This summer, two father-son duos made separate coast-to-coast bicycling trips across the US. Daron ‘91 and Colton ‘25 White and Jeff ‘94 and Jackson ‘28 Schmela’s experiences speak to God’s faithfulness and provision found in Scripture.
Isaiah 40:4 describes, “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.” Psalm 23:3 reminds us of God’s steadfast provision: “he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
For both the Whites and the Schmela’s, a stop in Upland at Taylor University was a key landmark in their epic journeys, in recognition of the role Taylor has played in both families.
Daron White, a 1991 Mathematics alumnus, married his wife (who he met at Taylor) shortly after graduating. He credits Taylor for lifelong friendships that have served him every bit as well as his education. Daron’s son Colton is a recent Environmental Science graduate and served as a Personnel Assistant (PA) for the first floor of Breuniger Hall. Colton was a Taylathon all-star, winning in his sophomore, junior and senior years.
One day, Daron casually asked his son, “What do you think about biking across the US?” The idea was nothing more than that at first, but after a year of sleeping on it, they committed to the ride and grew excited to hit the road. Preparing for their journey, Daron and Colton sought more than simply conquering the mountains ahead. The father-son duo sought to do everything unto the Lord, fundraising over the course of their ride for Destiny Rescue, a non-profit dedicated to rescuing victims of child trafficking. They also dedicated some of their fundraising to the track program at Lakewood Park Christian School, where Daron coaches.
Finally, this past summer, the Whites’ much-anticipated coast-to-coast bike trip was underway. They traveled 3,932 miles in just 59 days, beginning in La Push, Washington, and finishing in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Whites encountered their fair share of obstacles, including five flat tires in a single day! However, the Lord was faithful to provide, which the Whites witnessed firsthand. After a time of prayer for intervention, they rode 1,100 miles without a single flat tire.
Daron and Colton reflected on the kind souls they met along the way and praised God for how He worked in the lives of so many strangers. They recalled one impoverished woman who was so touched by their fundraising efforts that, despite her empty pockets, gave them all that she had. And so was the testimony of this father and son, who at times lacked tires or a roof but never lacked a heart to serve.
Jeff Schmela, a 1994 Environmental Biology alumnus, thanks Taylor for teaching him to continually learn about God’s creation. His son Jackson is a sophomore at Taylor studying Mechanical Engineering. Even though his dad had set high expectations for life at Taylor, his newfound community and freshman year exceeded his hopes.
Long before the Schmelas could ever boast this coast-to-coast trip, Jeff and Jackson enjoyed several father-son bike trips in unwitting preparation. Even before Jackson was born, Jeff had already completed two trips across the country: one with Wandering Wheels, a bike touring ministry group formerly associated with Taylor, and another with Youth for Christ where he led 20 high school students.
Not surprisingly, Jeff still recalls the physical and mental commitment required to weather snow, rain, heat, and the gloom of night on two wheels. As Jackson grew older, they would jump on their bikes and return home hundreds of miles later.
As Jeff and Jackson embarked on their adventure, they followed the same bike path first outlined by Wandering Wheels that Jeff traveled 25 years ago. Of course, now older and wiser, Jeff made a few adjustments to their plans. They began just north of Seattle, Washington, given that the wind blows west to east, and they finished in Annapolis, Maryland, averaging 103 miles per day, completely self-supported.
Jeff and Jackson promise there is still a lot of bike path ahead of them. As they reflected on this cherished father-son momentous moment, they encouraged anyone who wants to take on such an adventure to make a decision, make a plan, and then see it through. Jackson emphasized the need to plan ahead and to plan for things to go wrong, because they will. He says having a backup is a critical key to success.
Jeff notes that biking coast-to-coast might not be physically attainable for everyone, but he says the only way to go big is to start small. Still, for Jeff, his goal was to have an adventure with his son, “a big, beautiful adventure.” Mission accomplished, Dad.
