Delbert Richardson
Wheels of Hope II Journey
2004
E-mail updates, progress reports and pictures courtesy of
Monique Richardson, Delbert's wife
(Newest entries from the top)
9/21/2004 Hello Everyone, Latest news Delbert is coming home!
Delbert will be arriving back in Wichita on Monday September 27th 10:00 at the Exploration Place Parking Lot.
For those of you who can, I hope that you will be able to come out and welcome Delbert back home. Also please spread the word. We would love to give Delbert a welcome home that he won't forget.
Thank you all for all of your prayers and well wishes.
Monique Richardson
9/13/2004 Hi. Del is in Jacksonville, NC. He will be there until at least Thursday. The trike is beginning to show signs of fatigue and stress and Del plans on making a decision in the next week about the weather problems (hurricane Ivan).
For those who ask about Stepheni & Edricque, they go back to Iraq tomorrow. It was wonderful seeing them and Kavonice and it's hard to see them go back.
9/6/2004 The current weather in Florida has had a major impact on Del's schedule – the aftermath of both Hurricanes Charlie and Frances and the upcoming status of Hurricane Ivan.
Delbert says the remaining distance (if he turns and heads west after Jacksonville) is equivalent to driving from San Francisco to Detroit – five days for a patient driver.
At Del's current speed of travel, it will take him 57 days to make it home, or there about. give or take weather delays. This would put Delbert home by November 1.
9/2/2004 Delbert is currently held up in Suffolk due to heat and the tropical storm Gaston and now hurricane Francis.
Then Del will proceed cautiously along the Atlantic coast watching for other tropical storms and hurricanes.
This will not affect Del but may affect resources.
Stepheni & Edricque are back in Texas as of this past Sunday. The girls and I drive down to Texas this weekend to see them and to celebrate Kavonice's 3rd birthday.
Thank you all for all of your wonderful love and support.
08/22/2004 Delbert is currently in Chester, VA and is fine.
On Friday 8/20/04 we have a new family member our 6th grandchild – Jeffery Eugene Richardson, born 3:45 p.m., 9 pounds 1.3 ounces. Mom and baby are home and doing fine.
07/28/2004 Delbert is currently in Syracuse, NY tonight.
Delbert is beginning to feel some of the pressure expected for being on the road so long – physical fatigue and exhaustion as a result of getting into the more mountainous terrain and hills.
He's not looking forward to traveling through Vermont and New Hampshire as his next major obstacle. In the next few days he will be making a critical decision regarding these two states. He knows he'll be missing out on some of the beauty if he avoids them entirely but also in bypassing these two states would make Maine a "no-go" as well.
He'll try and seek some form of transporting the trike across these two states so he can still include Maine in his travel scheme and schedule. He has to be in Newton, Mass. on the evening of August 5th so time is critical.
He also thanks everyone for their well wishes and support. It definitely lifts his spirits each time I read him one of your E-mails.
I would like to thank all of you as well for all of your support, love and prayers for Del.
05/15/2004 Delbert is in Spokane, WA tonight he had a 98-mile day today and is fine.
A special thank you goes out to Diana, Joe and Ken. Diana the Wichita President of the Gold Wing Club, found and contacted fellow Gold Wing members Joe & Ken from the Washington Gold Wing Chapter. Joe and Ken picked Del up and took him into Omak, Washington, the other day.
Attached is a picture of Joe and Ken (Joe left, Ken right) I can't say thank you enough to them for helping Del out.
I can't say thank you enough to them for helping Del out.
Side note for those that ask about Stepheni and Edricque they are both fine in Iraq and Kuwait. I heard from both last weekend for Mother's day.
05/13/2004 Delbert is in Omak, Washington tonight and is doing well.
05/10/2004 Sorry I'm just getting my laptop back again today. I hope that they have fixed the problem. If not, it's going out the window.
Here is the latest on Del:
Rain delays of the Pacific NW has really hampered any progress. He had to wait for the ferry at Bellingham to go to Alaska, encountered additional engine problems 18 miles out from his destination and decided to return to Mt Vernon. Alaska was scratched, after receiving a replacement engine more rain delays but pedaled without the assistance of the new motor to Sedro Woolley. After conferring with the Park Rangers and advised of more rain and snowfall at Washington Summit that delayed his ride East til Tuesday.
Thanks for being patient while my laptop was down.
04/29/2004 Del is on standby status to get on the ferry tomorrow to go to Alaska. If Del cannot get on the ferry tomorrow he will continue on the original route without Alaska.
