up with powering on.There is hardly any energy to waste on negative thoughts except how darn hard it is.
Today i found a new enemy ,that is humidity.It often gets up to 90 percent and i really struggled with it today.I love clear heat and that is why i never hang around Adelaide in winter but humidity is so draining and was making me so grumpy today that i wasnt a nice christian as i let out a few expletives.
The other thing are the roads are getting worse and combine those things with more mountains it was not the easiest of days but i knew it was going to be like this so its no use complaining.
I also have found a better and more obvious solution if i do run out of food.I wasnt that keen on the fasting idea as not only would it slow me down but i love my food.I will do what happens when i run out of water,i knock on someones door .I think when i explain what i am doing most people will at least give me some bread.
This trip is a faith venture in 3 areas .1 .money for the charity
2.my needs(food,shelter,water).3.The strength to complete the journey.None of those 3 can i acheive without Gods and other people help.Its a good and at times humbling place to be in because like most people and especially aussies we can often find it hard to say we need help.We like to think we have it all together and can make it by ourself.Well thats the lie we try to believe but its far better to be honest and admit we are but little pieces of moronic particles when we try and live independent from our creator,the One who watches in sadness as we stuff our lives up because of our foolish pride.
There is much to like about America but i have discovered it does 2 things badly.1.It makes lousy yogurt.I normally eat more of that than any other food,but not here.Dairy Farmers should export ,they would make a killing.2.They make terrible bread.There is so much sugar in it that it taste like sickly cake.Well thats my little gripe but as i said before i have been surprized by the good nature of most Americans i have come across.
Time to hit the sack.A kind lady from the Stockport Mill Inn has given me free accomadation tonight,thanks Dottie.Bless ya all and as thay say here,have a nice day.
Bernie

help me get my feet back on the bike

Gday,
Here i am at the end of the second stage at West Virginia about to head into Ohio, i hope.I tried to tell my body it didnt need a day off but it has convinced me i wont make it unless i listen and give it rest when needed.At the moment i cant go on anyway as i have 19 dollars in the bank.I spend about 4 nights a week sleeping under the stars but its hard to get accomadation for less than 50 US dollars a night.Some people may be critical and say i should have saved for everything first.Well as it has cost 16,000 so far, that will take on my wage a fair few years to pay back.I could have one foot in the grave instead of both on the pedals by the time i was ready to go.Its a simple equation,no money=on food =no energy =no ride.I need your help to complete this and will probably have to make this call a few times over the coming months.If at any stage nothing comes through i will find a tree and stay there and fast until it does.Not to keen on fasting but its easier when you have no choice.I really appreciate the help already given but this is where the situation is at .My account is with westpak.bernard scanlan.bsb 035016 account 571887. Only give if its truly on your heart to ,otherwise there is no blessing for you to receive.If you dont feel to give thats fine, there are plenty of others you can help.Bless you my friends,
Bernie

its not up to me

Regarding fundraising ideas a friend reminded me its not my concern.It wont be because of some great idea from me that people give and i really need to let go and the end result is up to Him.Its that trust thing again.Us humans so much want to be in charge.From now on i am not going to mention the cause ,how much we need to raise etc.Its all there for you to check out on this website.Its no longer my burden . Cheers,
Bernie

tired

Hi FOLKS,
To tired to say much today.Ifeel i could sleep for a week.At least i had a break from mountains yesterday with an easier ride but still exhausting.Looks like i will be mainly sleeping out the next week and not sure if i will have much internet connection but will try where possible.I have to remember to pace myself correctly and its a marathon not a sprint and take time to talk to people a bit more and about the reason behind the ride ,that being the Lord.I have always been a bit slack when it comes to sharing the hope within.Please pray for continued strength.As the body tires it will never get easier but h0pefully it toughens up at the same time.Anyone want to donate a massage when i get back.
Cheers,
Bernie

Random Thoughts

Hi folks,
When a mountain is in your path do not sit down at its foot and cry.Get going and ride up it.Well i have had to do that the last two days and its hasnt been easy .At times i had to stop every few hundred yards to get breath and occasionally get off and push the bike.Fortunately my body was feeling good and up to the challenge of it but after 2 twelve hour days battling uphill i was pretty tired when i crawled into bed last night.

I slept in a cematry one night but only cos i was dead tired.(groan).Also had my first encounter with a bear but he took one look at me or decided he didnt like the smell of a dirty aussie and bolted the other way.One girl i talked to recently said she was trapped inside a toilet for 16 hrs while the bear attempted to get in but i think they are not to bad around here.

