5K & 50

Yesterday my brother David and I ran the Daytona 5K and then hopped on our bikes for a 50 mile ride.

We both had a great 5K considering the amount of run training we have been doing. David took off faster than I did, I told him I would ease into the race. At 1 1/2 miles I came up on him and we ran together for the next 1/2 mile. I pushed the pace the last mile just to get a feel for where I am in comparison to where I need to be. Good race for both. No knee problems PTL!

After the post race snacks and conversations we went back to my friends house and got ready for the ride. We rode out to Daytona Beach then up to Ormond where David introduced me to a new coffee at Starbucks. While there we met Victor and his wife, very cool cyclists. They clued us in re: "The Loop" so after a bit more conversation we set off to ride "The Loop" before returning to Duane's house. Just as we were leaving Starbucks the rain began. We had jackets so that helped alot. Since David was riding his road bike I was following him all the way. I was on my hybrid. The rain picked up as we rode. When we hit A1A south we got the wind along with the rain.

The Van was parked at Tomoka Christian Church so we rode there, broke our bikes down and loaded them up in the van. While loading up we got to visit with Pastor Joe Putting, it was great to see him and share a bit. When we got back to Duane's we got a nice hot shower! After that we packed everything up in our vehicles and headed to South Daytona Christian Church for their Mission Potluck Dinner. It was great to see our friends at SDCC. They had me share for a moment about UF CCH and about Christianville in Haiti. They are a great group of mission minded folks.

It was an action packed weekend that was a blast. My other brother Donald came over to the track to sell firewood. It was kind of slow on Friday night but business picked up on Saturday. It was great to see him as well.

2010

2010 has gotten off to a great start. Morning quiet time has been fruitful, consistent daily miles on the bike has been good and meeting with students now that classes are back in session has been fun.

What hasn't been fun is the frigid weather we are experiencing. It takes awhile to get enough clothes on so that I stay warm as I ride. It also altered our Welcome Back plans as outside activities have moved inside.

I look forward to an exciting week that will be capped off with Girl's Night Out and ManChurch fellowship activities this Saturday. On Sunday our Guatemala Mission Team will meet then DQ and Beth Roberts from Christian Riders Ministry will share with us as we resume Sunday Night Live. Family Groups (gender based small groups) resume next week. It's going to be an amazing semester of growth making Christ known on our campus.

Pray without ceasing! bob g.

12.17-22.2009 - Winter Bike Trip '09

This year's WBT would begin at Seminole-Collier State Park just south of Naples, FL. Jen, Nathan, Gavin, Ben and I loaded up Friday afternoon and began the journey to Bradenton to eat dinner with Kristina and her family. After dinner Kristina would join us for the trip to SCSP. We endured some wet weather along the way but the rains ceased by the time we arrived at the Park. This made setting up camp much easier. After setting up we closed the day in prayer before settling in for the night.

DAY 1
After a good nights rest we woke up at 7am for breakfast. Oatmeal, bagels and juice yummy! We finished breakfast, broke down camp, packed up, took a picture, prayed and then began to pedal to Punta Gorda. Right after exiting the park we stopped in a store to load up on fluids. After that we got going for real.


The first stretch of road was scenic but we were riding into a headwind. This was to be the story of the day. We left the scenic road behind as we entered Naples. From there to Ft. Meyers the roads were busy but we either had a bike lane or sidewalk. We met Jen and the boys in a CVS parking lot for lunch. We were hungry! Thank the Lord for lunch meat and chips and granola bars. We needed more water for our water bottles so we did some shopping at CVS.

After lunch we began the journey to Ft. Meyers, our next point of reference. Along the way we stopped at New Day Christian Church in Ft. Meyers to take a picture at the sign. Good friend and cyclist Scott Cain is the pastor and NDCC has been a good friend of UFCCH. We also stopped to see where the New Mission Systems Inc. office was located and where my good friend Matt Hickman lives. Matt serves with NMSI in the area of recruitment. Unfortunately Matt was en route to TN for Christmas so we didn't get to see him.

After crossing the bridge leaving Ft. Meyers the ride became a bit more scenic. From that point on we rode into the wind and into the night. About 2 miles before camp we stopped for some fluids and a brief rest, the ride into the wind had been long and taxing. How exciting it was to start back pedaling see Sweetbay, we knew the road to camp was just beyond the store. We made our turn and found the campground. We rode to the back and found Jen and the boys. Camp was set up and dinner was ready! Perfect timing. Dinner never tasted so good. After dinner was a hot shower, the Proverb for the day and sleep time. It was a tough but good first day of riding. Riding mileage for day 1 was 75.

DAY 2
I think we slept even better the second night of camping. I am sure the ride the day before helped with that. We woke a bit earlier because the day's ride would be longer. Breakfast once again was great and breaking down camp was a bit quicker.

Today we would be riding Kristina to her house in Bradenton (Lakewood Ranch) and then heading on to Fort Cooper State Park. The early part of the ride was nice and calm. We rode by the airport in Punta Gorda then on to Nocatee where we would meet Jen and the boys. We snacked some and refilled our water bottles. After Nocatee we rode up 17 to Arcadia. There we would head west on 70. It seemed that no matter the direction we rode we were riding into the wind. We were out in the country so at least the scenery was nice. At one point we needed a break from the wind so we pulled off the road and layed down for a bit. One motorist stopped to check on us, we assured him we were fine. Right after he stopped Jen and boys stopped. All the riding into the wind made me hungry so it was time for another snack. After snacking it was time to head to Lakewood Ranch. We thought we could wait to eat lunch at Kristina's house but that was not too be. By Myaaka River we were ready to eat. There was a nice park so it was perfect. A great lunch and nice bathroom make for a great stop.

After lunch the wind let up some so we were praising God. Our bike lane disappeared from time to time so that was annoying. I have a great mirror so I kept a close eye on the approaching vehicles. Just before Lakewood Ranch we got our bike lane back and a much better road. It wasn't long before we were dropping Kristina off at her house. We visited with her mom and dad for a bit before we set out for Ft. Cooper SP. As we biked north on Lorraine Rd. I received a call from Todd Dawson, a great brother in Christ and avid cyclist. He had seen the UFCCH van on his way home so he called. I told him where Ben and I were so he headed our way. It was great to stop and visit with Todd and his daughter for a few minutes. We couldn't visit long because we had 40 more miles to go to get to FCSP.

