A Solution and Gift from Alltel

Today was one of those “deep breath out, smile on the face, ducks are lining up” kind of day.

We’ve been perplexing over how we will go about updating this blog everyday while we are on the trip, away from the comfort of personal computers and already established internet connections. A lot of ideas have been tossed out but Jamie was the answer man!

Jamie Weber, from Strictly Wireless, www.strictlywirelessonline.com, graciously set us up. He not only literally set us up on Tom’s laptop but he also informed us that Alltel will be picking up our connection expenses. Alltel rocks!

A big thank you to Jamie, Strictly Wireless, and Alltel.

About the Route and Daily Mileage

Day One, July 10 – Sunshine to Lake Diane = 66
Day Two, July 11 – Lake Diane to Centreville, MI = 65
Day Three, July 12 – Centreville to Hastings = 66
Day Four, July 13 – Hastings to Lincoln Pines Resort (Trufant) = 56
Day Five, July 14 – Trufant to Big Rapids (camping?) = 55
Day Six, July 15 – Big Rapids to Kestlewoods Campground or Coolwater Campgrounds (Pine River) = 63
First Week’s total mileage = 367

Day Seven, July 16 – Rest Day
Day Eight, July 17 – Pine River to Jerome Campground (Williamsburg) = 67
Day Nine, July 18 – Williamsburg to Young State Park (Boyne City) = 69
Day Ten, July 19 – Boyne City to Wilderness State Park (Mackinaw City) = 71
Day Eleven, July 20 – Mackinaw City to Naubinway Mennonite Church (?) = 57
Day Twelve, July 21 – Naubinway to Cedar Grove Mennonite Church (Manistique) = 57
Day Thirteen, July 22 – Manistique to Escanaba =62
Second Week’s total mileage = 383
Total to date = 750

Day Fourteen, July 23 – Rest Day
Day Fifteen, July 24 – Escanaba to Copper Culture Mound State Park (Oconto WI) = 78
Day Sixteen, July 25 – Oconto to Oneida (camping?) = 65
Day Seventeen, July 26 – Oneida to Old Wade House State Park (Greenbush) = 71
Day Eighteen, July 27 – Greenbush to Pike Lake State Park (Singer) = 50
Day Nineteen, July 28 – Singer to Big Foot Beach State Park (Lake Geneva) = 64
Day Twenty, July 29 – Lake Geneva to Maywood IL (Richard & Suzanne Kauffman’s) = 74
Third week’s total mileage = 402
Total to date = 1152

Day Twenty One, July 30 – Rest Day
Day Twenty Two, July 31 – Maywood to Lansing = 40 (Drive to Candy Stripe Campground @ Lake Eliza IN)
Day Twenty Three, Aug. 1 – Lake Eliza to Rupert’s Resort Campground (Bremen) = 60
Day Twenty Four, Aug. 2 – Bremen to Gordon’s Campground (Woodruff) = 70
Day Twenty Five, Aug. 3 – Woodruff to Sauder Village Campground (Archbold OH) = 66
Day Twenty Six, Aug. 4 – Archbold to Sunshine (Maumee) = 35
Fourth week’s total mileage = 211
Total mileage for trip = 1363

About the Tour

Tom Kauffman has been the Ohio Conference Minister of the Mennonite Church USA since 1998. In this assignment he supervises conference staff, gives oversight to the work of the regional pastors, represents the conference at the denominational level and works in tandem with the regional pastors in providing some direct services to congregations and pastors. Tom is married to Amy Gerber Kauffman and is the father of four adult children. He is an avid bicyclist who lives in south Toledo.

Joe Kruzel is a 25-year veteran of the Toledo Fire Department who retired in 1999. Shortly after his retirement, Joe suffered a debilitating stroke. He has spent the last several years re-learning to walk, talk and perform tasks of daily living. Joe and his wife, Karen, are active members of Toledo Mennonite Church, where they provide leadership to the church’s after school program. Karen will drive the support vehicle for Joe and Tom.

Because of Joe’s level of disability, he will not be able to ride all 1400 miles with Tom. Tom will be joined by a rotating series of cycling partners during the trip to give Joe opportunity to rest.

The Partners
The Trinity Bike Tour is a fundraiser for Sunshine Inc. of Northwest Ohio and Mennonite Central Committee. Sunshine provides residential and support services to people with disabilities and their families in Northwest Ohio. Mennonite Central Committee is the worldwide relief and development arm of the Mennonite Church, serving people in 57 countries.

The two charities have been fundraising partners in Northwestern Ohio for the last five years, co-sponsoring the annual Black Swamp Benefit Bazaar each June at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio. All donations for the Trinity Bike Tour will go to Black Swamp Benefit, Inc., a 501(c)3 charity, and will be split evenly between Sunshine and MCC.

How You Can Help
We welcome pledges to the 2006 Trinity Bike Tour. Checks can be made out to "Black Swamp Benefit Inc." and mailed to Bob Aschliman, Treasurer, P.O. Box 183, Archbold, Ohio, 43502. All donations are tax deductible. Every dollar donated will go directly to the charities. Expenses for the bike tour are being covered by a grant Tom Kauffman received to fund his sabbatical experience. The recumbent bicycle was purchased by Sunshine and will be used by people with disabilities after the tour.