THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE

foreign [Music] thank you [Music] the thrill of Adventure captures many of us and the possibilities are limited only by our imagination foreign [Music] recent aspect of man's search for adventure is the rapid and astounding growth of motorcycling laughs [Applause] foreign [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] through the years we've explored together in many different areas in a never-ending search for knowledge and adventure in a few moments we'll find ourselves in the middle of the Sahara Desert and in the midst of one of the most thrilling real-life Adventures I've ever known our guide will be diculing now an important member of the staff here at Moody Institute of science dick why in the world did you want to cross the Sahara desert on a motorcycle well I've always liked the adventurous life I've worked as a deep sea diver in underwater photographer for a while as a private detective and I even spent some time as a big game hunter and guide and I particularly enjoy sports that have lots of excitement one of my favorites is kayaking in fact I was all set to go down the full length of the Nile River in a kayak but two things stop me first I had a hard time interesting any others in paddling 4 000 miles through crocodiles and mosquitoes and second a war in the near East prevented any travel through remote areas of Egypt and the sedan so I concentrated my plans on the Sahara Desert I placed an ad in a Seattle newspaper and 31 people answered I told them what I had in mind to cross the world's largest desert on motorcycles well that was quite a response dick at least you found that you're not the only nut in the world yet and even had six girls as the ad but I selected four fellows Russell ream saw the ad in a week old newspaper and he called me from aboard his shift he's an officer in the Merchant Marine he was 22 years old and full of energy Frank fanger was 20 years older than Russ and he's the kind of person you'd want for a lifelong friend he was such a nature buff he almost felt uncomfortable indoors Otto Christensen at 52 was the oldest member of our Expedition he was a Pacific Northwest builder and he just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in East Africa Nick Dole born in Holland and raised in Canada was an electrical engineer he spoke five languages and he became our interpreter our trip began in Casablanca Morocco on the northwest coast of Africa here we spent several weeks while waiting for our motorcycles to arrive [Music] they finally came we had arranged to assemble them in the courtyard of the American embassy we were pretty excited that our expedition was actually getting underway but also we were a little apprehensive we realized there were many unknowns ahead and possible dangers our bikes were extremely overloaded each load averaged 175 pounds they actually weighed more than the bikes did even on good paved roads the loads were so bulky and top heavy we could hardly keep the bikes balanced our first day out we had seven spills and during one of these Otto broke his right thumb by the end of that first day we were really beat although we'd only made 80 miles we finally reached a Village Market in the Atlas mountain here we hope to find someone who would look at Otto's thumb the only person we could find was a village witch doctor and the first thing she did was give a big Yank on poor Otto's thumb he nearly passed out [Music] Otto's injury gave us an excuse to do a little extra sightseeing [Music] in spite of a broken thumb Otto wrote another 300 miles before finally dropping out as we crossed a pass in the Atlas Mountains and started down there spread out before us was the Sahara nothing but Rock and Sand [Music] and Mild after mile of pure desolation the sand looks smooth but beneath the surface are rocks which can catch your tires and throw your bike around you have to fight your machine all the time over much of our journey we made our own roads in the morning we would take a compass bearing and then take off for a spot on the horizon 12 hours later when we unloaded to make Camp it seemed we hadn't moved at all the same empty train we've driven over all day was waiting for us when we stopped at night how many miles could you make in a day we tried every day to make our goal the next well these Wells were usually about 100 miles apart roughly a three-day camel Trek some days it was such a struggle we could only make 25 or 30 miles over the worst spots we had to drag and push our bikes [Music] [Music] the days were unmercifully hot and by noon the surface of the sand had reached 185 degrees our tires really took a beating tires weren't the only victims there were Stark reminders that the desert loses few battles deck since one of your goals was to document your experiences on film these constant hardships you faced must have made filming very difficult at times yes and add to that the Algerian government thought we were spies for the CIA and they put so many restrictions on what we could do was virtually impossible to take any pictures I've fallen a small twin-engined airplane across that Sahara Desert and I know from personal experience that field stops are few and far between how in the world did you keep those motorcycles supplied with gasoline what was one of our biggest problems we had