From The Road
DAY 37. July 8.
The Pedaling Priest has not yet reached Canada - he's still in Detroit! During an interview with Peggy from Power from the Pews, Fr. Hilton rested his bicycle on her car so they could watch the boat come in. Peggy accidentally backs up the car right over our Pedaling Priest's bike. CRUNCH!
DAY 36, July 7.
The Pedaling Priest starts his morning in Frankenmuth and rode 105 miles to Marine City under heavy rain. Riding along a very dense, heavily forested trail near Otter Lake, the Pedaling Priest experiences a melancholy beauty - rain falling in the dark forest, gray skies, foxes and toads leaping across his path. Tears begin to fall as the Pedaling Priest ponders the enchanted beauty around him and how it's not beautiful nor permanent enough for what he desires - a heavinly homeland.
Tomorrow he'll cross over the St. Claire River and take a ferry into Ontario, Canada!
The Pedaling Priest is now in Frankenmuth Michigan. This town is German inspired and all the buildings look as if you were in Germany. He started in Midland and rode along beautiful lake Heron. There were 3 people waiting for him so that they could join him on his ride, how nice! Tomorrow onto Canada.
Day 35.
View of Lake Huron behind Ted's house near Bay City. He and his wife ride Harley Davidsons and have a ministry for Christian motorcycle riders.
Jim White, his son Mark and granddaughter Aubrey were waiting for me alongside the road south of Bay City. What a wonderful surprise! Him and I rode together for an hour and I enjoyed getting to know this fine Catholic gentleman.
Frankenmuth is a beautiful Bavarian inspired town 60 miles north of Detroit, is famous for its Chicken dinners served at Zeh
The Pedaling Priest traveled 70+ miles today from Reed City Michigan to Midland. There is a great trail system called "Rails to Tails" where they took all the old railroad tracks and converted them to bike paths. Father Hilton had a break from sharing the road with cars and was sharing the trail with fellow riders. Next stop Lake Heron!
Day 34.
The Pere Marquette Trail is named in honor of the great 17th century Jesuit missionary priest and explorer who mapped the headwaters of the Mississippi River. This former railroad grade now serves as a spectacularly beautiful route through the forests of central Michigan. I'm thoroughly enjoying my time on this trail - no cars to watch out for!
Some of the tunnels on the trail surrounded by dense woodland, not far from the town of Evart.
Father Hilton is now in Detroit. He met a nice gentleman who is a Caldean Catholic. Detroit is home to the largest US population of Caldean Catholics. Currently there is a large issue in the middle east where the Caldean Catholics are being pushed out of their homes and churches by ISIS. Let us keep them all in our prayers. More from the road tomorrow!
Day 33.
Greg and Kathleen Drawbaugh, their two sons and two nephews dressed for the Fourth of July. What a fine Catholic family living in the Detroit area that I'm blessed to have as friends.
Massive statue of the Blessed Mother presiding over the main entrance of the chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake. This great institution has trained many generations of priests coming from Poland and is a truly impressive campus.
The parish church of Saint Hugo in the suburbs of Detroit built in the 1920's in a wonderful Scottish Gothic style.
National Shrine of Saint Therese of Lisieux in Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit, built by the "Radio Priest" Father Charles Coughlin in the 1930's. His nationally broadcast shows were recorded in the massive tower. This church was built in the Zig-Zag Art Deco style and is quite unique.
John Emerson, the brother of our beloved Dan who has served Saint Mary's in Aspen for 16 years. John lives in Detroit in the same home in which he was raised.
DAY 31. July 2nd - Journey from Green Bay to Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Beyond. Today is an absolutely beautiful blue bird day, riding forty miles with fine companions - cycling doesn't get any better than this. We spent the morning passing one meticulously cared for dairy farm after another through the heart of the Wisconsin agricultural countryside.
After twenty miles of riding we stopped at the Carmelite Monastery of the Holy Name of Jesus near the town of Denmark. We spent a few minutes in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in the monastery chapel crafted out of native stone and modeled after the great Church of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor in the Holy Land.