I will not be able to send out updates for the next few days. My laptop has to go back to be fixed again. As soon as I can get it back I will give you an update.
04/26/2004 Delbert is currently in Mt. Vernon, WA and is considering going to Alaska.
Here is what Del says about Alaska:
"Alaska is a go based upon availability (#6) and it appears that will not be a problem. Confirmation on the return is also a GO (not on an availability list)
Depart Bellingham, WA this Friday at 6 p.m. arrive Ketchikan, Alaska Sunday morning at 6 a.m.
Depart Ketchikan, Alaska May 5th at 3 p.m. arrive Bellingham, WA May 7th 8 a.m. will proceed to Sedro Wolley for the night."
04/20/2004 Sorry I haven't sent out an update the past week. My laptop had to go into the shop and I just got it back today (YEAH!).
O.K. Here are the updates. Delbert is currently in the Seattle, WA area.
Also for those of you that have asked Stepheni is still in Iraq and is fine talked with her via phone last Friday.
04/10/2004 Delbert was in Carpenterville, Oregon last night and is on his way to Gold Beach, OR today. He is not getting a cell phone signal so we have been talking on line.
04/05/2004 Delbert is held up for the next day or two in Petaluma, CA with mechanical problems. These mechanical problems are not due to the frame of the trike but due to manufactured parts that Del ordered.
For those who are bike riders you will understand that Del is riding the trike very hard. For those who are not riders, he is riding on rough roads and hitting pot holes. The shell and trike are holding up very well under the weight and strain. It's the other parts like parts of the motor or rims that are weakening under weight and strain.
Thank you to all who donated to the MS walk the girls and I were in this past Saturday. You helped us bypass our goal. I will send you the final total as soon as I get the latest numbers.
03/31/2004 I'm back from seeing Delbert in San Francisco He is absolutely wonderful. Here are a pictures from the last few days:
 
Del has completed 3,186 miles to date.
03/25/2004 Just a quick note to give you an update. I will meet Delbert in San Francisco tomorrow. So you probably will not hear from me until I return it sounds like Del and I will be very busy. Delbert will be at the San Francisco Zoo on Sunday for a presentation and interviews on Monday.
So talk to you next week, maybe Wednesday and I hope to have some pictures to share.
03/21/2004 Well Delbert is in Placerville tonight and will arrive in Sacramento, CA tomorrow.
03/16/2004 Sorry I didn't get yesterday's update out like I wanted to. So here is today's update instead. Delbert is in Reno, NV getting new spokes and a tune-up on the motor. Del will be there for a few days.
Some of you have asked how am I doing? Well it has been an extremely busy month at work, home and all around. I think I'm keeping up. I have good and bad days but I'm dealing better this time around with Del gone (I think).
I'm excited I will be flying out Friday 3/26/04 to meet Del in San Francisco. I can't wait to see him and to spend a few days with him. So updates while I'm gone my be very few until I return.
O.K. its late and past my bed time. Good night everyone.
03/12/2004 I just heard from Del he had a 102-mile day today. He is now in Amargosa Valley, NV.
Del is fine. He said that it was a wonderful ride.
03/07/2004 Delbert is in Las Vegas, and doing fine. Del will be there a few days for a program and to do interviews.
He is currently updating his website while he has access to the Internet.
03/04/2004 Yesterday and today Delbert has had really bad cell phone reception. When I talked with him briefly I think he said he was in Seligman, AZ.
I hope that the reception clears up soon.
03/02/2004 I have a correction from the other day. Delbert was in Tusayan, Arizona.
Tonight Delbert is in Williams, Arizona and has traveled 2,080 miles.
02/29/2004 I'm sorry that I haven't sent out a update the last few days, but there wasn't much to report till today. Not to mention I've been extremely busy this past week & weekend.
Do to weather and snow Del had to be transported around the bad weather and snow to Tasonie (sp?), Arizona. This will help him to get/stay on schedule. Safety being kept in mind with the weather being what it was it was not safe for him to peddle.
Del would like to go back down to the Grand Canyon to take photos but may not be able to due to weather.
Del has said that when all is said and done he is talking about getting a Harley trike. He is hoping that I will be willing to go with him back to the Grand Canyon. (smile)
I've heard from Stepheni and she is fine and well she made it to Iraq O.K. She says the average of getting mail in or out is 14 days. So we will see how long it will be before I get her letter and how long it will be for her to get her care package.
02/23/2004 Del is in Provo, UT today. He is fine and will be there for a few days for interviews and a program.