one stretch where it was over 480 miles between refueling points when your tank only holds two and a half gallons that becomes real serious so we carried all the extra gas we could in plastic containers strapped to the back of our bike in fact it was a loss of this reserved fuel that created our first life and death crisis [Music] at the time we were about 700 miles into the desert we've been running across some rocky ground when suddenly two of our racks broke due to metal fatigue all the containers put wide open and all of our reserved gas disappeared into the sand [Music] as we tried to wire our racks back on we realized we were in really a precarious position even by pulling all the gas we had left in our bikes there was only enough for one motorcycle to make it about 30 miles the Algerian government had worn us again and again that we would never make it they told us that there have been over 100 attempts to cross the Sahara Desert by motorcycles but yet none had ever done it in fact quite a few had died in their attempts so at a sheer desperation we did the only thing we could think of I bowed my head and I prayed never before had I faced such a crisis where I had to ask God for a favor but now I prayed he would send help I lifted my eyes and they're not 300 yards away was an Algerian army truck the soldiers stopped and gave us Fuel and water and led us to a fort that evening we asked the commandant how often the trucks patrolled that area he answered oh about every 60 days well that gave us plenty to think about it's an awesome thing to pray and then open your eyes and see the answer to your prayer Nick dropped out this point and returned to the coast with a caravan Frank Russ and I pushed through loose end for many days [Music] and pushed hard to make up for lost time finally we reached to no Aces it was a welcome thing to be with people again it was here we met a man who was the official Algerian tourist representative for the central Sahara Desert we were the first tourist seed scene during the two and a half years he'd been in office for this man our arrival was an occasion for a tea ceremony although he lives in a mud hut he lives rather elegantly while we drank tea his wife prepared couscous a favorite dish of both the herbs and berbers [Music] after several weeks of dehydrated food we really enjoyed that dinner several days later we met a caravan the people were intrigued by our iron camels but I doubt if they'd been interested in a trade a camel can beat any motorcycle on an economy run they can go for eight days without water it was after we left this area that we travel through probably the most desolate part of the Sahara [Music] for five days we saw not a living thing no bugs no birds not even camel tracks it was like being on the moon by this time we were 1200 miles into Sahara and I was in the lead I was trying to weave a path through some rocks I thought I could make it between these two big boulders but I didn't and the container carrying the last of our water ripped wide open so there we stood looking into place where the water had spilled later we learned that only two weeks before a French couple in a four-wheel drive vehicle had become stuck in the same area and they died we had this large map of North Africa in honor we found the spot where we were and we scrutinized every landmark then Russ found a well but it was 95 miles away and we knew we'd never make it because of the dehydration problem each man was drinking nearly two gallons of water every day and without water we knew we wouldn't last very long again we realized if something pretty miraculous didn't happen we were going to die so we did the only thing left we prayed I figured if it worked once before it might work again as we lifted our heads Russ had this compulsion to look and he's packed at the beginning of our trip we bought 42 aerial photographic Maps these Maps showed intricate detail even the camel pass and every well some of which we found out were dry along the way it had been necessary to continually lighten our loads and we disposed of many items film our stove spare parts and even these detailed maps we threw out every one or so we thought but Russ had this compulsion to look in his pack and entity found just one of these detailed maps it was a map of the very area we were in a show to well only five miles away a well not shown on a larger map but then we wondered would it have water or would it be dry and as fast as we could we drove there to find out we lured a bucket about 80 feet and we pulled up the best water we had on the entire trip it just gives me cold chills to hear you describe that experience must have been pretty wonderful for you fellows out there in the desert oh it certainly was and that night we talked about it in Camp but we still had nearly 2 000 miles to go and we knew we weren't out of trouble yet two days later we reached in Sawa a large Oasis at the crossroads of two Caravan routes we knew that once we left in Sawa it would be nearly 500 miles before we reached a place where we could get more gas so we were hoping to find some vehicle or Caravan going south which would carry most of our equipment that way we could carry extra amounts of gas it turned out to be eight fruitless days of waiting and inquiring [Music] in spite of our impatience it did provide an opportunity for us to