Excerpted from the forward of the book, Pedaling on Purpose
“As Willie and I wound up our conversation for the night, she reminded me that we had an ‘obligation’ to write a book someday about our exploits on the road. She had seen my little tape recorder and heard some of our stories.
‘It sounds as if you have inspired a few people already on this trip. But if you write a book about what happened out here and even one person reads your story and decides to pursue their dreams, or take their own adventure for a cause or even seek the Lord because they were inspired by your exploits, they could change the world. Always remember that you now have an obligation. And also know that I want to read it when it comes out.’
She smiled and hugged me goodnight.” - Excerpt from Pedaling on Purpose, page 199
Steve and I bicycled into Roselawn, Indiana on Tuesday evening, November 2, 1982 and later that same night at the home of our hosts, Pastor John and his wife Willie, I dictated the above words into my audiotape recorder. I heard them for the very first time in December2006, over 24 years later!
Ouch. I cringed back in December and the words today still cut my heart to shreds.
The reason that Willie’s insightful, encouraging and forgotten words hurt me so much is because I knew 24 years ago after we bicycled back into Minnesota that we had “lived a good book” and that we would share our thoughts and our experiences. Steve and I both intended to write a book that entertained and hopefully inspired others to consider pursuing their own dreams and adventures. In fact we each started writing 10 pages a week for months, keeping each other accountable and moving forward deciphering our scribbled journals from the road. Then one day, a few weeks before Christmas 1984, Steve suggested that we take a writing break. I readily agreed. The holidays were such a hectic and demanding time that it just made sense to both of us.
For the next 22 years neither one of us wrote another word.
Our scribbled journals, handwritten partial first drafts, trip logs, audiocassette logs, radio transcripts, trip memorabilia and letters sent to us on the road all gathered more and more dust. In fairness to us, we did put together a 45-minute slide show that we have given many, many times over the years. But “the book” seemed like such a monumental task and an overwhelming project that we gave up on it. We both moved on to other careers, other projects and even other adventures. I thought about the book a lot and even had an assistant at work put some of my handwritten pages into a clean word-processed document back in 1994. But I never wrote or added another single word. As the years turned into decades, the weight of this unfinished project never, ever ceased to lighten.
“Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.”
~William James
Inspired by an incredibly positive response to a Pedaling on Purpose multi-media presentation that I gave to Mesabi Junior College in northern Minnesota in August of 2006, I finally realized that I had to immediately finish this book. On May 11, 2007 I was able to tearfully type the words, “The End.”
This is a timeless story and one that has never been fully told. All the behind-the-scenes drama and the experiences of almost seven months pedaling across America could never be shared in any compelling detail with a mere 45 minutes of slides.
So consider purchasing this very unique book. It is the story of two very regular guys about 30 years old who one day realized that they were leading lives that were a little too comfortable and not achieving what I like to call “significance.” Over a casual conversation the seeds of a dream were born. What then ensue are the historic origins and first five wishes of Make-A-Wish of Minnesota and a journey of faith, courage, drama, humor and the adventure and friendship of a lifetime.
Finally, if you are inspired to take action on any of your dreams, adventures or goals do it sooner than later. I’ve often said that as great as it is to learn from your own mistakes, life is too short. It is much more efficient to learn from others’ mistakes. It took me 25 years to finish this book. Now that it is written and before the first copy is sold, I guarantee you that this is the best gift that I could have ever given myself. My world now has clarity, joy, unbridled excitement at the possibilities, ideas for another 20 books and that huge weight of an orangutan or gorilla or better yet, King Kong has been lifted. It’s as if my best stuff inside of me stayed stuck until I finished this and so now, look out world!
