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David Jones of Wickenburg, Arizona and Michael Himlie of Harmony, Minnesota are planning a bicycle expedition in 2016 to raise money for peace organizations. They hope to raise $100,000 for Christian Peacemaker Teams and other organizations devoted to nonviolence.
Jones, 60 and Himlie, 22 met last year in Israel/Palestine while participating in a delegation with Christian Peacemaker Teams.
Says Jones, “Michael and I spent a lot of time together and got to know each other. We’re both bicyclists and have done some long-distance riding.”
Jones is retired from the healthcare software industry and Himlie is a student at Manchester (Ind.) University. After returning home Jones and Himlie stayed in touch and a few months ago came up with the idea of riding 100 miles in each state over 50 consecutive days. “We are calling it Fifty Centuries in Fifty States in Fifty Consecutive Days,” says Jones.
Their plan calls for them to fly to Hawaii for the first leg of their journey which starts at midnight on May 14, 2016. They will ride the same route as those competing in the Ironman Triathlon on the big island of Hawaii. Immediately after completing this initial leg they will fly to Los Angeles where they will begin the process of riding in the lower 48 states. They will use a support vehicle and drivers to drive them from state to state following each day’s ride.
“Obviously this is a huge undertaking from a logistics standpoint”, says Himlie. “We have to not only ride a hundred miles each day but plan the most efficient driving route around the country, and find time to eat and sleep.”
The pair will stay in churches and community centers in each state. Their route around the U.S. will eventually lead them to Portland, Oregon. There they will fly to Anchorage, Alaska for the final day of their expedition on July 2, 2016.
Both men are committed to active nonviolent resistance. “Michael and I saw some atrocities in Palestine which stunned us. Although we are separated by a few years in age we share a common belief that violence does not resolve conflict,” says Jones.
Eventually both men hope to serve with Christian Peacemaker Teams on one of its teams in Palestine, Iraq or Columbia.
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