Ft. Cooper SP never happened due to a problem with Google maps. The road the map said to take really didn't exist. Therefore we rode east for awhile to catch a road that would take us northwest to roads that would take us east and north to FCSP. By the time we reached Parrish it was dark and cold. At that point we were at 90 miles for the day so I told Jen to meet us there. Since it was the night of the Survivor Finale Celeste (my wife) encouraged us to find two hotel rooms so we all could be warm, take a warm shower and watch Survivor. At first I fought the suggestion but then by Parrish it seemed like a great idea. Jen found us a great place to stay in Ruskin. We hit the McDonald's drive through on the way to the hotel. Vanilla iced coffee and Wraps! After a warm shower Ben and I watched a great final episode of Survivor. When it went off at 11pm so did the tv and we fell asleep quickly. A great end to another great day of riding.

DAY 3
We awoke to great weather and no wind. The hotel had a continental breakfast so we enjoyed some yogurt, bagels, juice.... After packing the van we left Ruskin and headed to Inverness. We turned north on 301 and encountered road construction. This would last till Riverview. In Riverview we turned off of 301 on to Riverview Dr. and then on to Providence. Providence was a mixture of bike lane riding and sidewalk riding. This was a a more direct route to joining back up with 301 which would then take us to Zephyrhills.

In Zephyrhills we took a break at McDonalds. Once again, I was in need a an iced coffee and a McChicken. I seemed to stay hungry on this trip which is much different than the Go The Distance trip across the country. After checking some e-mail we talked with Jen. She and the boys were able to visit some relatives then head north of Zephyrhills to BBQ restaurant near the start of the Withlacoochee Trail. We finished our business and biked the 6.8 miles to the restaurant. There Ben and I split a BBQ sandwich. After food and pictures we set off for Inverness via the Trail. It was great! No traffic just good riding and good conversation. That made the final 28 miles pass by. During the ride Jen called and said she and the boys had a fun time finding the campsite at Ft. Cooper State Park. She gave us the most direct route to where she was so we wouldn't bike all around the Park trying to locate her. Just before the Park we saw a bike shop just off the Trail in Floral City. We met the owners outside the shop. They were about to ride home but they insisted on opening up for us to take a look. The shop was very nice and Ben saw a trailer that he might purchase for our upcoming May ride from Cedar City, UT to San Francisco to Los Angeles. We had a good look at the shop and chat with the owners then set off for our campsite. It was dusk and getting cold so it was great to see the tents set up. Today's ride was 86 miles.

We got a good fire going and cooked up hamburgers and Asian stir fry. Delicious! After dinner it was time for Smores, a campfire tradition. Yummy as always. We cleaned up from dinner and read our Proverb for the night. We also shared in communion since the day before had been a bit crazy. After that, our final night of sleep out in the wild.

DAY 4
The temperature had dropped into the 30's during the night so that made it hard to get out of our sleeping bags. Once I did get out of my sleeping bag and go outside it actually felt warmer outside the tent. After breakfast we broke down camp and packed everything up for a final time. We packed so that Jen and boys could get back early and unload their stuff easy.

Ben and I still had more of the Trail to ride so the start of our riding time was pleasant. We both realized within the first 2 miles that we had too many clothes on so fortunately we saw Jen and the boys at a crossroad just north of the Park. We flagged her down so we could throw some clothes in the van. Ahhh, much better. We started back on the Trail, we would take it to Dunnellon. We got to the end of the Trail and cut through a neighborhood to get to 41 north. Jen called and said she was at a park just before the bridge. We met up with her and enjoyed some lunch. We also unloaded a few more clothes, it had warmed up nicely. I told Jen that we were good from that point on so they could head back to the Campus House.

41 north in Citrus County is not very good when it comes to a bike lane. We either had no bike lane, very little or alot. Mostly none or alittle. Once we entered the County that Williston is in we had great road and a great bike lane PTL! The final day's ride was only going to be 68 miles but I could feel myself struggling just outside of Williston. I was low on energy and my legs hurt. I think Ben was feeling it as well. I knew Williston had a McDonalds so I stayed motivated. I got an iced coffee and something to eat. I felt better for the final 18 miles. The ride from Williston to Gainesville was great. Very scenic. Cows and horses. Once we hit Gainesville we hit traffic. Just before crossing under I 75 we stopped at the Kangaroo station for a bathroom break. From there it was a quick 5 mile ride to the Campus House. Upon our arrival we thanked the Lord for the safe trip and great journey.

This year's WBT was challenging but great. THANKS to Jen and the boys for being such an awesome Support Team. Thanks to Kristina for joining Ben and I for two days. Thanks to Ben for "going the distance" once again. I know this journey was good preparation for the ride to come in May.

Tentative plans for the 2010 WBT have us riding from East Point, GA back to Gainesville.
Needless to say there are many miles to ride before then so we will see how things go.

May 2010 be an amazing year of serving the Lord and cycling! bg

TEAM

Recently on September 5th, Kristina Anderson, Ben Anderson and I competed in a Sprint Triathlon. We are a Co-ed Relay Team.

I usually compete as an individual but this year I decided to put together a Team to compete in The Great Floridian Ironman Distance Triathlon in Clermont, FL.

Both Kristina and Ben thought and prayed about this undertaking because it was going to take commitment. Kristina will swim 2.4 miles, I will bike 112 miles and Ben will run 26.2 miles. The commitment is both to training and to the team.

We began training and then I found out that there was a Sprint Triathlon in Crystal River on the day of the Gators first football game which wasn't going to be till 7pm. I knew we could do the race and be back in Gainesville in plenty of time to enjoy the pre-game festivities as well as the game. I mentioned the race to Kristina and Ben and they agreed that it would be a good practice day for our Team.

