Update #42 - November 13th, 2002
Pine Bluff, AR - 7,456 miles

I'm almost across Arkansas. Arkansas is my twenty-eighth state (not including the District of Columbia) cycled in this year. I've made thirty-two crossings between states this year. I have about two day's of riding here in Arkansas before I cross into Lousiana for the fifth time this year.

I am currently heading towards New Iberia, LA to check out the recovery effort after last month's flooding, Hurricane Lili,and Tropical Storm Isadore. I will possibly be there either next Wednesday or Thursday. I have quite a few minister friends in the affected area.

The past two weeks since leaving Niantic, IN have been okay. I've got to meet some nice people and have had some nice contacts with ministers in Missouri. This hasn't been the case here in Arkansas. For the most part, the ministers have been uncaring and downright rude towards me. In Missouri, I spent most of the cold nights heading south along the Mississippi River inside in donated motel rooms.

Here in Arkansas, I have had some struggle in trying to connect with a minister. I did have a couple of donated motel rooms in Wynne and Forrest City, Arkansas. I spent the night in the youth center of the United Methodist church in Blytheville and last night in the fellowship hall of the the United Pentecostal church in Redfield. Because of the indifference with ministers, I had to spend one hard night at the Salvation Army Shelter in Jonesboro. I got very little sleep there and was awoken at 4:30 a.m. Because I had some extra money on hand (especially coming from a great "Green Handshake" from a gentleman at the Graham Presbyterian Church in Forrest City (He slipped me a one hundred dollar bill), I was able to get a room at low-cost motels in Brinkley and North Little Rock. I'm learning that it is best to avoid any church that has the word "First" in it's title.

The weather has gone from one extreme to the next. For the most part, the temperature has been in the fourties and fifties. Over last weekend, the temperature got close to eighty. For three days, I did have to struggle against either crosswinds or headwinds that had gusts up to twenty-five miles per hour. The best part about those days was that I was riding through fairly flat terraign.

As I've always stated maybe when I can take some time off the road in the future, I might be able to write or start to write that book that everybody wants me to write. We'll have to see. It's up to ADONAI now. As I have always said, each day and mile cycled will be with ADONAI's and Y'SHUA's comfort, help, and guidance.