On that site, the physical appearance of our Lord Jesus was profoundly transformed and the apostles desired nothing more than to remain in His presence in prayer. Saint Peter asked to set up three tents, one for Jesus, another for Moses and the third for Elijah, those three tents form the structure of the chapel where the sisters dedicate their lives to praying for the needs of our world. Some say that it's the prayer of the Church, offered in holy places such as this, that is the only force powerful enough to keep the world from spinning out of control.
This tender image of the Mother of God, gazing with the greatest love into the eyes of her Son, our Lord Jesus, is to be found within the monastery chapel.
Tom Wall is a joyful man of faith and author of a beautifully illustrated Catholic prayer book for kids entitled, "Gifts from Our Father" - It's so encouraging meeting people like Tom on my journey.
Fr. Rocky, of Relevant Radio, Tim Kneeland and myself visiting Tom's beautiful farm near the Carmelite Monastery.
Fr. Rocky and I in Manitowoc beside a World War II vintage submarine with the SS Badger in the background.
Joe and JoAnn Marchetti drove all the way from Chicago to see me off on my journey across Lake Michigan. They are dear friends and their's was the first wedding I celebrated a few short days after arriving in Aspen. Dear Joe and JoAnn, I can't tell you how much it means to me to see you today, what a great gift! (They also brought me a large bag of jelly beans.)
Entering the SS Badger built in 1952, the last coal fired steam ship left in service in the United States.
The Ugolini and Richter families from Traverse City traveled two hours to welcome me to Michigan! As I disembarked, there they were with warm smiles holding large signs. What a great gift and true sign of love - thank you!
Our very own Judy Dunn parishoner out of Aspen, Colorado invites The Pedaling Priest into her lovely Michigan home on the lake. Father Hilton is overwhelmed by the support from those who've come out to see him and those supporting from home.
Traveling through the beautiful Wisconsin farmlands and dairylands, the Pedaling Priest arrives at the home of friends and fellow Aspen parishioners just in time for a morning show interview. Father Hilton is excited to be dressed in actual clericals he received from a care package.
The Pedaling Priest in now in Boulder Wisconsin. He traveled a full 72 miles today! Tomorrow he is onto Green Bay for the beginning of week 5. While staying at this lodge they witnessed a few large family gatherings. It was a great reminder of how important family really is. More from the road tomorrow!
Day 28.
Father Hilton left Mercer Wisconsin and is now traveling in the north woods. It is a beautiful area. He arrived in Rhinelander and is staying an a nice tranquil cabin. The area has fire pits so it looks like a camp fire kind of night. More from the road tomorrow.
Day 27.
The Pedaling Priest left the lake Superior area, headed south to the interior of the state and arrived in Mercer Wisconsin. There are so many flies and they are huge! Luckily they didn't pick him up and fly him away! His journey will continue tomorrow so be sure to check back to see his progress.
Day 26.
Father Hilton left Duluth Minnesota and arrived in Wisconsin after a 60 mile journey. The trip started off not quite as intended. The Pedaling Priest made it onto a highway that unknowingly turned into a two lane bridge with no shoulder. Had the police officer not told him that there is no room for him on the bridge he would have been completely stuck! Luckily everything turned out ok and he made a safe trek to his destination.
Day 25.
John Keleher is a wonderful friend and parishioner of many years at Saint Mary's. Msgr. Raun and I had dinner with him in Duluth and met him on the road today.
Father Hilton is in Minnesota near Lake Superior and getting ready to venture into Wisconsin. It's hard to believe that it's already day 24! Msgr. Ron helps send The Pedaling Priest on his way!
Crossing the not-so-wide Mississippi. It'll be a wide river later on but not this far north.
The great forests of northern Minnesota reflected in a lake under an early morning sky.
Just as I had my first view of Lake Superior, to the right was the Parish of Saint Lawrence with a shrine of the Blessed Mother overlooking the waters.
The entire roadway rises to make room for passing ships, one of only two such bridges in the United States
Father Hilton made it to Whipple Minnesota where he and his best friend Ron have been celebrating the feast of St. John the Baptist. They wish you all a blessed feast day! More updates tomorrow.
Day 23.
I passed this BIG statue of him early on my trip today in the town of Akeley. Babe, the Blue Ox, was across the street.