The day before the race finally arrived. We were all excited. We were leaving at 5pm. About 4pm or shortly thereafter Ben sent me a text message saying he hurt his back working out. I thought Ben was trying to pull a joke on me. I sent him a text message back. His next text explained exactly how it happened. It was no joke. My teammate was hurting. We all began to pray that Ben would be healed up and ready to go by morning.

I picked Ben up first. He was moving slow. We picked Kristina up next. Oh, I forgot to mention that Courtney Smith was with us. We were heading to her house to spend the night. She decided to ride along and surprise her parents.

We got to Courtney's house and relaxed before dinner. Ben took another dose of ibuprofen. Our prayer was that he would be healed up in the night so he could run the 5K the next day. After dinner we visited a bit then decided it was time to get to bed because 5:30am would come early.

It did come early! I felt good; ready to go. I checked on Ben. Not good news. He was going to be a spectator and I now was going to do the 15 mile bike and 5K run. Not a big deal because I have been competing in some Sprints this season. I was just sad for Ben. He had been training and his training was going good. He would now encourage us as we competed, heal up and then resume training for Clermont.

We had a good race. Kristina did great in the swim and my run was better than my bike. All in all it was a great Team day and the Team did great to encourage each other and pull for each other. I am proud (in a good Biblical way) of my Teammates and thankful to God that they both are amazing Spiritual Teammates.

Here at the U.F. Christian Campus House we are not only a Family but a Team. We love each other, encourage each other and help each other as family members. As Spiritual Teammates we pray together, work together, serve together and reach out together so that the UFCCH Team is strengthened and that the world around us is impacted for Christ. This is a great challenge in a challenging place. If you are a follower of Christ please pray for Team CCH as we minister here in Gainesville and pray for our Relay Team as we prepare to race and share in Clermont late in October.

We are pressing on!

bg

08.31.09 - Off and Running!

Classes started last week which means our life just got super crazy! We are excited about all the new students that we have met on campus while playing Ultimate or Kickball. It has been cool to have them join us at UFCCH for Sunday Night Live or a Family Group. http://www.ufcch.com/

Family Groups (gender based) begin this week. Right now there are 3 Girls Groups scheduled to meet and 2 Guys Groups. We are continuing to look for students to host an on campus prayer group.

Today I met with some guys from Operation Transformation. They shared with me The 40 Day Campus Revolution. It challenges students to not only read the word of God and pray for 40 days but also to live it out. It gives them different options each day that will allow them to live out their faith on campus. I am asking our new Freshman if they would like to serve as a test group for this project. The 40 Day Campus Revolution college edition is just being relaunched.

Please remember us in prayer as we begin this semester and begin to make more and more of an impact for Christ on our campus.

Thanks,

bob g.

National Student Conference - Evansville, IN - 8.1-5.09

This was the year that UFCCH was going to return to the NSC in Evansville. It is an amazing college conference filled with great teaching, worship and fellowship. Ben Anderson and I were the only two that could go this year but that was fine. UFCCH was back!

Ben and I like to make our journeys a challenge so we didn't leave out of Gainesville for Sanford till 11:30pm. Actually, Ben didn't get off work till then so we didn't have a choice. The drive was fine but we both were tired. It was great to get to our hotel and grab about four hours of sleep before we were to catch the shuttle to the airport. Did I say shuttle? The 6:15am shuttle never arrived so we jumped back into the van and headed to the airport. We parked, checked in, made it through security and to our gate.

The flight to Owensboro, KY was good and quick. The airport in Owensboro was small so it was crowded. We called the rental car company and then waited on the shuttle. This one actually did arrive and took us to our car. Before departing Owensboro we needed some iced coffee so we gave McDonald's some more business. The drive up to Evansville seemed to go buy fast PTL! We knew we were early so we went to Wal Mart to pick up some things we needed for the week. We also took some time to check out the outdoor store Gander. When we finally got clued into the fact that we were now in Central time and way early for registration we decided to go to Golden Corral for lunch. We ate, returned to USI (University of Southern Indiana) and then crashed on some couches near Registration. 2pm central time finally arrived and so did Big Dog Tim Hudson. We checked in immediately so we could get the keys to our dorm room. We found our dorm and our room and settled in. After settling we decided that a good nap was in order before dinner. What a great sleep! We grabbed some dinner and then went to the opening session. There we got to meet some awesome folks from all over and bask in a great time of worship. After worship we were introduced to Shane Wood who would share evening messages with us. Shane was right on with his first message. After the session Ben and I visited with Shane a bit and then had prayer with him. Since he had three more messages to share with us we wanted to cover him in prayer. The first day and night were great; now it was time to get some more sleep!

Summer 3 Day Bike Ride 07.15-17.2009, UFCCH Alumni & Sebastian CC

I anticipated this ride for quite a bit. I missed being off the bike most of May and then it was hit and miss all throughout June. What I didn't anticipate were the difficulties that would challenge me each and every day.

Day one to Apopka was a day of getting use to Zach's bike. He let me borrow it for the trip. Half way through the day I realized I should have changed out the saddle. As the heat set in the cuts from my recent bike wreck began to sting as sweat poured into them. In the wreck I also hurt my hands so it was hard to grip any one way for very long. I was constantly changing my grip position throughout the day.

I stopped in The Villages for lunch at McDonald's. While there I was glad to run into Dustin. He was with a friend and decided to lunch at McDonald's as well. It was great to visit with them.

I got rolling again and didn't stop again till I arrived in Leesburg. There I got to visit with Ronnie Allegro. Ronnie was a student at UF and at CCH a few years back. He also likes to ride from time to time. It was great to see Ronnie and take a break from the heat. He blessed me with a cold water bottle.

I had talked with my brother David off and on throughout the day. His plan was to meet me in Eustis and ride with me to Apopka. I knew the distance I had to cover to get to Eustis and how long it would take so I visited with Ronnie for about a half hour. It was great to see him again. I am looking forward to a return trip to Leesburg so we can go for a ride.

