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First Mission Accomplished:
Increasing Colon Cancer Awareness

Exactly 3,282 miles solo bicycle ride completed between Los Angeles, CA and St Augustine, FL. Over the last two months so many people have positively impacted this journey, from Henry the Walmart truck driver providing water on an Arizona mountain pass to ultra-marathon runner Annette who inspired me with encouraging words in a Florida hotel lobby.

This journey to deliver Donna's message about colon cancer has been life changing. While I have been blessed with the physical stamina to peddle for months, Donna has been powering through treatments every other week. With help from the team at Colon Cancer Coalition, we've been able to share her inspiring message of faith, determination and unending optimism. Her strength and determination are pillars of how powerful positive thinking and optimism can be.

A special thank you to my friends at Colon Cancer Coalition. Stacy, Tessa, Maggie and their team did such a phenomenal helping to motivate and encourage me daily. I'm not sure they realized what they would be getting into by signing up for a two-plus month project with me. They never complained, even when getting those late-night texts and photos from the west coast. I am so thankful for their commitment to their passion. Please continue to support coloncancercoalition.org in their fight against cancer.

During the ride a dear friend sent me an inspirational message that was so appropriate for this journey. "You can choose to focus on each awful, imperfect experience. You can assume the worst possible outcome and expect people to fail you.

Or you can allow yourself to be in awe of what is right, beautiful, sacred and profound. You can choose to focus on what makes you feel aligned with the extraordinary life you hope for. You can expect people to surprise and delight you in the best possible ways.
What you focus on is what will become your truth. Choose wisely."

This remarkable journey is just the first step for Positive Pedals. The team is currently putting together other projects, not all cycling-centered, we hope will continue to inspire and encourage eternal optimism and faith in the goodness that surrounds us. In the meantime, I plan to present many of the inspiring lessons and messages learned over the last 70 days. Photos, blogs, and video vignettes will begin appearing shortly on this site. Also, please email ideas on inspiring messages you'd like to see highlighted.

Most importantly, thank you for the support and love so many of you have given me throughout this country. A wildly dressed stranger on a bicycle loaded with all sorts of gear peddled into your lives and you were so receptive. It was that inspiring generosity from you that sustained this drive. Thank you.

Colon Cancer Information

Cancer Coalition

donate link

CONTACT ME

Big Finish!!

What a rush! What a moment! What a feeling! We made it Donna! The last few miles across the Intercostal Waterway and into St Augustine Beach, Florida.

Best sign of the home stretch, the Alabama coast.

Huge props to WDIV reporter Victor Williams for setting this story in motion at his old station with Natalie Campen, WLOX, Biloxi Mississippi.

Link to Blogs

First month highlight video.

The immensity of west Texas is impressive, but mind-numbing when faced with an unrelenting headwind. Such incredible beauty.

2,000 miles in and looking forward to some Cajun, real soon.

Secluded hedge near McGregor TX works perfectly as long as you carry your bike through the briar patch.

Cornelius Brown lived in West Michigan for over 5 decades working in a veterans cemetery. He vividly remembers the trip when his dad loaded all eight family members into the car for the move up north.

Undeniably the best remote camping site so far -- wilderness camp inside Petrified National Forest. Even with roving coyotes, well worth the mile hike with all the gear.

The People Make the Ride

There's some amazing history behind this boutique hotel in French Quarter. Looking forward to putting that blog in motion soon.

Waking me up faster than straight black coffee, Texas morning ride, temp 9 degrees and solid wind out of the north

Always good to feel the love.

Early morning is such a peaceful time in French Quarter.

Put these two together and its obvious why this coffee stand, outside of Christmas Day and the occasional hurricane, has been open since 1862.

Picked up a little friend while talking with my bike shop today. Probably not seeing these at home in Michigan today?

Restoration work continues inside St Louis Cathedral, founded in 1720, the oldest cathedral in North America.

Bourbon Street looking as great as ever. Need a vax card or negative test papers to get into packed restaurants or clubs.

WJR Newstalk 760 Detroit radio interview on Mitch Albom show.

Perfect Texas riding.

After several weeks of frigid riding conditions, it's great to be in southern Texas.

