Update #41 - Oct. 15, 2003
Melbourne Beach, FL - 8,923.6 miles (14,277.8 kms.)

The ride since the last update has been okay. There haven't been any major spills or mishaps so that is very good news. I did have to finally stop at a bike shop and get some new pedals. The old ones were starting to make some noise. I can't complain since I got over 29,000 miles on them.

Since I had some extra money, I did take two days off the road (one in Daytona Beach Shores and the other in Titusville). In St. Augustine, I made a new friend through the Warm Showers (bicycle touring hospitality) List. Last Sunday, I revisited the United Methodist Church in Titusville that I worshipped at in January. I got to speak to the same Sunday school class that I spoke to before. Afterwards, I got almost $90 in a "Love Offering" from the class. During the service, the pastor introduced me and I got $20 more in "Green Handshakes".

Monday, I stopped at the Wycliffe Bible Translators headquarters in SE Orange County about 19 miles from downtown Orlando. I had read on their website that they had a volunteer program. When I got there, nobody knew that I was coming. The person who I had been communicating with wasn't there they hadn't told anybody in Personnel about me. Anyway, you had to pay your own way to volunteer there and they had no facilities for people who didn't have RV's. I was and still am hoping to find another volunteer program with a ministry that I can winter out at.

The day turned out okay. I got referred to the Pioneers. This is a ministry that trains missionaries. They own and operate a KOA campground and an a Komfort Kabin was donated for a one night stay. The guy that I talked to in the office who arranged the stay even slipped me a $20 bill in a handshake.

I am on the way south down FL A1A to Deerfield Beach (between Boca Raton and Ft. Lauderdale" to visit with the people at the "Food for the Poor" ministry. They work in the Carribean. From there, I'll probably be riding down to Miami and then maybe Florida City. This might be the year that I cross the Everglades again and then ride up the Florida Gulf Coast again.

I'll try to post an update as often as I can if there are any changes in my plans.