I got to Eustis a bit late because the heat was getting me and I was running out of fluids. David and I met in the middle of Eustis and we rode to the closest McDonald's for a snack and an iced coffee. I also refilled my camelbak. From there to my mom's house we rode well. The McDonald's break did wonders. Once we got to mom's house we cleaned up and headed to Sonny's! I had hoped for that but never mentioned it so when mom suggested it I was super excited. We had a great dinner and visit. I knew the night would call for ibuprofen and lots of rest because the next day's ride to Okeechobee was going to be tough.

UFCCH AFRICA Mission Trip - 05.05-29.2009

The journey to Mozambique was amazing. It was the culmination of 8 months of raising funds and preparing as a team. I know I speak for the team when I say we were not disappointed. The journey there was long and included an overnight stay in Johannesburg. We got to our hotel by taxi since we could not track down the hotel shuttle. After settling and and having a nice dinner at the hotel we prayed our way into the night.

The morning came early and we were back to the airport to catch our flight to Beira. It was nice that this was a short flight. In Beira we would be meeting Jacob and Jaynie Michael, missionaries with Good News for Africa. They would be hosting us and leading us in ministry for the next three weeks. We arrived and as did our luggage PTL. The lady in charge didn't want to let one bag (filled with yarn) pass through Customs because we didn't have the receipt. Another group was having a similar problem so there was a lot of waiting around. Didn't really matter though because we were still waiting for them to do all the paperwork for the Tourist Visa that we purchased. Jacob came to the Customs office and talked with one of the ladies (the main one was still working on the other group). They seemed resolute in having both of us pay a tax on what we had brought in. The first group stayed in discussion with her and explained that all the supplies were for the people in Mozambique. After awhile she let them go and left the room. We asked the girl we were talking what to do and she said we should go on. I was thanking the Lord for getting us over this little hurdle. After all that was finished with the man in the Travel Visa office came out with all of our Passports and our receipt. Now that all this was done we could meet casually with Jacob and Jaynie and begin to load up all of our luggage and team.

It was an interesting start to our three weeks in Mozambique; I was sure that more was to come. I will write about that tomorrow.

The trip to Chimoio didn't start right away because we had to wait on Dale's flight to arrive. Dale would help translate for us. We knew he wouldn't be in for a bit so we went into Beira for lunch. After ordering we went for a walk on the beach. We knew that we had plenty of time because it takes time for the orders to come out of the kitchen. We had a good time walking on the beach and taking pictures. We returned to the restaurant and waited a bit more time. This allowed for good conversation with Jacob and Jaynie. Lunch finally arrived and it was great.

Dave finally arrived later that day PTL. We then began the two hour drive to Chimoio in the Landrover. It was a good ride but it was even better to arrive at the house. It's always fun to arrive at a new place. See the town, neighborhood and house. The dogs greeted us upon our arrival. They were so excited. We unloaded everything off the Landrover and got settled in. By this time it was time to go to bed. We we so happy to finally be there.

UFCCH Costa Rica Mission Trip - 03.07-14. 2009

The Costa Rica Mission Trip was an amazing journey. God once again assembled a great team. There were a total of 13 of us who wanted to do more on spring break than hit the beach. We wanted to serve and work and share. That we did!

After a long day of travel from Gainesville to Orlando to Panama City, Panama to San Jose, Costa Rica to 6:8 Ministries in Alajuelita, CR we were tired! We arrived at the mission house, unloaded, had something to eat, had orientation with Spencer and the 6:8 Staff and then hit the sack! It was a great but tiring day one.

The next morning after breakfast we went to church at CCA. The fellowship, worship and message were good. They had the message interpreted for us so that helped greatly. We returned to the mission for lunch and then spent the afternoon prayer walking in different areas around Alajuelita. We visited with many families and lifted them up to God in prayer. It was a great way to meet people, learn our way around and bring our week to come in to focus.

Each night after dinner we had a time of worship and a message by Duke. We looked forward to this time each day because it encouraged us, challenged us, fed us and kept us focused. After worship we would then have group time. In group time we debriefed about the message, the day, situations.... We also took time to affirm each other and pray for each other.

Monday morning came and the work/ministry began. The rest of the week, except for Tuesday, we were teaching English in schools, sharing and serving at a Feeding Center, building walls for a burned down house, serving empanadas and kool-aid in the park.... One day we had gender specific ministry to do so the girls went to a Women's Ministry Center and the guys went to do some work for a local man that Spencer and 6:8 had been ministering to.
The girls loved their time with the ladies! They shared, sang, danced and spent time in the Word. God touched each one's heart. The guys enjoyed getting to know Luis more and helping him with the entrance to his house. They really liked using POWER TOOLS! Luis is confined to a wheelchair and likes to get outside some. The entrance of his house is being renovated so he can come outside and sit in the shade. There were many other bits of ministry that occurred throughout the week in a small group format. It was exciting to see God working and in through each one on the team.

Our free day was Tuesday. We spent the morning climbing the mountain. What's special about this mountain and this climb is that there are 3 crosses along the way. Each one is different and special. The whole group made it to all 3 crosses and enjoyed "the view from the top". After lunch we went to the markets in downtown San Jose. What a change. It was good though. We found some cool stuff, coffee and ice cream.

The whole week was amazing and I praise God for each team member as well as Spencer, his family and the 6:8 Ministries family. The final closed out with the viewing of the video from the week that Molly had made for us. You can see that by clicking on the link below.

God bless! bob g. & the cch cr mission team

To see more of our journey click on this... http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=032067c66a527a0d87b1

Overnight Ride - 02/28-03/01/2009, St. Augustine Beach, FL

SATURDAY
It was finally here! I had been looking forward to the Overnight Bike Ride with Shawn, Matt and his dad.

We all arrived on time, loaded the van up, prayed over our journey and set out.

Jen and Gavin (Support Crew) went to McDonalds after seeing us off. The ride out of town was good except for some road work being done. We stopped for some fluids and a snack in Orange Heights. It was a nice first stop to access how everyone was doing.

