What is Fuller Center for Housing, Educating Tanzania Foundation, and where is the Ride?

Capitola, California Day T - 8 (begins May 23)

Daily (mi) 0 Cum (mi) 0 Daily Ascent 0feet Cum Ascent 0 feet

Daily time 0hours Cum Time 0hours

Educating Tanzania Foundation is a family foundation, all volunteer educating children in the Arusha, Tanzania area. In our 11th year, we support 62 children ages 5-15 who are attending 7 schools with fully boarded annual tuition in an English speaking curriculum. English enables the children to work in the Tourism industry (supporting visitors to Safari and Kiliminjaro climbs), government and teaching professions and with University (which is government assisted) professions like Medicine, Finance, and other Business opportunities. Without English, students living in orphanages are turned out at the age of 12 and children who do live with family join them in entering a work environment with 60% unemployment and average wages of 1$ per day. !00% of your donations go to the children, as the foundation pays all the overhead, from activities like this ride! We “Break the Bonds of Poverty- One child at a time”, with your help.

The Fuller Center for Housing is the host for our trip. This faith-based organization supports community groups all over the world primarily with financing to future home recipients, interest free at repayment rates that can be managed by the recipients, who also work to build or renovate a new home. As a revenue generator, the organization “Fuller Center Bike Adventures.org” sponsors many cycling trips through the year, and allow riders to participate weekly in a house build. All religions are welcome, and Fuller Center is christian faith-based. Fuller Center have organized churches for sleeping accomadations, and I expect that one highlight will be the “community of strangers” who will welcome and sometimes feed us!

The journey Im beginning begins in Seattle Washington on May 23 and concludes in Washington D.C. on August 4, 73 days later! The map below shows the route. 4000+ miles, 13 States, 73 days and 50000 feet of climbing.

Gonna be quite an experience!!! Thanks for coming along with me!

'Kross Kountry for Kidz -- Preparation

My favorite fortune cookie from 40 years ago — “Don’t be so afraid to succeed that you are afraid to prepare” 60 x 75 mile days…..Hmmm How do you prepare for such a challenge? Having attempted lots of “endurance” contests, I felt very confident “planning” the preparation, but as always, its the “execution” that is the challenge!! I’m reminded of the old saying “The mind is willing but the body is weak".” (ironically as I start this adventure with a “bunch of Christians”, I believe this was coined about Jesus’ abandonment in the middle of the night in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before his capture at the hands of Judas.)

I begin the journey in 2019 with one company going bankrupt 60 days before leaving. The following year, COVID-19 stalled the effort. 2021 I trained with the intent to ride, and decided at the last that the time away and exorbitant expense was more than I was willing to invest! The end result is I had developed a very good aerobic base, so after being gone most of January, 2024 in Tanzania, and some of February (vacation in Spain) I was ready to begin to build miles, time in the saddle, and climbing!!! ugh…

Over March to May I accumulated 2750 miles and over 250 hours of bicycling — largely indoors using the cycling social platform called Zwift. Riding indoors allowed me to train on most days, with Augie as my coach, working my way up to 300 miles and 20 hours over a week. (last week—10 days out)

Never before have I started a race or event fully trained. Only once did I have my weight own to 215 pounds from my norman 245 pounds. Yes, I feel completely ready but doubts like “How will I do in the rain?” “How cold will it be early in the ride?” “How hot will it be going across the midwest in July?” “Can i really do 100 mile days when needed?” All will have to be answered later!!!

Then there is the equipment side of things….. While i have a wonderful Bicycle to ride (AKA “Ruby” a Specialized Roubaix) I have a habit of making a real “science project” in determining every possible piece of required gear that will still fit in tunder the 40 pound allotment. Warm clothes, cool clothes, Eyewear (with integrated rear mirrors), air pad for sleeping on the floor and the associated clothing and supplies to get through 72 days and 4000 miles in whatever weather is thrown my way. A fun exercise!

Train ticket purchased, “home maintenance” notes for Annie completed, and my bottom “conditioned” properly (to survive the “sitzbone” pain everyone experiences) is finally behind me and here I am ready to roll!

So, yes I’m fully prepared, and have given myself the greatest possible chance to succeed! Let’s do this!!!

'Kross the Kountry for the Kids

Welcome to my blog for the cycling trip from Seattle Washington to Washington, D.C. I am riding for the 62 children, 3 pre-schools, and one orphanage that Educating Tanzania Foundation (ETF) support through the generosity of many of you!

We are all volunteer and ensure that every dollar donated for child sponsorship goes directly to children and families in Arusha, Tanzania (at the foot of Mount Meru and Mount Kiliminjaro). Circumstances result in an epidemic of homeless or impoverished children who, without English speaking are destined to work for a dollar a day from the time they are 12. Most are turned out to fend for themselves at 12 when government schools and limited assistance end.

Our 11 year story can be found on this site. Please donate to this cause if you choose. This blog will detail for you a great adventure! I have wanted to attempt to ride across the country since I was dreaming of adventure and discovery as a 16 years old. Beginning 21 May through August 4 I will realize my dream. I am prepared, yet scared.

The organization Fuller Center for Housing will host the ride AND in addition to sleeping in a network of churches across 72 Days and 13 states, we also will work on house builds for needy families! What a bonus. This blog will hopefully contain pithy stories and pictures of the people and sites we see. I expect to have some stories of pain, some stories of the kindness of strangers, and many stories about the musings a person might experience over 4000 miles! I will be sure to include pictures and videos as appropriate. Any feedback, questions, or suggestions are welcome.

Thank you for coming along with me!