West Virginia is really beautiful country and listening to John Denver sing the almost heaven west virginia country road song while riding through took on knew meaning.Yes i own up ,i know its not cool to like J Denver but i never had great claims to being that anyway .

I have really enjoyed sleeping outside,no tent,not even a mat under me ,just the sleeping bag .Its some of the little things that i appreciate.I was late into the second day with no shower and realized i would be sleeping out again and thought i really wanted to clean up.I looked to my right and saw a running creek and that was better than any shower.
In amongst the hard grind there are moments when the beauty of creation or just a thought that reminds me i am not alone out here enters my being.I would like to sence it more often and deeper but its still great when they happen.

My skeptic athiest mate would say its all a delusion that there is no God who made all this but for me to beieve it all happened by chance requires a far greater faith that just doesnt make any sence .The God thing is to involved to go into here and at one stage thought i wont even mention it as it may turn non christians from taking an interest.In the end you cant deny who you are or what you stand for unless you want to compromise your whole being .

A few days ago i recieved an email supposedly from someone who was dying and was a christian who wanted to leave 5 million to a good cause and read what i was doing and gave me details to contact her lawyer.etc.After my worst day of riding i really wanted to believe it and despite the word scam coming immediately into i let myself go with it for 10 mins before allowing reality to catch up.It did make me think though why not believe for something like that to happen.That sort of money for some folk is loose change.Is our God so small that we cant believe He cant touch the hearts to give in big ways and that doesnt mean not to appreciate the small donation that may be given far more sacrificially .
What if we set up on this site a place where people could put there name and commit to praying each day even for just a few miniutes that they would belive God for 20,000 each to come in.So if one hundred signed up and each believed for 20,000 that equals 2 million.Now if i said to one person to pray for i million to come in maybe the faith may not be that strong to believe that but 20,000 is alot easier.I mean God loves and wants to help and bless the widows,orphans,the sick and dying,the hungry etc far more than we do,why wouldnt He want to provide on what in our mind is a lot of money but really isnt.

Is He simply limited by our lack of faith.Am i being an idiot here.I would really like ya feedback on this. Perhaps you have a better idea. I am open ,i just dont want to bust my guts for a small result.Its hard work day in day out and lonely at times so it sure helps to know that at the end of it we can raise enough to make a significant differance in the lives of many poor and desperate people that we are in the fortunate position of being able to bless.

Anyhow i must get back on the road .As i have just done 6 days i will probably make today an easy one and just ride for four hours and have a the rest of the day off.Really missing going to the footy and the movies and my friends of course,but not the winter.Bless you all,
Bernie

i love riding,not

Please continue to pray.I had the worst day yesterday.I hadnt slept well and felt like a zombie all day just riding and wishing i was doing something else.even the scenary which a few days earlier i thought was great was now ho hum and as i said i havnt even started to know what a truly hard day is going to be like.I can only do this with your prayer and support and in Gods strenght ,i sure dont have much of my own.love to hear from you all.cheers ,bernie

help

Hi folks,
i have just realized my last blog never got through,sorry about that.I am about to hit the road so may not get another chance for a few days as i am out in nowhere land.Need to mention though this trip has put me 16,000 in debt.I will pay that off over next few tears and dont want to use that to distract from the money we are trying to raise for home of the open heart.What i do need some help with though is with getting me to the finishing line.I have about 300 dollars left to get me by until i return in december.If you can help with that you can put money in at westpak bank.bernard k scanlan bsb 035016 acc571887.your support is appreciated as its going to be hard to complete this trip without food.Cheers,
Bernie