We finished up and began the journey to lunch on the river in Palatka. The ride through Melrose to Putnam Hall was uneventful. Between Putnam Hall and Palatka we had some ups and downs (hills). They were a good terrain change. It flattened out before Palatka so all we had to do was cruise through town to the river. There we met Jen and Gavin. We prayed and picnicked by the water. What a beautiful spot.

Lunch was great. Even better was knowing that we were just over 30 miles away from our campsite. We rode over the St. Johns River and then stopped to reload our fluids. From there it was a quick ride to Anastasia Island State Park thanks to a great tailwind. Everyone did great. Today's ride was 81 miles!

SUNDAY
I love camping at Anastasia Island State Park! Our site was great and having the opportunity to go to the beach just minutes away was fantastic.

After a great night of sleep we got up to dry but windy and overcast weather. We ate breakfast, shared in the Word and Communion, took down camp and began to pedal back to Gainesville.

Shortly after leaving the park it began to rain. With the rain and the wind it became really cold. We were biking into a strong headwind so we were working hard. Just before getting to 95 the rain started to come down hard so we pulled into a Kangaroo station to get out of the rain and get something hot to drink. We also summoned Jen to come back our way so we could get some things out of the van.

We waited for 30 minutes or more then decided to get back at it. The rain had let up alot but just after a mile or so of riding the rain stopped. It was still windy but PTL the cold rain had ceased. We fought our way to Green Cove Springs where we enjoyed Starbucks and lunch out of the van. The low light of the stretch before GCS was crossing over the Shands Bridge. The 30-40 mile an hour headwind made it very, very difficult. The traffic, including big redneck trucks, didn't help one bit. PTL we made it!

Starbucks and lunch were great. It was really great that a Family Dollar store was across the street. I need some cheap gloves and a beanie to keep me warm the rest of the way. We fought the wind to Camp Blanding and then on into Starke. We decided, before Starke, that that would be our stopping point. There was no need to fight the wind all the way to Gainesville. We could do that another day. Our average speed for the day was 11 miles per hour and our total mileage for the day was 60. We met Jen and Gavin at CVS. We loaded up on some food and fluids then we loaded up our bikes in the van and headed home.

It was a great two day ride though day two was quite challenging. I was glad we all experienced day two because that is the reality of long distance biking. Some days are easy and great while other days are hard and frustrating. If you can enjoy the bad with the good you can enjoy life on the road.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - Ft. Pierce to West Palm Beach, FL

The wind never stopped in the night and it greeted us early in the morning. After breakfast and breaking down camp we got back out to the road along the inlet. The wind coming off the water made the ride very challenging. As we entered Jensen Beach I was glad to spot a Starbucks. We needed a coffee break. We got our iced coffees and sat outside. We talked about the challenge of the morning and what was before us the rest of the day as we rode toward Ft. Lauderdale.

We rode through Stuart, Hobe Sound, Jupiter Beach and on to North Palm Beach. Jupiter Beach was really nice. Some locals shared with us that Tiger Woods was having a house built in Jupiter Beach so we were able to eyeball the construction. After JB Ben began having bike troubles again so we decided to to limp our way to North Palm Beach and call it a ride. The wind conditions and bike troubles made that an easy call. We met Jen and the boys at the CVS and we ate in the parking lot. After lunch we changed in the bathrooms, restocked our fluids, loaded up and began the journey back to Gainesville.

The drive home was good. I dropped Jen and the boys off at Texas Roadhouse so they could meet up with friends and I dropped Ben off at his apt. Then I went home to see my girl, clean up and get some rest.

The second Winter Bike Trip was a great success. We rode 325 miles in 4 days and got to see quite a bit of Florida's east coast. God took care of us the whole way as did Jen and the boys. Ben and I were humbled and blessed.

I am looking forward to Winter Bike Trip 3 this December. We will ride from Marco Island to Gainesville. Jen and boys are on board to serve as our Support Crew once again so we are very thankful for that. WBT3 will take place December 19-22. If you are interested in riding one or more days with us let me know.

Blessings! bob g.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - Titusville to Ft. Pierce,FL

It was cold this morning when we woke up. After two days in regular riding gear it was time to put on the cold weather gear. We did so after breakfast. I was hungry this morning. I consumed many packets of oatmeal and various other breakfast items. No coffee though so I was looking forward to using our Starbucks card in Cocoa Beach.

After praying we rode back out to US 1 and turned south. We took that down to where we could cut over to A1A. That stretch of road had several bridges so it was up and down and up and down. The cross wind made this stretch a good challenge. After the final bridge we got some protection from the wind as we entered Cocoa Beach. We found the Starbucks at the Cocoa Beach Surf Company so we parked our bikes and enjoyed an iced coffee and a cookie or pastry.

Ben's bike troubles started back up so we met Jen and the boys at Bob's Bike Shop in Eau Gallie. Ben got some work done to his bike and we ate lunch in the parking lot. There was no charge for the bike work so we were grateful and praising the Lord. After lunch Ben tested his bike out and it was better. Not great but better.

The rest of the day he dealt with bike issues but thanks to a strong tailwind we were able to put in over a hundred miles and make it to the campground in Ft. Pierce just after nightfall. We had out headlamps and taillights so it wasn't a problem. Because of the strong winds Jen was only able to set up one tent. When we got there I determined that it was too windy to start up the gas stove so we went to McDonald's. It was nice to get some chicken wraps, iced coffee and ice cream.

We got back to the campsite and set up our tent. The wind was still blowing strong so we worked together to get it set up. After doing so we settled in for a time of reading before drifting off to sleep. The strong wind whipped our tent in such a way that I was reminded of a couple of nights on my GTD ride and my time in the bush in Tanzania. I sleep well in those conditions and a good night's sleep was needed after a long day of riding.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - St. Augustine to Titusville, FL

Today started early! We awoke just after 5am so we could get cleaned up, eat breakfast and start pedaling by 6:30am. The reason we wanted to leave early was so we could stop at the Beachside Church in Ormond Beach for their 10am service. We just made it. We actually met Jen, the boys and Maria Jones at the Starbucks just before Beachside. Thanks to Maria's mom we were able to get a large iced coffee, she gave us a Gift card to use for our trip PTL!

