4,051 miles across the United States on my bicycle complete. 🇺🇸
I’m so grateful for the chance to challenge myself and to experience so much of our country’s stunning landscapes and kind, generous people. I really couldn’t have asked for a better trip. The Lord provided every single day.
What started as a coffee meetup to talk about a dream with @tomwilsonn_ at the beginning of the year unfolded into over 4,000 miles of riding. At the time, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to pull it off in time to start, and telling people that I was doing it felt like I was talking about some distant version of myself that I hadn’t met yet, talking big game hoping I’d grow into it. Then I found myself in Yorktown Virginia, intimidated by just the first hill, but with repetition came growth. We settled into the rhythm of the touring lifestyle and we met incredible people along the way who opened their doors to us and other cyclists achieving the same dream. I am grateful for the posse of guys we ran with from Missouri to Colorado, some of the best memories of the trip.
I’m especially thankful for @humansizehobbit , who rerouted his entire ride to join me after I returned to the trail. I’ve learned so much from him, and I’m proud to call him a close friend.
If there’s something that excites you but scares you at the same time, go for it. Say yes. You never know what’s waiting for you on the other side.
Thank you to everyone who supported me and encouraged me along the way.
On Tuesday next week I’ll be dipping my back tire in the Atlantic Ocean on the beach of Yorktown Virginia and will begin a 4,300 mile bike trip across the United States. I want to use this amazing opportunity to support @lifelinechild and their incredible work in, supporting birth mothers, equipping adoptive families, and placing vulnerable children in loving homes.
It’s something that is very close to my family and is important to me. When I was a kid we were a foster home for newborns, and I married my amazing wife @_jenna_rae_ who had the same heart and now has worked full time in adoption for years.
I hope that you join me in any way, in supporting this cause and ask for prayers during this journey 💙🇺🇸
Summer of ‘24 doing 70 mile days in Charleston on the trusty Bilda. Training to cycle across America but not knowing it’d come in less than a year from that point.
Leaving Milford, Utah, you come upon a mountain range, and then after climbing suddenly the land opens. On the other side is this incredible expanse, the first true glimpse of what Nevada will hold. I remember rounding a corner and seeing a seemingly infinite road stretching out ahead, cutting through the valley and leading toward the next mountain range miles and miles in the distance.
Something in my spirit celebrated in that moment. These were the moments I was out there for. The valley felt impossibly vast, a quiet reminder that we are small beings living on a floating rock, moving through an unfathomably large universe.
I’ve been back home for about a month now, settling back into the rhythm of things. When I left for the trip, I was at the start of a life transition with my work, and since being back I’ve been putting time and energy into making that shift happen. I’m grateful for how things are going so far. Funny enough, sometimes it feels easier to ride a bike across America than to navigate real life.
Lately I’ve been reflecting on the trip, scrolling through my camera roll, revisiting the raw images and scrubbing through the videos. There’s a lot there. If I can set aside the time to really go through it all, I think I can create something more substantial than just an Instagram account, something that stamps that accomplishment complete and lets me share the story in a fuller way.
More to come soon!
At Lifeline Children’s Services, we are honored to walk alongside individuals and families who are answering the Lord’s call to care for vulnerable children. This summer, one of those individuals is taking that calling to the open road—literally.
On May 13, 2025, Zachary Thompson, a passionate advocate for foster care and adoption, embarked on a 3,800-mile bike ride across the United States—from Yorktown, Virginia to the Pacific Ocean. This ride is more than a personal dream fulfilled; it’s a mission to bring gospel hope to children in need of forever families.
Zachary’s heart for vulnerable children runs deep. He grew up in a home that fostered newborns awaiting adoption and is now married to a professional in the adoption field. Together, their lives are a reflection of ongoing obedience to God’s call to care for the fatherless.
As he pedals across the country, Zachary is riding to raise awareness and support for the children who are so often overlooked—sibling groups, children with special needs, and older youth—those who often wait the longest for a forever home.
Through this journey, Zachary is partnering with Lifeline to equip and encourage the families who step forward to adopt and foster. Every mile he rides helps provide practical resources, Christ-centered support, and lifelong care for families and children alike.
We invite you to be part of this journey—by giving, sharing, and praying. Together, we can help more children find the love and stability of a gospel-centered home.
The unbelievable sight of Cliff Palace. Built into a massive alcove in the canyon walls 800 years ago. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to live in the time this was built so long ago.
Rejoined Tom in Cedar City, Utah. We started this ride together in Yorktown, Virginia, and now we’ll finish it together in San Francisco.
I’ve been really grateful for the people we’ve crossed paths with on this journey. Having a group to ride with, trade stories, share the views, and have some banter makes a big difference.