They say this is the coldest it's been in a decade. No complaining here when it's single digits at home in Michigan.

Finally, saltwater. Cruising along the Gulf Coast is purely inspirational.

Crossing Florida's Apalachicola River and back in the home time zone

Mileage Log

Day 1: LA Union Station to Pasadena. 60 miles

Day 2: Fontana CA
48 miles - 108 total

Day 3: Hesperia CA
47 miles - 155 total

Day 4: Joshua Natl Park
64 miles - 219 total

Day 5: Joshua Natl Park
50 miles - 269 total

Day 6: Parker AZ
87 miles - 356 total

Day 7: Salome AZ
56 miles - 412 total

Day 8: Tonto Natl Forest
28 miles - 440 total

Day 9: Tonto Natl Forest
25 miles - 461 total

Day 10: Payson AZ
21 miles - 487 miles

Day 11: Heber AZ
53 miles - 540 miles

Day 12: Holbrook AZ
46 miles - 586 miles

Day 13: Petrified Natl Forest
25 miles - 611 miles

Day 14: Petrified Natl Forest
26 miles - 637 miles

Day 15: Gallup NM
67 miles - 724 miles

Day 16: Acoma Pueblo NM
88 miles - 812 miles

Day 17: Albuquerque NM
61 miles - 873 miles

Day 18: Albuquerque NM
15 miles - 888 miles (repairs)

Day 19: Cedar Crest NM
24 miles - 912 miles

Day 20: Santa Fe NM
60 miles - 972 miles

Day 21: Santa Rosa NM
110 miles - 1,082 miles

Day 22: Tucumcari NM
63 miles - 1,145 miles

Day 23: Grady NM
48 miles - 1,193 miles

Day 24: Dimmitt TX
81 miles - 1,294 miles

Day 25: Floydada TX
73 miles - 1,347 miles

Day 26: Crosbyton TX
39 miles - 1,386 miles

Day 27: Lubbock TX
46 miles - 1,432 miles

Day 28: Lubbock TX (repairs)
13 miles - 1,445 miles

Day 29 - Crosbyton TX
48 miles - 1,493 miles

Day 30 - Rt 82 TX
76 miles - 1,569 miles

Day 31 - Seymour TX
46 miles - 1,615 miles

Day 32 - Jacksboro TX
52 miles - 1,667 miles

Day 33 - Decatur TX
40 miles - 1,707 miles

Day 34 - McKinney TX
54 miles - 1,761 miles

Day 35 - Richardson TX
26 miles - 1,787 miles

Day 36 - Ennis TX
56 miles - 1,843 miles

Day 37 - McGregor TX
68 miles - 1,911 miles

Day 38 - Madisonville TX
66 miles - 1,977 miles

Day 39 - Coldspring TX
71 miles - 2,048 miles

Day 40 - Silsbee TX
73 miles - 2,121 miles

Day 41 - Starks La
66 miles - 2,187 miles

Day 42 - Eunice La
74 miles - 2,261 miles

Day 43 - Baton Rouge La
91 miles - 2,352 miles

Day 44 - Norco La
76 miles - 2,428 miles

Day 45 - New Orleans La
40 miles - 2,468 miles

Day 46 - Chalmette
37 miles - 2,505

Day 47 - Gulfport MS
93/2,598

Day 48 - Tillmans Corner AL
68/2,666

Day 49 - Theodore AL
25/2,691

Day 50 - Gulf Shores AL
45/2,736

Day 51 - Pensacola FL
48/2,784

Day 52 - Freeport FL
85/2,869

Day 53 - Youngstown FL
55/2,924

Day 54 - Tallahassee FL 69/2,993

Day 55 - Lamont FL
39/ 3,032

Day 56 - Cross City FL
80/3,112

Day 57 - Ocala FL
72/3,184

Day 58 - Palatka FL
65/3,249

Day 59 - St Augustine FL
33/3,282

Learn About This Mission

Always looking at the bright side of life and blessing others with her enthusiasm and the upside of life. Endure treatment weeks just to relish next week's opportunities.

Avid cyclist and passionate storyteller, sharing stories on local newscasts in Detroit. Amazed to be blessed by the generosity and love from so many.