The service at Beachside was great and it was great to see good friends Robbie and Greg. After service we went to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays. Ben's girlfriend and family came to see us, it was awesome to finally meet Caroline and her family.

As much as we enjoyed visiting we knew we had to start pedaling again so we could make it to the KOA in Titusville. Ben had some bike issues along the way but we finally arrived late afternoon. By the time we got there Jen had the tents up so all we had to do was clean up, eat dinner and settle in for the night. As we settled in we were prepared for the cooler temperatures that would greet us in the morning. It had been a great day despite Ben's bike issues. God continues to take care of us.

WINTER BIKE RIDE - Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine,FL

I was glad we were not in a rush to start the ride. We woke up to cold, rain and wind. We took out time to eat breakfast and get our gear together. After doing so the weather had improved. We unloaded our bikes, took care of final riding matters, prayed and departed. It was great to get riding!

Jen and the boys went on ahead. They would keep us posted as to what was a head. The ride down A1A was pretty as we passed Big and Little Talbot State Parks. We met up with Jen and the boys at the Ferry that would take us to Mayport. It was a nice and relaxing break.

After Mayport we began to deal with the traffic of the Jacksonville area. No problems PTL! We met up with Jen and the boys at Ponte Vedra Beach so we could eat lunch. Having a support van and crew is great. After lunch we began our put to Anastasia Island State Park.

Once we arrived in Villano Beach we knew it was just a matter of time till we reached camp. We crossed the bridge to St. Augustine and then enjoyed the sites along the way. We rode by the Fort and into town. The traffic moves slowly so it is easy to navigate downtown.

After seeing downtown we knew that it was time to get to camp. Jen and the boys had camp all set up so all we had to do was clean up and enjoy dinner. We cooked up some hamburgers, hotdogs and baked beans. It was awesome!

Day 1 went well. We knew that day 2's ride to Titusville would be longer and more of a challenge. We were looking forward to that.

VACATION: Silverman, The Ups and Downs of the Journey.11/06-14/2008

The Silverman full distance triathlon is my favorite. It is located outside of Las Vegas, NV in Henderson. The 2.4 swim is in beautiful Lake Mead. The 112 mile bike ride goes along Lake Mead until it turns out into the desert and then backtracks through the desert to Henderson. The marathon is on a 2 loop course in Henderson. The setting and the people make this the best full distance triathlon in the country. The course makes it one of the most difficult in the country.

Celeste and I arrived on Thursday afternoon. After the airport we got settled in at the host hotel and enjoyed some dinner. After that we crashed. The three hour time difference caught up to us.

I woke up really early the next morning (Friday) so I went out for a 4:30am run. After that I went to Wal Mart to pick up some supplies and breakfast at McDonalds. After breakfast Celeste and I went out to Lake Mead so I could check out the water and get in one last swim. After that I went to pick up my race packet and take some time to walk around the race expo. Then it was off to pick up my bike at the Bike Shop. I spent time reassembling it and then test riding it. I bought a few items that I needed for the race. The day had been long and busy so I returned to the hotel to chill for a bit before the Pasta Dinner. After dinner it was time for bed!

The next day (Saturday) began with a Pancake Breakfast and then a trip out to the lake to drop off my bike and transition bags. The day was beautiful! There was much talk about the weather forecast for race day. It was to change drastically. It was to go from beautiful to beastly. Cold, wind, rain.... Standing there at the lake under a blue sky, bright sun and warm temperature I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Two years earlier the race day had been cold and windy. Not again I thought, and prayed.

Saturday night we went to Central Christian Church before heading to bed early...

Sunday AM: The forecast was right on. We woke up to cold and wind. There wasn't any rain at 4:30am, that was to come. We arrived at the lake and got checked in. We had time to get our special needs bags turned in and do a last minute check of our bike and bike transition bag. Then it was time to get ready for the start of the swim. It didn't look too bad out on the lake PTL. \o/

We gathered at the waters edge for the national anthem. Then Frank, the race director, talked with us a moment before starting the race. The first two legs of the swim went well despite the heavens opening up during the second leg and the lake becoming a bit more choppy. Then all heck broke loose as we started the third leg back into the wind. The chop turned into waves. I saw white caps, I saw rain, I saw the wind create spray, I saw swimmers struggling to make their way along the course. Fortunately for me, there was another swimmer near me so we were able to chat from time to time to make sure we were heading in the right direction. When we made the final turn to head back to shore we got to a spot where the lake settled down. Oh happy day! The swim in was good until my left calf muscle decided to start cramping. I swam through the cramp and made it to shore. It felt so good to be on land.

I was helped out of my wetsuit and then given my swim to bike transition bag. I quickly changed and then made my way to my bike. I walked it out of the transition area and then began the mile climb from the lake to Lakeshore Dr. It was cold and windy! I ate a Trailmix bar as I rode up the hill, it tasted so good. Once on Lakeshore Dr. I picked up the pace. It felt good to be going fast. This didn't last long because Lakeshore Dr. has lots of ups and downs. The strong wind was a bit scary on the fast downgrades. Before turning to head out into the desert the rain started again. I was so cold. At one point the rain felt like the sleet I had encountered in Colorado during my GTD ride. I dismissed that thought but later found out from other racers that it actually was sleet. I pressed on and finally made the right turn to head out in the desert. I could see lightning off in the distance. It was far away so no worries.

The ride out was mostly good. I was passing more riders than were passing me. I even passed 3 on one uphill section! At that point I knew all the mountains I crossed over during my GTD ride had payed off. About 10 miles before the turnaround the wind was in our face and the road was a bit rough. I was looking forward to turning back and then stopping at the half way feed zone. At the feed zone I was so hungry that I ate 2 trail mix bars, 1 cliff bar, a banana. I washed this all down with lots of Gatorade. I felt renewed so I mounted my bike to begin the last half of the ride. I felt a bit tired but I was riding consistent with the group around me. Then just before the 60 mile aide station I felt a wobble.