catching up

HI Guys,
Sorry its been so long since my last update but i have been out of range.Even now i am borrowing someones computer so i have to make this quick.So far its been as good as it will get.Good weather,no hills,great scenary so i will enjoy it while it lasts.Some nights i enjoyed riding until i couldnt go any further and about 1 am i would find a tree and grab the sleeping bag and have a great snooze.One morning i woke up and realized i had slept on a golfing green and got out of there before the balls hit me.Two nights complete strangers let me stay at there house and that was great as i was feeling the need for a good rest and they didnt turn out to be serial killers.
One day was very frustrating as this is not a simple trail where I just cruise along on one continuous pathway.There are heaps of twists and turns ,one miniute i am on a major hwy then back to a secluded trail .I have to constantly check my map and its easy to take a wrong turn and when you ask people for directions they will come up with totally different ways to get there.I spent half the day backtracking but got back on the path in the end.
I had to ditch some gear like tent and special biking shoes that click on to the pedals to enable me to go faster but where very uncomfortable.I am sure i will need a tent in the cold rocky mountains but with the heavy load as it was i was never going to make the climb up there.
My first rest day was yesterday and i didnt realize how tired i was until i stopped and could relax and catch up on sleep.I stayed in a lovely little inn run by a christian lady who really had the joy of the Lord flowing out of her.It was in an amazing town called Harpers Ferry where the start of the civil war began and the history of the town was great to explore and get the focus off the ride for a while.I was sorry i couldnt stay longer and enjoy the independence day celebrations there.
One thing i love about America is if you are over 16yrs you dont have to wear a helmet.Now you young students make sure you where yours but as i am breaking no law here i think i will enjoy the freedom of riding without one.
So folks i will ask you to continue to help me raise the money for the kids in Thailand by sending the website address to as many people as you can.The more that log on the more likely we will get our target.Send the website to schools and churches you may think will take an interest.Get your kids to suggest to their teacher it would be a good project to get involved with.You just never know who God may touch and i dont just mean other christians.People who dont know the Lord can often be more giving than some of us and we certainly want to give them every opportunity to experiance that the real joy in life is found in
helping others.
Thanks so much everyone who is supporting this in some way.When i am out there by myself sometimes struggling a little, its good to know there is that connection and it helps keep me going.Keep the comments coming as i do appreciate the feedback and will attempt to answer them with time and computer permitting.
As Roy Rogers would say,
Happy trails to you until we meet again.You young folk that dont know who he was,well that was back in the day when there use to be good shows on tv.
Cheers,
Bernie

the end of the beginning so now i can start

Hi fellow travellers,
Well a bit has happened since i last shared 3 days ago.As it turned out i could only put my bike on the train for part of the way to the start of the american discovery trail.I have spent the last two days riding 220 km to now be able to commence the trail ride in about 10 hrs time.I felt like celebrating just for getting to the starting line, it is a story in itself.Even a couple of days before leaving i had to deal with a drama that left me feeling down for a while but life always presents these challengers.

I after i said goodbye to the good folk of ywam New York who had made me feel very welcolme and the guys from the smithtown bikeshop who looked after me fantastic and gave me a great discount ,i caught the train to Philadelphia where i stayed at one of the cheapest and worst hotels i have been in but i was thankful for a place to crash and catch up on much needed sleep.

The first day bought the first bit of good weather since arriving over 3 weeks ago.The sun was out ,about 31 degrees,no wind and it felt good to get the ride under way.At one stage i even had a police escort when i took a wrong turn on a hwy where bikes are not allowed.The cop was really nice about it and followed me for 2kms till i could get back onto the right one.Funny how ya start using words of the locals.I called the officer sir .I have called cops a few things in my day but never that. Today was another good day other than having to spend time finding someone to help get my laptop and mobile going.Just a few hours ago i found out my camera had busted and had to talk someone into driving me to get a new one.The last thing i felt like was a 3 hour bike ride to the shop and back.I got really blessed when i found at the end of the day i was staying near a beach and got time to sunbake for an hour.Guess i wont see it again till the end of journey in San Francisco in four months.

I did read something depressing about the trail and that was they said to allow at least 5 months to cross it by bike.I hope thats what it took an obese ,chain smoking ,pie eating ,beer guzzler to do it in but i doubt it.I am still going to belive i can do it quicker than that .I know what will really slow me down though.I have a cart attached to the back of my bike and as light as i have tried to travel it still weighs about 25km with all the camping gear etc.I even got rid of my favourite pillow i have had fot years.I dont want to think what it is going to be like trying to pull it up the rockies while trying to breathe in the thinner air.I just have to take one day at a time and let each day unfold in its own unique way with all the good,bad and the ugly it can toss at me.

I do want to make it clear to those that dont know me that well , more of the reason i am doing this ride.While i do have a heart for the poor and have seen extreme poverty close up we are all a mixture of motives and desires.I am glad i can help in some small way to make a difference.It leaves us in a sad state if we simply close our hearts to those suffering around us and do nothing.Not that you have to go overseas to find poverty.Two days ago i talked to this old lady in a wheel chair who carried a cup so people could give her some coins.She received 600 dollars a month from the government,paid 380 a month on rent ,leaving 220 to survive on.If she gets sick well bad luck.That is America and there are millions in her position.I want to make it clear though that i am no Father Theresa.In looking at the other less pure motives for doing this i would say yes i want adventure.

