NY to Maine Bike Trip, July 2007

This is what took place for a group of dedicated youth and staff from His Place Teen Center during the week of July 20-28. We transported 19 of us, 7 boys: Anthony G., age 16, Devon G., age 15, William M., age 17, Johnathan P., age 16, Aaron S., age 18, Caleb S., age 11, and Luke W., age 18, 6 girls: Michelle C., age 14, Kim D., age 16, Jesse, H., age 18, Donna M., age 17, Cherith R., age 16, and Alexandra S., age 15., 4 adult staff, our fearless leader: Artie Hladik, staff member and route planner, Brad Saunders, chaperone Ron Hopping, and last but not least our treasurer and founding board member, Howard Munday, with truck and van. We transported all the bikes, gear, etc. with our truck hauling a trailer with all the bikes, and our big van hauling the youth to Lake George NY. This trip was in the talking stages for a couple of years as we did a trip to Schroon Lake NY and joined up with Word of Life back in 1998. The big difference with this trip compared to all the trips we have done since 1995 was that we transported everything to our destination and biked back (approximately 250 miles), to His Place Teen Center. We ended the trip back at His Place Teen Center with a big Texas barbecue and welcome home party on Sat. July 28th prepared by our ever faithful cook and staff member Russell Pike and volunteers. This was open to all the staff, management team, youth, parents and friends at His Place Teen Center. We had over 50 people in attendance.

The other big difference was that one of our dedicated staff members, Ron Blake, and Executive Directors, Bert and Fran Rugg, traveled on their Goldwing motorcycles hauling trailers following the caravan to Lake George NY. Ron and Bert used their motorcycles as a way to help transport gear for the youth that didn’t feel they could carry theirs on their bikes during the trip as we have done in past years. Ron and Bert went ahead of the bikers and did the grocery shopping and prepared the meals before they got to their destination each night along the route. This was a new dynamic but after having personally done over 2,500 miles on these bike trips through the years it was a way Bert, could still be with them and take part in the bike trip. Ron Blake took time off from his work to join us and did I mention he was a great cook in his own right. The other thing about this trip there were 3 good mountain ranges the bikers traveled over between Lake George NY and Oxford, Maine. They biked over mountains in NY, Kilington in VT. and the very popular and scenic Kangamangus Highway from Lincoln NH to Conway NH.

The bike trip began on Monday July 23 from a church we stayed at while in Lake George, NY after we enjoyed a day of fun at the theme park and all the people that helped get us out there went back home. The trip consisted of stops at Rutland VT on Monday night, July 23, Quechee VT on Tuesday night, Rumney NH, on Wed. night, Lincoln NH on Thurs., and in Conway NH on Friday night.

Some of the highlights of the trip were on route about 3:00 PM and 100 miles from home, just 25 miles from Lebanon NH we lost the clutch in Bert’s truck hauling the trailer with bikes. We left the truck at the Route 104 Auto Repair, Ron, Bert and Fran on their Goldwings went ahead to rent a small vehicle at the Lebanon Airport, just before they closed, to transport the people in the truck and gear. We switched the trailer over to the van which had a hitch and continued on to Lake George NY.

Fran drove back picked up the remaining staff and all the food and gear that was in the truck. The packing job was a task in itself with all the gear, food etc. packed in the rented vehicle so tight you couldn’t get another thing in. We all got to Lake George NY later than planned but were glad to see the Bay Road Presbyterian Church where we stayed Friday and Saturday nights.

On the bike trip we stopped in Quechee VT where we stayed in the gymnasium at the Mid VT Christian School on Tuesday night. On Wednesday morning we visited the world famous Simon Pierce Glassblowing Factory and got to see them actually blowing glass and could ask them questions. We then visited the Quechee Gorge before continuing on to the Rumney Bible Conference Center in Rumney NH on Wednesday night. We stayed in the Conference Center where they had showers and bunkbeds for us. We also used the Rumney Baptist Church for their new full commercial kitchen where we fixed our supper and breakfast meal. On Thursday morning we got up cleaned the bunkhouse before going down to the Rumney Baptist Church for a full breakfast meal. We then left to head to our next destination Lincoln NH about 40 miles away. We all knew the Kangamangus Highway was the next and final mountain range we had to travel over on our way to Conway NH. We got up early on Friday morning, to beat the heat, and got going about 9:00 AM after breakfast and a short devotion time. The bikers had crested the big hairpin turn before noon time and only had another 2 miles of uphill ahead before they would coast 6 miles downhill to where they would eat dinner.

Bert and Ron on motorcycles traveled ahead and prepared the bikers dinner meal.

The spot we picked also had a favorite swimming hole which they enjoyed before continuing on to Conway NH. We stayed at the Conway Pentecostal Ministries Church as our final stay where they furnished us with mattresses to sleep on and a full commercial kitchen to fix our supper meal. On Saturday the final day of our trip the Men’s Ministries group fixed us a full breakfast before we continued on to His Place Teen Center. On route to His Place Teen Center the bikers stopped and swam at Norway Lake before regrouping and traveling on to the teen center where parents, friends and a welcoming committee were waiting to see them ride in. All the youth, 4 adult staff and chaperones accompanied with Bert and Ron on their Goldwings rode in with the horns blowing and everyone clapping and taking pictures. This completed about 250 miles of biking, no small accomplishment for the bikers and life long memories and friendships built during the trip.

The Texas barbecue featured barbecue ribs, chicken, hot chili, salads, beverage and more. This trip was not for the faint hearted but was open to all the youth that wanted to go for just $80.00 a person including tickets to the big Six Flags theme park in Lake George NY we visited on Sat. July 21st, food and transportation. Before this trip took place the youth and staff prepared for the trip with 20-25 mile treks on Sundays after church. The other big difference on this trip compared to others was that we sent 5 youth the staff chose to Word of Life Bible Camp in Schroon Lake NY a week earlier July 14-21. Some of these youth biked back with the group but this was not mandatory to join the trip. Thanks to all that made this trip happen.

Reaching out to youth,

Bert & Fran Rugg

Executive Directors

His Place Teen Center

254 Webber Brook Road

Oxford, ME 04270

(207)-743-9503 Home and Office

(207)-515-3000 Cell.

youthhptc@yahoo.com

www.hisplaceteencenter.com