No, not again. I looked down and back at my rear wheel and I could see the wobble. My heart sank and I began to pray. As I approached the aide station I called out for a spoke wrench. Nobody had one. What about the mobile mechanic? I asked. Nobody knew where he was. I decided to go on. The wobble became worse over the next 10 miles. At the 70 mile aide station I asked the same questions. No wrench, no mechanic. At that point I knew I couldn't cover the next 42 miles with my wheel as it was. It was hard, but I decided to abandon the race at that point. The workers were awesome. They made sure I got food and fluids and stayed warm.

I sat there for over an hour waiting on sag vehicle. There was no phone service out there so I couldn't let Celeste know what was going on until I was in the sag vehicle and we were getting closer to town. She was relieved to hear that everything, except my rear wheel, was fine. The sag wagon took me and another racer who had to abandon the race to a vehicle that would transport us to the bike to run transition. There I was able to gather all of my stuff and return to the hotel.

The race was a disappointment, especially since I had a better race going than I did in 2006. I couldn't complain though because that was my first mechanical failure ever during a race. I had been blessed to be free of race day mechanical failure for 27 years. Not bad. Now that the race was behind us we could look forward to the week of vacation to come.

Celeste and I had a good time despite being on the run. We ate dinner with Lt. Col. Dan, Sue and Caleb Runyon, who had attended UFCCH years before we arrived.

We enjoyed some time seeing The Valley of Fire north of Las Vegas. We took time one day to see some of the different hotels and watch the fountain at the Billagio. One evening we went down to Fairmont St. for dinner and then the light show. It was a good week. Now it was time to return home for the rest of this semester and Gator football!

We have a heart for NV ! \o/

"Christianville" in HAITI Oct 29th - Nov 3rd

My long awaited return to Haiti was finally here. It had been a year since I had been there. I was heading down to a Christianville Board Meeting and then spending some time at a couple of churches and an orphanage in the mountains. Finally, I was going to preach at the La Salle church on Sunday.

This trip, this country, this mission is special to me because this is where God changed the direction of my life as a sophomore in college. I went with a group from Milligan College to work at Christianville over our Christmas break. I remember Port au Prince being hot, busy and dirty. As we got out to Christianville it was still hot but much more beautiful then the city. We had a great 10 days of work and ministry. At the time I didn't realize that it would take me 20 plus years to return.

Several years ago God opened the door for me to join the Board of Directors for Christianville. My first Board meeting was at Christianville. It was so different when I finally returned. Health clinics, elementary, high school and college kids, a guest house, a growing farm that included fish ponds.... My how things had changed.

This was my third Board meeting at Christianville. The economic situation in the states had affected Christianville as much as other missions around the world and in our own country. This was going to be a challenging meeting but a good time to be with those on site who serve there day after day after day.

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon. The duration of the trip from Port to Gressier took us toward dinner time. We finally arrived at Christianville and joined up with other Board members who had arrived earlier in the day. Our evening was spent in fellowship and sharing about issues that faced Christianville. Then it was time for bed. It's a challenge to sleep away from home, especially in third world countries. Dogs bark throughout the night and then the roosters begin crowing way before daylight.

The next morning after breakfast we began our Board Meeting. The morning was spent with some folks who were a part of the history of Christianville. They helped us understand more about the past as we were getting ready to address the future. After lunch we began hear reports from the various ministries that make up Christianville. This continued into the next morning then after lunch we had to tackle some tough issues and make some tough decisions. We went into the night so we could finish up. The two days had been long and tough but productive. We closed our meeting time with prayer.

Early Saturday several of the Board members packed up and headed home. Those of us who were staying a few more days walked to the village just beyond Christianville. Two boys took us to their home to meet their family. It was good to see where they lived and to meet their mom, dad, brothers, sisters.... After our walk about we returned to Christianville for lunch.
That afternoon we loaded up in the truck and headed up into the mountains. We visited two churches. The first church is basically an open air church. The pastor is legally blind. His assistant brought him out to meet with us. We shared for a bit and then had prayer with him. The second church is further up in the mountains. The bottom floor is complete but the second floor is still under construction. They build as they have the money to do so. One of the church leaders and his kids showed us around. We concluded our time with them in prayer as well. After the church visits we returned to Christianville for dinner. As usual, the food was delicious.
The next morning I had the opportunity to preach at the La Salle church which is right next to Christianville. After a great time of worship I shared with them from Acts 2.

That afternoon we decided to visit an orphanage up in the mountains. The way there was quite bumpy and at times we were not sure we were on the right path. Recent storms made it a bit of a challenge to navigate the landscape. We arrived at the orphanage as the light of day of dimming. We brought with us a sack of rice and a sack of beans. Amy and Doug had gotten word that the orphanage was running out of food. Everyone was excited to see us and see that we brought food along. They showed us all around the orphanage and the church. We had a great time. Now it was dark and time to return to Christianville. It was hard to believe that this was my last night at Christianville.

The next morning after breakfast we left Christianville for the airport. Our trip to the airport went well so we were there a bit early. After getting checked in we were able to go upstairs to relax and grab a bite to eat. We visited for a bit and then headed downstairs to board the plane. The flights to Miami and Jacksonville were good. The layover in Miami was long so we had plenty of time to eat dinner, drink coffee and talk more about Christianville and the challenges that face it.

My late arrival in Jacksonville meant a very late arrival in Gainesville. I was glad the drive home was uneventful and that I was able to crawl into my own bed. I slept great. No dogs barking. No roosters crowing. It was good to be home.

The plan is to return to Christianville next October to meet again. I am praying that we will see good fruit growing as a result of decisions that were made. Please keep Christianville, Haiti and the kids in your prayers.

SCOTT

Several weeks ago on a training ride I stopped to get a drink and snack at a store in Worthington Springs, FL. I picked out what I wanted to drink and then began my snack hunt. As I was looking a voice asked, "how far you riding?" I told him I was going to ride 60 miles that day.

He said to be careful and then he added, " God bless you."