I hate doing the same old ,same old day in day out.Some people hate change i hate it when things stay the same for to long.Maybe its a midlife crises.I do know i have a great sence of wasting many years of my life on drugs and dead end jobs.I told a cop the other day what i was doing and he laughed and said'you must be bored'.I think there is some truth in that.I hate that groundhog day thing.Having said that i guess i am putting myself in the classic groundhog experiance ,but maybe its that we have to change the type of those groundhog days to keep life interesting.Its kind of funny but the first thought on the first day i was to start riding was, oh not another day of bike riding.Then i thought hey man you havnt even started yet.I was already being negative and projecting how i thought i would be feeling.No, as i said i am going to live it each day of this as an adventure .Doesnt mean its gonna be all easy sailing,no ,but is anything really an adventure if its all fun and skittles.

Having said all that my really strong motivation above all other self orientated motivations is a desire to make heaps of money for to help continue Penny and Paul Wilcox work at the Home of the Open Heart in Thailand.Check out there website for more about what they do and what they want to do if we raise lots of money.I cant do this alone.I can only ride the bike and hope people will get behind it and find ways to get the funds for this cause. So please think about it and if your a christian then pray God will show you how you can help.Together we can make a difference .

I will try and update at least every 2nd day but appreciate there will be times i am just to tired or out of range.This will happen more often as i get further across the trail.Tell ya friends to blog on ,make comments,do something.I am also the worlds worst typist it takes me forever with my one finger .Thats why this blog is a marathon effort on my part.I think i should do a typing course when i return .If they can improve me it will be a miracle.
Its nearly 1am and i have to get up in few hours for my first day on the trail so take it easy folks .Thanks for reading this and hope it wasnt to boring.Love yas,
Bernie

almost at the starting line

Hi all,
Well its 2am and badly need some sleep but its not really going to be my first day on the road today as i have to take a couple of trains and then a little ride to the starting line .It would be getting late by then so i will find somewhere to get a good nights sleep and be ready for my first full day Thursday .
Yesterday a guy just walked up to me and gave me 3 bottles of spring water,someones looking after me already.The new bike is great with the trailer on the back.I am not even sure if i can take it on the second train tomorrow.I may have to plead ignorance and hope for mercy.
Bernie

Getting ready

Its June 18th and only 6 more days to go until i leave for a bicycle ride across America of nearly 8,000 kms which will be the biggest challenge of my life thus far.I am sure there will be lots of great times and also difficult ones and i just hope my body and mind are up for it.
There were so many frustrations and trying times just to get to this point,like months spent trying to get a good quality brochure made .Then there was a hold up with the visa.Yes i use to smoke the green stuff many years ago and it seemed the USA was not be very forgiving of my past sins there for a while.
Then there has been the 3 to 4 hours of bike riding a day ,up hills and mountains in all sorts of weather over the past 20 months in preparation.At times i seriously thought i had bitten off more than i could chew and that may still be found to be the case ,but at least i am almost at the starting line.
I pick up my brand new bike in a couple of days which will be a great improvement on a mates bike i have used this last week which doesnt even have brakes.I have been coming down hills when lights turn red and have to try and stop by scrapping my foot along the ground.Its all good fun eh .
My real hope is that people will get behind the ride and give whatever they can to help make someones life a little better.We may not be able to change the world but we each can help in small or big ways to alleviate some of the suffering of those in great need.

Almost ready to roll

Im just in the final days of getting ready to leave. Its amazing the little details that have to be taken care of.

Gday from Bernie

Hi, I’m Bernie!
I would like you to come on a journey with me!
I have been training 3-4 hours a day on my bike in Adelaide, Australia to prepare for a 4-month bike trek across the USA. The purpose of my ride is to raise awareness and much needed funds to help give poor and disadvantaged children and their families in Cambodia and Thailand hope and a bright future.

I will ride out of Downtown New York on the 17th June and will ride across the American Discovery Trail until I arrive in San Francisco in October 2009.

Why am I doing this?
Well it’s a bit like Forrest Gump’s run across the USA .... No, seriously, I would like to raise $750,000 to further the work of Home of the Open Heart which is a charity commited to caring for HIV+ babies and their families.