Donations Used to Help Elementary School Students in Philippines

For everyone who trusted me and my contacts in the Philippines to deliver on our promises, I hope this message holds up our end of the bargain.

All the money I received ($265 USD) was transferred to Res, my former host-brother in the Philippines. The fees incurred through PayPal and Western Union were paid by me, so if you donated $20, the whole $20 went to Res. He received more than 11,000 Philippines Pesos, which he used to purchase paper, notebooks, pencils, and crayons for 600 elementary school students in the Eastern Samar communities of Balangkayan and Hernani, both of which suffered severe damage from Typhoon Haiyan.The supplies were delivered along with a shipment of food, water, and blankets from other donors.

These students are now able to continue their studies, and return to a more normal routine and pace of life, thanks to you all. Res is safely back in Calbayog City, and sends his sincere thanks to everyone who donated money to help strangers.

Res sent some photos from his trip to Eastern Samar when he delivered the supplies. I am including some below. They are low resolution as email is still slow in the Philippines, but I hope they show the impact of your generous donations.

Thank you all, so much.

Kyle and Res

Funds Received in the Philippines

The money all you generous people donated has arrived in the Philippines. Every single penny ($265 US Dollars / 11,500 Philippine Pesos). My host brother, Res, used it to purchase school supplies for students in Eastern Samar. He is sending me photos from his trip, and I will post them here as soon as I receive them. More donations came after his trip, and that money will be sent as well in the next few days.

I would like to thank all the donors again for their faith and generosity. It is wonderful to see people helping communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan as the media attention fades away. The road to recovery is long and hard, but these donations make all the difference.

Kyle

Fundraiser Details

As of now, this ride has raised $255 USD in direct donations. The money is being transferred from PayPal to Western Union, which will take a few days to reach the Philippines. The small PayPal fees and the larger Wester Union fees will be paid for, in full, by me, so that 100% of the donated funds will reach those who need it. I will have more details about how the funds are being used once they reach the Philippines, so check back before New Year.

Thank you, everyone who donated. The Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines will continue to need funds for months just to get by, and the recovery from Typhoon Haiyan is going to take years. I will return to Arkansas to finish this ride in a few months, and I will continue to take donations between now and then. Thank you for following my adventure and helping a country that so desperately needs it.

I learned a lot on this ride that I will apply when I return. The weakest link in the whole project was my gear. I've been getting away with cheaper bicycles (Diamondback in California, Trek 820 in Africa) and components for a while, but now it's clear that I need to make an investment in better equipment and lighter supplies to continue long rides in rural places. 100-mile days on a 70-pound bike are possible, but it pushes me and my gear to the limit, especially in December when there is only 11 hours of daylight in a given day. I also need to aim for established campgrounds, as roadside camping in the south-central US is very difficult. Lessons have been learned, and I will return more prepared.

Kyle

St. Louis

Not on my bicycle, but there's the Arch!

Mission: Not Accommplished

Well, I didn't make it to St. Louis, I didn't ride 1,000 miles, and I've ended four days early. There are a lot of reasons. Mechanical problems, knee problems, and all the forests being private property made it impossible to roadside camp. Most of all, pushing so hard put me into a really low mood, as racing the clock took priority over meeting people and enjoying scenery, and I felt like I was making unsafe decisions to go faster.

Talking to people brought in $50 in cash donations for the Philippines typhoon relief, and gave me more interesting Memories than racing down the shoulders of Louisiana highways. Slowing down got more donations, and hopefully made the blog more fun to follow.

Ending early was the right choice. My contingency plan was perhaps the only thing I thoroughly planned at all. I was grossly unprepared for this ride physically, with my route, and with my gear. I was focused on final exams for the last three weeks, so preparing for this ride came second. I earned very good grades, so my priorities were appropriate.

Maybe this all seems like a bunch of excuses for falling far short of my goal, but to be honest, I hated the first three days on the road. Day 3 was miserable, and I'd had enough. Slowing down save my sanity.

I'm still processing this unexpected outcome, so I'll write more as it starts to make sense to me. I'll check the fundraiser totals when I'm on a secure wifi network. Keep looking here for updates.

Kyle

Motel 6. Caddo Valley, AR. It's as good a place as any to end a '1000-mile' ride.

Maybe a sign will help?

Nothing but logging trucks so far.

Another Blowout

No more spare tires. I think my ride is over. I need to hitchhike out of here.

Cold and humid night. Everything is damp. Airing out tent and sleeping bag before hitting the road.

Day 5 Sit Rep

Today was good. I'm glad I made a contingency plan so that I'm not completely on my own. The full moon is rising over my camp, and I've got chili on the stove. I'm feeling lonely, but I'll be back in good company in 2 days. Tomorrow looks like the weather and terrain will be similar to today. I'm aiming for DeGray Lake State Park, so I'll be close to Hot Springs for Wed. For tonight, its warm food and solitude. Life is good.

Currently at White Oak State Park, AR. Great weather today. Was down to just my base layer. Beautiful trees and hills, but slow riding. That blowout was a time-suck as well. So, I've pulled the trigger on my contingency plan - which is Becki. She's driving north from New Orleans and picking me up on Wed in Hot Springs, AR. So, I have 2 days to get there, and then my ride will be over. I feel bad that I can't do the full 1000 miles, but my window is closing and it's best to take the ride so I can still make t home for Christmas. I'll enjoy the next 2 days, but I think I'll be happy to get off the road. For now, I have the whole park to myself, so I'm using every plug and sink like a boss.

I actually have time to make tea, like a nice modern gentleman, on this stove I've been hauling since Alexandria.

Early Finish

White Oak Lake State Park, Arkansas. I'm the only one here!

Major Blowout

And thats why you always bring a spare tire! This blowout was so big it ruined if tire. Took me a while to change, but back on the road.

Private Property

I've seen plenty of 'No Trespassing' signs, but this severed teddy bear head is a bit too Lord of the Flies!

New State!

Leaving Louisiana behind on a frosty morning. Goodbye, Napoleon. Hello Bill Clinton!

Day 4 Sit Rep:

For the first 3 days, I kept feeling like each day was harder than the last. 100 miles a day is too many. I was making poor judgement calls, as I kept putting the clock before the experience and sometimes safety. After talking with people who care most about me, I've decided to slow down. Today I slept in a bit and enjoyed a hot breakfast, biked to Driskill and hiked the 20-minute trail to the summit, then got lost, which was wonderful. I got to talk with people and enjoy the hills. I'm now in Haynesville, LA. Just 4 miles south of the Arkansas border. I'm way behind schedule. But today was enjoyable, I hit a summit, and had Mexican for dinner while watching IronMan. Gonna cross into Arkansas in the morning. The plan for the rest of my tour is in flux right now. But strangers I met donated cash to the Philippines fundraiser. Whatever happens to my ride, the fundraiser is still
continuing. I'll explain more when I'm not on my flip phone.

Un-losted myself

Back on the major roads in Homer, LA. Don't know if I'll make it to AR tonight.

Lost in Cajun Country

Got directions from a man named Francesco. On my way. Arkansas is still far. Not way i'm going to keep my 100-mile per day pace.