Cycling coast to coast was not exactly on Jack Hamel’s to-do list, but life often has a way of steering you towards the right path.
In Jack’s case, it was a bike path! When a friend, Curtis Johnson, asked him if he’d like to ride his bicycle across the country, it sounded like exactly the physical and mental challenge he needed.
A journey from the Pacific Northwest of Washington State to the Atlantic Ocean in Portland, Maine became their itinerary, and faith – as always – became their guide.
“Being a new Christian, it wasn’t until later that I realized it would also be a test of my faith,” shares Jack. “Later, I established why I wanted to take the trip – I wanted to show others how to lean on God and use His word to get through tough times. I created an Instagram following my journey with confessionals and scenic shots (follow @Learning_with_God for more).
Not always an avid cyclist, Jack shares that he only rode between 500 to 1,000 miles while training.
“I was picked up last August 15th at 3:00 a.m., loaded my bicycle and gear in the back of a rented truck and we headed toward Anacortes, Washington,” Jack explains. “It was a 41-hour drive, and we arrived in under 48 hours! The following day we turned the truck in and rode our bikes to the starting line. We finished the ride 42 days later in Portland, 30 miles from the town we both grew up in – Waterboro, Maine. The total trip was 3,607 miles – while climbing more than 123,000 feet of elevation – yet we only took one day off during the trip – and that was in Iowa. The entire ride lasted from August 17th until September 27th of this year.”
While dealing with chafing, seat pains and four flat tires each, Jack also developed tendonitis in his Achilles tendon.
“There was knee pain, plus two straight weeks of headwinds in the midwest, I had a breakup with my girlfriend back home and we rode through a record-setting rainfall in Albany, New York,” Jack explains. “The last two weeks, we were riding sun up to past sun down to make up for a slower pace through the mountains and headwinds. Pedaling an average of 10 to 12 hours a day left us in such discomfort, and we were constantly shifting positions to get comfortable! Balancing that with fatigue, I often found myself praying – asking for strength, perseverance and discipline.”
While the views and terrain were incredible throughout the trip, Jack shares that his favorite part of the adventure was all the people they met and spoke with along the way.
“Taking a trip like this with little preparation was a huge leap of faith, and I had to trust God would keep me safe from cars, wildlife and physical injury,” he adds. “His strength got me through the toughest thing I have ever done – and I owe Him extreme gratitude!”
Jack dedicated his amazing ride to raising awareness and support for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and he is proud to be able to help them grow!
“FCA teaches strong values and creates leaders within the community,” he explains. “I met Jeramy Smith through my church, and he is the missionary behind LKN FCA creating such a large impact in the community.”
To learn more about FCA and Jack’s mission, visit lakenormanfca.org/acrossamericaforfca. Every dollar given supports FCA’s mission to transform lives on campuses and in locker rooms across the nation.