"You are a Christian" I said to him. "Yes" he replied. He told me he was helping to put a roof on the church down the street but he lived in and went to church in Lake City, FL. I told him about CCH and my recent Go the Distance bike ride. He was excited. Then he shared with me some of the ministries that his church was involved in. I said "PTL!" \o/

I share this because this was a great time of spiritual refreshing in the middle of a warm, long bike ride. I was thankful for the cold drink and snack but I was more thankful for my time with Scott. "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." My conversation with Scott took me right back to the conversations I would have day after day during my GTD ride.

As I rode from the store I thanked God for Scott and prayed for his safety as he continued to put the roof on the church. I also thanked God once again for everyone he introduced to me along the way that blessed me and brought me a time of refreshing. I now want to be that time of refreshing for someone else. I hope you desire is to join me in this quest.

For the sake of the call,
bob g.

583

583 !

It's only 583 days till I begin pedaling from Cedar City, UT to Santa Barbara, CA.

The maps have been ordered and both Jeff and Nike and Jim and Bren have confirmed that they are excited I am coming. Jim has already ridden the pieces of the Western Express route and Pacific Coast route that I will be riding so he is going to be a great resource. He and Bren want to meet me somewhere along the coast and ride toward Santa Barbara or Los Angeles with me.

It is go cool that God introduced me to Jeff and Nike and Jim and Bren. You never know what will come of those meetings along the way.

This past Go the Distance Campaign was successful, but I believe that the total given for the first ride can be doubled.

Please pray that we will put together a more effective campaign for Go the Distance...Again.

Thanks and God bless you!

bob g.

Go the Distance AGAIN in 2010

GO THE DISTANCE...AGAIN

My recent Go the Distance bike ride from Flagstaff, AZ to Gainesville, FL covered most of the United States from east to west but not all. Therefore, in May 2010 I will fly to Cedar City, UT and pedal to San Francisco, CA to complete the Western Express route.

Then, after visiting friends and seeing San Francisco for a day I will ride down the Pacific Coast to Santa Barbara, CA. This is just one of the sections of the Pacific Coast route that begins in Canada and ends in San Diego. I will cover 1,158 miles in 14 days! That will give me an average of 82 miles a day. Several friends are talking about riding one of the weeks with me. I hope to have at least one person riding with me each week.

Once again I will be seeking partners for my ride. UFCCH took a huge leap of faith to purchase the current Christian Campus House and I am excited about helping to "pay down our loan" by doing something that I love to do. If you would like to partner with me for my ride per mile or with a donation let me know.

A highlight of the trip will be seeing friends I met out on the road. I met Jeff and Nike on a training ride to St. Augustine. They live in San Francisco. They took 6 months to ride the perimeter of the United States and Canada. They rode over 11 thousand miles! They said I have a place to stay when I come to San Francisco.

I met Stacy from Seattle here in Gainesville at the Millhopper Starbucks. She was riding the Southern Tier route by herself (she made it to Houston, TX then had to fly home to take care of her husband who became ill). She was an awesome resource for me as I planned my trip. We still communicate via e-mail. When she found out about my upcoming ride she immediately let me know that her parents live in San Luis Obispo, CA and they want to host me when I pass through.

I met Bren as I pedaled toward Escalante, UT. She drove past me and stopped up ahead. I stopped and we talked. She let me know her husband was pedaling behind me. A bit later after a long climb I met her husband Jim. We got to spend time together on and off the road over the next two days. Jim and Bren live in Los Angeles and want to host me before I fly home.

This is going to be an awesome journey. I can't even imagine the sights I will see and the people I will meet but I know God has some cool stuff in store for me...again.

The bike maps are in the mail. Please pray for me as I prepare for this journey, recruit sponsors and recruit riders. I will keep you posted throughout my preparations and ride.

For the sake of the call!
bob g.

AK Days 8 - 13: Reflections

Days 8 - 13 -

CAMP!

Camp has been over for awhile but I wanted to finish out with highlights from the week.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

That is what some of our staff wondered as they encountered some challenging kids. We met together the first night and talked about the different situations and we turned it over to God. It was awesome to see God work through camp and the staff to touch hearts. Kids that looked to be a challenge became a blessing. We were fortunate to have a balance. Though there were some kids that looked to be a challenge, there were many others that were excited to be there and excited about the week to come.

PROGRESS

As we gathered at the end of the first full day of camp staff frustration had turned to hope. Progress had been made throughout the day during family time, group games, hang time, worship sessions...that brought hope to the staff who had been so disheartened the night before. God was answering our prayers.

BREAKTHROUGHS

Days 2 through 4 brought about many breakthroughs in regards to relationships with kids, kids trust with the counselors, kids attitudes about camp, each other and spiritual matters. This became very evident in the Worship and Family Group times. No longer were they like pulling teeth. They were now vibrant and enjoyable. This was exciting and we know it was a direct result of lots of prayer and lots of counselor investment in the lives of the kids. We were giving praise to God for these breakthroughs!

IN CONCLUSION

The whole trip was amazing. God heard our prayers and provided us all with an amazing time at camp. Steve and Leslie poured their hearts into this week. Being local they invested so much of their time and money into the camp and we were the beneficiaries of their investments. They didn't do it so that they might be recognized for it (and I am sure they are uneasy as they read this), they did it because they have big, big hearts for kids and they desire to give them the opportunity to encounter Jesus who can rock their worlds.

THANKS

To the team that stepped out in faith to plan, prepare, pray over and lead a week of camp for kids that most of them didn't know. To Brooke and Jacob who went the extra mile to lay a firm camp foundation here so that we could build upon it there. To Steve and Leslie for all that I mentioned above and more. To God who made it all possible and did more than we ever could have imagined.

RIGHT NOW

It's September 24th and we have been home for almost two months. Some dialog has been going on between the campers and counselors, pray that God will use this dialog to keep each other focused on him daily.

THE FUTURE

Brooke, Jacob and Ben will be putting a team together to return next June, 2009. Between now and then there will be lots of prayer, communication, encouragement, advertising.... Please join me in prayer as this team comes together and prepares to impact the lives of kids again at Orton Ranch.

To God be the glory!

bob g. and team alaska