Wes was bicycling on the same road as me, we stopped and had a great conversation. He is a Christian gentleman - it's encouraging when you meet fellow followers of the Lord along the way.
Here is Jackie Morrill, the friendly waitress from the restaurant at Huddle's Resort on the shore of Lake Leach, together with Msgr. Raun. He and I stopped in for lunch at this delightful place today. It's an beautiful, old fashioned lake resort ran by the same family for three generations. The owners, Roy and Jan, insisted on picking up the tab for us. God bless them!
I thought this road running from the resort was just charming. Rural Minnesota is beautiful. At any moment I expect to round the bend and see the town of Lake Woebegone.
I would have thought that the last battle between the U.S. Army and the Native Americans would have been in the far West, but it was here at Sugar Point, Minnesota. Who could have imagined?
Well, that's all the news from Lake Woebegone, .....er, I mean Hill City, where Msgr. and I are staying before the big push into Duluth tomorrow. God bless!
Father Hilton has made it to Park Rapids Minnesota. So far he has traveled over 1,700 miles and is just about at the half way mark. More from the road tomorrow!
Day 22.
Entrance into the great State of Minnesota! Bridge over the Red River connecting Fargo with Moorhead, Minnesota.
The Red River Valley in western Minnesota, the flattest place on earth (yes, really, I read a sign that told me so). For a mountain boy from Colorado it certainly did seem to me to be very flaaat.
I stopped for a snack and cold drink at this combination diner, bar, general store and bait shop in the town of Osage in the lake district and known for its fishing. I couldn't help but laugh at their sign, even though I was hesitant to eat in their restaurant.
Msgr. Raun and I spend the night in this beautiful town of Park Rapids. This lake is one of many in the area and is in the heart of the town. I guess this makes the geese urban dwellers.
The Pedaling Priest has made it to Fargo North Dakota where he had the pleasure to spend some time with his best friend of 40 years!
Day 21.
The farmlands of eastern North Dakota near the City of Fargo. I rode 94 miles in record time with a strong wind at back under a stormy sky.
The Tabernacle and heart of the Cathedral with angels adoring our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Day 19.
The area of central North Dakota through which I've been traveling today is a constantly changing landscape. The flat farmlands give way to the rolling hill country to the west of the City of Mandan which is part of the Bismarck metro area.
Two days ago I crossed the Missouri south of Wolf Point, Montana. Now I crossit for a second time, much larger than the first. Photo is taken on the outskirts of Bismarck.
I found the North Dakota Capital Building and enormousness grounds surrounding it to be quite impressive.
Day 18.
The Badlands along I-94 east of Glendive, Montana is a fascinating landscape under an early morning light. It's a country that supports cattle grazing but is probably too rugged for much cultivation. I don't imagine it will stay this green for long as the summer's heat comes on.
Leaving Montana behind and crossing into my fourth state. I'm excited because I've never visited the great State of North Dakota.
This sign had me singing the well known song over and over again for at least an hour. It's not a town but rather a working ranch for troubled children founded by Fr. Cassedy in 1950 near Sentinel Butte, North Dakota. It is still a very active place and is operated by the Catholic Church.
This vast National Grasslands has been preserved in it's natural state and was once the home of vast herds of Buffalo.
This is the land of Teddy Roosevelt and his cattle ventures in the 1880's. The fields of grass wave in the wind much like waves on a large body of water.
In 1884 this small church was constructed of local brick that captures the beautiful red hue of the surrounding hills. It's still used for Mass to this day.
I was in the town of Circle, Montana and saw a priest walking down Main Street. Stopping to introduce myself, Fr. Alphonsus greeted me warmly and invited me to his rectory for lunch. He is a priest from Nigeria and a member of the Missionary Society of Saint Paul who is serving in Montana along with several other members of his community.
After lunch Father Alphonsus introduced me to his parishioner who serves as sacristan and secretary. Together they showed me the Church of Saint Francis Xavier which was built in 1954 and is quite beautiful. Thank you for your welcome to a brother priest!
The starkly beautiful lands of Montana that lie to the southeast of the town of Circle. It is a lonely area through which to bicycle, praying that there are no mechanical breakdowns!
Holy Cross Church in Marine City.