Day one Desert hot springs to some spot on the road 107 miles later

This was one hot day!  We began our leg, a little late which was an indcation of the day to come.  We were paired with team #one.  Tim Paton, Bob Findley, Garheard P. and Jason Zimmerman.  At the 4 mile point we started the first climb of  4 modest climbs. My rear tire flayed at about mile thirty, a quick change and off we went. Idealistic about the rest of the day, afterall, in a group of eight if somthing else was going to happen, it was someone else's turn. On the next decent, I found myself riding in the SAG car for the next 30 miles. Although, I had already consumed over a galon of water, the 118 degree temps won the moment. Both my hamstrings completly locked up with cramps to the point of falling of my bike, not able to get out of my pedals.

It took all of the thirty miles, following the remaining riders Ray Melberg, Chris Taylor and Lee Weigand at 20 mph one and a half hours to recover enough to finish the ride. We had two others fall out from heat issues and Ray and I were able to bring in the last 28. Thanks for your prayers but we have the same tomorrow.

Ride for Hope prologue

It is the tridition, when on a cross country bicycle ride to dip the rear wheel in the departing ocean, in our case the Pacific Ocean.  We did this at  Dana point this afternoon in a comissioning ceremony. Jos, the International director for Christ's hope reminded us that we were not doing this ride for us. We are doing this in for the Lord Jesus Christ who sat children on his lap. We are riding for children LOVED by God and forgoten by men. I will not be indifferent, I will do somthing!

T minus 2 days

On my way to Dana Point to start Ride for Hope. I'm Excited and anxious to begin.  Im in a our SAG vehicle driving from Sacremento with Laura Leeming Kristen & Lee Wiegand and Jos the International director of Christ's Hope International. I started this journey excited to ride my bicycle across the US but with each passing day I become more motivated for the cause of the lost children this ride will serve. If you can, please consider supporting, even $5 will help. www.rideforhopectc.org/riders/john-Leeming.

Ride for Hope Kick off Century and training ride.

Tomorrow morning Saturday the 8th of June I'll be participating in the Ride for Hope Kick off Century.  We will be riding 100 miles form Sacramento to Ripon CA.  This would be a great time to help support Ride for Hope Coast to Coast, would you consider supporting this training ride on a per mile basis.  I would love to know that each mile I ride will be helping to provide the basic food, shelter, medical support and education for orphaned children in Africa.  A few cents a mile will go a long way to helping an orphaned child have a home and family to live with. send me an email (jeleeming@gmail.com) letting me know how much you would like to contribute per mile.  I'll post my total mileage after the ride and then go to www.rideforhopectc.org/riders/john-leeming  and donate the total.  A donation of $5, $10 or more would be greatly appreciated.

I am 9 days away from the start of my 10 day journey across the United States.  I am getting very excited and can't wait to start.  The cycling will be a challenge but meeting people along the rout and letting them know about the crisis in Africa and encouraging others to get involved is exciting as well. Thanks for your consideration of this challenge.