Have Birthday, Will Travel – By Ivan Cunningham

Today was another nice, easy, 81-mile day. It was only 94 degrees which was a much welcome break from yesterday’s ridiculous 104-plus degree. Sadly, this was Jonny’s last ride with us, as he will be leaving us when we depart from the Virginia Beach, Va. area. On a happier note, I got to celebrate my 28th birthday on my bicycle with my fellow riders.

The ride itself was fairly uneventful, except for Brett getting a couple flat tires: his seventh for the trip happening on VA-5 and his eighth just five miles away from Providence Mennonite Church, here in Newport News, where we’ll be staying for the next couple days.

We passed over quite a few nice bridges and had a good bike path for most of our time along VA-5. It was downhill or flat for most of the way since we’re so close the the ocean; once we hit the last 20-mile stretch we started getting intermittent gusts of cool ocean breeze, which were refreshing even though they were blowing from the wrong direction. Kyle got slightly dehydrated on yesterday’s ride, so, just to be safe (and to give Kelli some company), we made him ride in the support van and hydrate all day.

After arriving safely at the church and unloading the trailer, most of us ended up passing out for the next few hours. Since it’d been a long day (despite the break in the heat) and because we’re running low on groceries, we opted to eat at a Korean restaurant that we’d passed on the way in, just a mile and change from the church. We celebrated Jonny’s last ride, and my birthday, and had some delicious Korean food, including a complimentary birthday fruit plate. 😀

Did I mention that it’s my birthday today? I know, I know–you’re all wondering what to get me, right? I’ll make it easy, so nobody has to make a big fuss or worry about getting me something I already have: a $200,000 donation to the Fuller Center Bike Adventure (dedicated to me, of course). 

Seriously though, everybody has a spare $5, $10 or $20 lying around somewhere, and if everybody contributes and gets everybody they know to pitch in, we can reach our $250,000 goal in no time (and you don’t have to dedicate your donation to me, though I’m still working on meeting my personal goal, which will go towards sponsoring a new home in Haiti and the Fuller Center of Greater Kansas City). Your donation, whatever the amount, will make a serious impact on our mission to eliminate poverty housing.

Help Ivan meet his $5,000 fundraising goal!