Update on Stepheni and Edricque leaving for Iraq. Stepheni leaves tomorrow Tuesday morning 2/24/04. Edricque is slated to leave March 2nd or 3rd. My heart is breaking but Del & I know that God's angels will watch over them both.
02/20/2004 I heard from Del late last night he was in Monticello, UT and would head for Moab, UT today.
He is feeling great and sounds wonderful.
Some of you have asked if he is peddling or have a motor on the trike. Answer: Both. Del is peddling and has a motor on the trike to assist him with fatigue and hills. (Lessons learned from the first trip). This also helps him cover more miles a day.
If you have any questions please send them I will try to answer them as best I can and then include them in my emails. If you are thinking it someone else maybe thinking the same question. (smile)
02/18/2004 Del is in Cortez, CO I heard from him last night just barely. There was a lot of static on the phone so our conversation was not long.
There was still a lot of static again today.
02/16/2004 I've talked with Delbert and he is in Farmington, NM tonight. He is fine and doing well.
02/14/2004 Delbert is fine he had a long hilly day and is now in Cuba, NM. When I talked with him there was a lot of static on the line so we did not talk long.
I hope that he will be able to get on line later so that we can chat.
02/12/2004 Delbert is currently in Albuquerque, NM he has a program tonight and will be leaving in the morning.
Del has hit the 1,000 + mile marker, his next major destination is Provo, UT tentatively 8 days from departing Albuquerque.
Delbert is feeling fine and takes one day, one peddle at a time.
02/09/2004 Delbert is still in Brownfield, TX. He will be there another day working.
Delbert is fine and doing well. We are experiencing problems with the cell phone and being in analog roam so he can't receive some of my calls and sometimes can't make them.
Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes.
02/07/2004 Sorry I haven't sent an update in a few days. Been crazy this week all over the place – work, home, & family.
O.K. Delbert is fine and is currently in Brownfield, TX. He will be there today and tomorrow.
Del is having some roaming problems with the cell so there are times that the cell will not receive or make calls. But now we think that in Brownfield the cell will work. It is the smaller towns that seem to be a problem.
Well that is it for now. Thanks
02/05/2004 I've been extremely busy and did not get yesterday's update out.
Delbert is currently in Jacksboro, TX. He is fine and trying to beat the weather. He is running into or meeting rain occasionally.
Thank you all for all of your support and prayers.
02/02/2004 Delbert is fine. He is currently in Texas. I will be able to tell you tomorrow specifically where.
Check out the wonderful honor Del received:
I will eventually try to get my website back up and running in the next month with hot links to other articles/ coverage running on Del.
For those of you who have asked: Due to weather conditions here in Wichita this past weekend, Del and I felt it best for me to head back home vs. going down to Fort Hood to see Stepheni. The girls and I made it to Wellington, KS Saturday night and were able to get back to Wichita around 9:00 a.m. Sunday. It was a good thing we did. If we hadn't and would have been coming back later I don't think that we would have made it back.
01/25/2004 Delbert was delayed yesterday Saturday due to weather reports saying that it was going to rain the whole day. Turned out that it was just cloudy and it did not rain.
I took Del some tools and supplies out to him so it was not a total loss to the day.
01/23/2004 Delbert Richardson Update – What a day yesterday. Delbert did start his Crossing America 2004, Wheels Of Hope II Tour at 12:20. There were a few problems along the way at different times – three tire blow outs. I met back up with him last night two to three miles outside of Ark City with more tires and inner-tubes.
Wow! What a way to kick off. I was amazed at the number of people on the highway and streets who honked their horns and gave thumbs up sign. Del told me there were plenty of people who saw him on the side of the rode to assist him if they could or they wanted to say thank you for doing this.
Well that is the update for today. Oh! At the beginning of these reports is a picture from the kick off. I can say this - He looks good! "I'm not biased at all – yea right"
Delbert Richardson
01/21/2004 Delbert Update - Thanks to all who came out for the kick-off event yesterday. It went very well even being cold. The Exploration Place let us use their cafe so we were out of the cold wind.
First off, Del did not leave yesterday due to the snow that was supposed to hit the Oklahoma and Kansas boarder. Del hopes to leave tomorrow, Thursday 1/22/04. I don't have a time or know if it will happen or not. I will keep you posted.
My digital camera battery died yesterday but, plan B, we had Del's digital camera so I hope to have a copy of the pictures to share with you tomorrow.
Thanks so much.
Monique Richardson
For more information about Delbert, see these articles:
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