Perfect Circles: a Bicycle Adventure Ministry

“Let’s talk about this thing called Perfect Circles.”

The idea behind Perfect Circles began in the north woods of Wisconsin. I was working on a dream camp project called Camp Jehovah-Shammah which in Hebrew means, “The LORD is there.” The following will provide you with an overview of such a program:

Perfect Circles: a bicycle adventure ministry of Camp Jehovah-Shammah

“If only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

Purpose/Program: Perfect Circles is an educational travel program promoting personal growth, adventure, and fun through cycling and camping. It is a bicycle adventure program that focuses on the communion we have with one another through the close bond of Jesus Christ. The mission of Perfect Circles is to provide a community of cyclists who band together to worship God and have fellowship in Jesus Christ on the open road.

Can You Imagine Yourself…….

--missing your turn and ending up right where you started from that morning
--being outwitted by a hungry raccoon, and having to cycle to town for breakfast
--asking directions in a foreign country using only sign language
--being on a trip with a 24-hour off tune whistler
--eating chili for dinner after having spent a lifetime refusing it
--sleeping in a tent with someone who snores
--spending a night in a farmhouse and being awakened before the crack of dawn to tend to the morning chores
--sharing the last cookie, even though you wanted all of it

…. AND LIKING IT!

Our Groups

While the scenery you pass may be spectacular, and the physical exercise invigorating, your experience as part of a group will probably be the highlight of your trip. You may be surprised how close you'll feel to friends who were new faces just a few days before. You'll be traveling with 8 - 12 people and 2 leaders on a low budget and a high sense of adventure. In a small group each person adds his or her own flavor: one person may be a great storyteller while another a gourmet campfire cook. Ideas and input are also essential; each individual’s contribution enhances the group as a whole.

Flexibility and cooperation are key elements in our group experience. A lot of give and take is needed to make a group run smoothly -- like when there are nine or ten different opinions, or when one bike breakdown holds everyone up for the day! It is important to be open to the ideas, experiences and feelings of other group members, and to be willing to abide by group decisions. You will have your share of hostel/campsite chores, and food and group equipment to carry. The richness of experiencing cooperative group living and self-sufficiency is one of the added dimensions which make Perfect Circles trips much more than just a few weeks on your bike.

Our Leaders

If you want a bike trip leader who will cook your breakfast and fix your flat tires, look elsewhere. Our leaders provide the ingredients and tools, but they'll encourage you to tackle the job on your own. They're fun to be with, and when times get rough their warmth, strength, and guidance will help bring the group together.

Our leaders are teachers, human service professionals, graduate students, college seniors, and travel/hospitality professionals. Each leader has been carefully chosen and trained by our Leadership Department and is required to successfully complete a personal interview, a CPR & First Aid certification program, and participate in our Leadership Training and Evaluation Course. Each course is run as an actual biking, camping, hostelling trip. Emphasis is placed on the skills necessary in leading a trip such as group dynamics, first aid, bike repairs, camping skills, hostel customs, environmental awareness, meal planning, games and sensitivity exercises.

Safety

A fun biking experience requires that biking safety precautions are practiced. Our leaders are fully trained in bicycle safety. Trippers will wear bike helmets at all times, perform daily pre-ride bike inspections, and practice safe cycling.

Equipment

Each tripper will need to bring a touring or hybrid bicycle with 10-24 speeds, saddlebags, a sleeping bag, a foam mattress, and a helmet. Included in the trip cost is the rental of tents and camping cook set/stove.    

Overnights   

Some of our treks stay more at hostels; others camp out every night, while many do a mixture of both.

Hostelling

Hostels are simple, inexpensive accommodations supervised by house-parents. Old farmhouses, schools, former jails, abandoned coast guard stations, ships, castles and trains have been converted into hostels. Most have a kitchen, a common room and dorms with bunk beds. Mattresses, pillows, sheets, and blankets are provided. Hostels are cooperative accommodations; you are expected to clean up and help with small chores. You'll enjoy running into other travelers staying at the same hostel, exchanging stories and sharing experiences with them.

Camping   

With the ground as your bed and the tent as your roof, camping can be a fun and exciting experience. You become aware of the sounds and smells of the night with the stars (and sometimes the bugs) all around you. Our groups often stay in state forests and private campgrounds. Facilities vary. Some campgrounds have showers, pools and recreation rooms, while others offer only a field in which to pitch a tent. We provide each camping group with tents, stoves and cook sets. Trippers must provide their own personal equipment, such as sleeping bags, cutlery and dishes. Camping requires added physical and emotional effort, especially when the sky looks ominous. However, evenings around the campfire give trippers a chance to know one another better and experience a special closeness as a group.

A Typical Day

Depending on circumstances, you'll crawl out of your sleeping bag or bed between 7:00 and 9:00 A.M. (perhaps earlier at times). You'll help get breakfast and clean up the hostel or campsite and pack your bike. The group will go over the route and arrange meeting places along the way for swimming, lunch, whatever.  Each person cycles at his or her own speed, with a leader bringing up the rear. Frequent stops are made for ice-cream, swimming, resting at the tops of hills, talking with local sheep, etc. The group regroups at or near the final destination to arrange for grocery shopping and dinner. The evening's activities can be planned ahead, or left open to the spontaneity of the moment. On planned trips your overnights will be spent in hostels which are cooperative, dormitory style accommodations, or state parks and local campgrounds; some trips are either all hostelling or all camping while many offer a mixture of both. A few trips will spend the night in college dorms, country inns, or farmhouses. On trips with phantom overnights (stealth camping), groups often stay in farmer's fields, back-yards, churches and firehouses as well as regular campgrounds.

Daily Cycling

The wind in your face, the sun on your back, the sense of accomplishment at the end of a long day--these are all part of the special feeling you have when riding. Cycling is much more than physical exercise. You'll become close friends with your bicycle as the two of you get to know a region the way no motorist can. People are pleased to see you taking the time and energy to explore the landscape and culture of their particular region.

Cycling also means traveling under your own steam, pollution-free, carrying your essentials with you every pedal of the way. Of course there will be days when the weather is less than perfect or times when bike repairs slow you down, but the experiences you have along the way make it all worthwhile. If this sounds enticing but you're not an Olympic champion, don't worry. We are a summer camp biking program offering a variety of trips for all ranges of cycling ability.

Trips would begin locally and as God wills it, expand globally. My dream as Camp Jehovah-Shammah may begin in the form of Perfect Circles bicycle trips. I anticipate the very first trip to be a week long summer excursion. As I build a clientele and raise awareness and funds and support, the following year will see additional trips. And perhaps the week of Spring Break will be available for a trip as well, or maybe winter journeys during Christmas break. The possibilities are endless. There are many trips and expeditions that would be feasible just in and around the Pacific Northwest.

This expedition this summer down the Pacific Coast and up through the desert and mountains I anticipate to be the first in a series of expeditions to raise awareness and funds and to scope out locations to be able to start a Christian ministry called Perfect Circles. There are obviously many logistics to think about and research before the first camp happens (i.e. support, bikes, first aid, leaders, training, fundraising, equipment, routes, etc.) but that is all apart of the fun. However, I cannot do this alone. I ask for support.

Again, let me direct you to my fundraising website:

www.plumfund.com/pf/perfectcircles

Help this dream come true.

Thank you all kindly.