Dirk rode with the Eastern Team from Ohio to St. Louis, and as a first-year rider, he admits the journey wasn’t the easiest, but it definitely was fulfilling. Read his testimony below!
While I was on my way to the Steubenville, Ohio area with Kevin, my route leader, I told him that I didn’t know if I would be able to complete the entire bike ride without having to duck out periodically. He reassured me that it was possible, and if I wasn’t able to make it the whole way, I could take some time off the bike while others continued onward. I knew that I would be tested physically to my limits, because this was a physical test that I had never encountered. However, I was eager to start because this bike ride was not to see whether or not I could complete 560 miles of biking, but instead to ride for the freedom of those who do not have a voice.
Day 1: Toronto, OH to Columbus, OH
We started off the ride on a dark, dreary morning. The roads were wet. The hills were incredibly steep. You could say we woke up fast that morning. My crew was resilient through this first major challenge. The weather eventually cleared up as the afternoon approached. After we were three quarters of the way to our destination, we took a break. As we sat under a large tree, the other riders and I were fatigued. We loaded up on snacks and proceeded to get back on the saddle. Time seemed to slow down the last quarter of riding this first day, but we eventually arrived at our destination – St. Therese’s Retreat Center. The food tasted very good that evening.
Day 2: Columbus OH to Shelbyville, IN
The second day of biking, we experienced significant thunder and lightning. Multiple times throughout the day, our crew had to stop, put the bikes on the van, and drive to a safer location. This game of sorts went on until late in the afternoon. Then we arrived at St. Joseph’s, had dinner at the rectory of the parish, and went to bed. I slept very well that night. We were halfway there and in good spirits.
Day 3: Shelbyville, IN to Charleston, IL
The third day was the most difficult. The sun was out, and the humidity was high the entire day. As the day wore on, my energy level decreased down to the lowest point it had been throughout the trip. After about 130 miles of biking, I started to consider riding in the van the rest of the day. Kevin confirmed with me that if I needed to, I could get into the van. I made the decision to continue riding the rest of the way and mustered enough energy to complete a long 150-mile day.
Day 4: Charleston, IL to St. Louis, MO
On the final day, the weather shaped up to be similar to the previous one, but not quite as hot. Another challenging moment arose in the late morning. The interface between my body and the bike was getting chafed to the extreme, and I started to have trouble breathing. Thankfully, Kevin gave me some petroleum jelly, and that took care of the problem. The last half of the day was the best part. I was filled with relief when we crossed the Mississippi River from Illinois into St. Louis, Missouri. In just a short period of time, the support crew and riders from the other two routes joined my eastern route group. The best part of the ride was hands down the ride into the Celebration of Life event where about 30 supporters of Biking for Babies met approximately 20 riders. The roller coaster ride had ended, but I was inspired to commit to riding again in 2018.
Watch recaps of each day of Dirk’s journey on Biking for Babies’ YouTube channel.
Dirk is a first-year rider from Rockford, Minnesota, west of the suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul. At SEEK17 where we met Dirk, he rode (and owned) our Great Bike Challenge. He says, “I was invited to come on the trip and said yes because I desire to stand up and fight for the gift of life and for the lives of those most vulnerable.”
