Hi, I'm Paul. I was born screaming and bald twenty years ago in the blooming metropolis of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Ever since then I've grown a bit more hair, and have kept my screaming to a minimum. I started riding a bike as soon as I could sit down and move my legs quickly.
Currently I am studying graphic design at IPFW University in Fort Wayne. As hard as I tried to get away from this epicenter of modern thinking, I simply couldn't do it.
One of my passions has been working with my local church. Whether it is helping organize college-age group discussions or playing drums on the worship team, I stay really involved. Staying involved has opened up opportunities to do short-term missions trips to places like Hamtramck, Michigan where issues with affordable housing are very real and very serious. It was these types of experiences that jump-started my curiosity to work to raise money for Affordable Housing.
I heard about Bike & Build this past summer once my roommate and I decided to take our bike riding a little more seriously. We were immediately attracted to the idea of riding our bikes across the country, but fell in love with the idea of helping people along the way.
Of course, I'm nervous about the difficulty in accomplishing such a huge task as biking across the country, but my excitement outweighs my fear. It's one thing to drive or fly across the U.S., but that's only good for seeing the country, not for experiencing the country.
Much of my inspiration for this crazy adventure came from reading John Steinbeck's "Travels with Charlie." In this book John tells a story about packing up his truck and driving all the way around the United States with his dog Charlie, meeting people along the way, and experiencing the beauty and brutality of the country he so frequently wrote about.
So on my bike I ride; to take a journey much like John and Charlie, helping people along the way, but of course I won't be able to do it without your help!
Paul's photos
