wfn.org | Father, son bring end to 10,000-mile cycling trip

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Oct. 17, 2002	     News media contact: Linda Bloom7(212) 870-38037New York
10-21-71B{476}

By United Methodist News Service

As their 10,000-mile journey neared its end, it wasn't the steep grades of
the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and Kentucky or the 115-degree
temperatures in Nevada that Dirk and Bill Van Gorp were thinking about, but
the people with whom they shared a meal, a campfire or a church pew along
the way.

The United Methodist father-son duo - Dirk is 48 and Bill is 20 - began
their cross-country biking expedition April 21 as a way to educate people
about the church's mission and raise money for projects. Their tires will
stop rolling Oct. 19, when they arrive at Adirondack Community Church, their
home congregation in Lake Placid, N.Y.

"For both of us, the real highlight of the trip is represented by the
fantastic and diverse people we have been privileged to meet and spend time
with across the U.S.A. - people both within the UMC families and communities
we have visited, as well as just folks we encounter across lunch counters,
in campsites or (during) other day-to-day activities," they wrote in an
e-mail message to United Methodist News Service during their last week on
the road.

The westbound route included parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California. On the
way back, they headed north to Oregon and Washington before cycling through
Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Vermont and upstate New York.

With their laptop computer, digital camera and two cell phones, the Van
Gorps were able to take their supporters and anyone else interested in
"Mission Bike 10,000" along for the ride. Weekly updates were dispatched to
an e-mail list, and United Methodist Communications provided coverage at
www.umc.org.

On Day 2 (April 22), for example, "We woke up to a spring snowstorm outside
of Tupper Lake, N.Y., on NY Route 30," which made cycling difficult. But
they managed to arrive on time for dinner the next evening at Fremont Street
United Methodist Church in Gloversville, where 40 people turned up for a
potluck supper. The Rev. Wayne and Elaine Jones "provided excellent
overnight hospitality in their home," and the church members donated $450
toward mission projects.

That location was the only one the Van Gorps cycled through twice. They
returned Oct. 11 for a second fellowship dinner at Fremont church, but this
time with nearly 9,600 miles under their belts.

For Dirk, the first few weeks of the ride were the most physically
challenging, as he gradually got into better condition. "After these weeks,
the physical effort became more or less just another part of each day," he
wrote. However, he noted that there were exceptions, such as the steep
grades of the Appalachian Mountains, the heat and wind across western
Kansas, and arid mountains and high temperatures of Nevada.

But the ride itself was not the point of the trip. The Van Gorps wanted to
talk with other United Methodists about being called into mission by Christ.
They focused attention on housing for the poor, the banning and removal of
landmines, the worldwide suffering caused by HIV/AIDS, concern for the
environment and ministry with youth.

To achieve that goal, father and son set a schedule that included a church
visit whenever possible at the end of each day's journey. In many cases, the
congregation welcomed them with open arms. 

On Day 25 (May 15), for example, the Van Gorps arrived at the Berea (Ky.)
United Methodist Church with a broken spoke on Dirk's rear wheel. The
pastor, the Rev. Darren Brandon, immediately drove them to a bike shop an
hour away in Lexington to have the wheel repaired. Later, they enjoyed a
home-cooked dinner with church members during the regular Wednesday evening
program and were able to speak about mission programs and human needs.

Day 55 (June 14) brought fellowship with the small congregation in
Westcliffe, Colo., which managed to raise $400 for mission through an
offering and the auctioning of homemade desserts. Day 93 (July 22) was the
halfway point of the trip, at 5,000 miles, followed by visits the next week
to congregations in Tillamook and Astoria, Ore. Day 134 (Sept. 1) began with
a ride across the North Dakota prairie and ended in dinner and discussion
with the Rev. Bill Bates and his congregation in Minot.

On Day 175 (Oct. 12), the Rev. Bob Long of Eastern Parkway United Methodist
Church in Schenectady, N.Y., joined them on the ride from Gloversville east
to Schenectady. "Bob is a life-long cyclist who has raised money for
missions through his cycling journeys for many years," Dirk reported.

The Van Gorps were impressed by the hospitality they received through the
denomination's connectional system. "We found amazing differences at the
grass-roots level of our church and society," they added. "Many folks and
churches have a sincere interest and concern for human needs in our global
society - some actively involved in local, regional and global mission
outreach, while many others are still seeking ways to change and minister to
the needs surrounding them."

By talking about their own personal experiences with mission - Dirk served
as head of mission in Bosnia for the United Methodist Committee on Relief,
and Bill worked with teams there assisting refugees and others affected by
the war - the Van Gorps tried to put a human face on different types of
need.

Although they only have raised about $20,000 of a $100,000 goal for mission
projects, "we do believe that our efforts and journey will result in a
renewed or expanded commitment by many UMC folks across the U.S.A. to
support the effective and important mission programs of our church."

Once their cycling journey has ended, the Van Gorps hope to continue
collecting donations for mission projects for at least several months. More
information about Mission Bike 10,000 is available at www.umc.org or at
www.adkcomchurch.org, the Adirondack Community Church Web site.   

# # #

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org