rest [Music] and for me an opportunity to read and to think although I wasn't a Christian at the time there was no doubt in my mind that God had saved Our Lives twice and it bothered me that I was always asking in favor of God but seemingly he never asked for anything in return deck what was your religious background white study religion quite a bit in college and I used to think everyone was right the mohammedans the Buddhists the existentialist you name it but then I realized everyone couldn't be right and all my stunning and analyzing left me very antagonistic aspartek I guess those experiences out there in the desert softened up just a bit oh they sure did Russell's girlfriend is giving him this small pocket Bible and I asked him if I could borrow it I wanted to find out more about a God who would answer our prayers and yet seemingly ask for nothing in return so I read Matthew Mark Luke most of John in Revelation and for the first time I realized what the Bible was saying finally we couldn't wait any longer the season for sandstorms was starting and time was running on our visas in sheer desperation we took off even though we had serious doubts we'd make it we hope we might get gas at a small Army Post we'd spotted on our man but before we got there and found out the post was deserted an even worse disaster struck we were 200 miles out of insala and we were making pretty good time when my front wheel hit a rock buried beneath the sand as I flipped end over in my legs shot through the front spoke and all 350 pounds of loaded motorcycle Came Crashing Down on Me well as Russ pulled me out I told him it felt like my leg was broken I'd broken it once before in the Marine Corps and the doctors had put five steel pins in it they told me then if I broke it again they may have to amputate was obvious I couldn't go on it would have been impossible for the fellows to carry me on their bikes and if they left me there was no way they could bring back help and time to save me from dying of thirst it would have taken at least five days for a trip to Taman reset and back the nearest place they could get help As I Lay stretched out in the sand I thought of how it really made a mess in my life I thought about my selfishness and I felt sorry for the way I'd done many things I prayed for a third time I said Lord I really don't at this time and I'm sorry to keep bothering you but we're in a hopeless mess and I know I'm going to die if you don't send help then those passages I read in the Bible came back to me and I realized God had provided a way to forgive me and I need and die feeling guilty for the way I lived right then I accepted Christ as my personal savior and I knew at long last I'd found what I've been searching for it was peace an amazing kind of peace dick this is one of the most fantastic stories of conversion I've ever heard must have been pretty wonderful to you out there in the desert and yet they here you were still facing death out there what happened well I guess for the first time I was really ready to die but the Lord had other plans for my life and as I finished praying I looked up and at first I thought it was a mirage it was a truck coming straight toward us I cried tears of joy they placed me in the cab of the truck and for the next three days they gave me the most thoughtful and tender care they could when we reached to manreset we found a doctor the only one in 1500 miles in any direction he told us just the week before he'd received a fluoroscope machine but he hadn't had a chance to set it up yet we finally got it going and they put my leg in front of the screen and then he let out a long low whistle right he probably thought he was looking at a junkyard when he saw all those steel pins in your leg dick I guess maybe he did he said it was a miracle it wasn't shattered but it was just some badly torn ligaments a lot must have been wonderful news oh it certainly was but we even had some more wonderful news that day well I was in a dispensary Russ searched the Oasis and there he found a missionary family who spoke English and that was just perfect because I had a million questions I wanted to ask them about my finding Christ out there in the desert since I couldn't walk and there are no crutches into memory said Russ had to help me to the missionaries home it was sent to man reset an isolated Oasis in the middle of the desert the dick Ewing and Russell Rheem found two missionaries who brought them to the beginning of their Ultimate Adventure and this wonderful couple Mr and Mrs Baggett is so important to dick and Russ that we brought them here so that they could tell this amazing story themselves I will remember that Sunday morning when these two Travelers came into the mission compound where we'd had Travelers come before many of them but this was different for one man was on the on the back of the other it was very funny foreign well Russ you must have been the one carrying dick why yes I had to because of his sprained ankle couldn't walk but I felt like I had another load on me also out in the desert we had talked before and I knew dick was very antagonistic towards religion I didn't know exactly what kind of conflict we'd have when we met the missionaries I was a Miller of the rotor myself I had been to church but I didn't take things very seriously didn't think too much about it so as we walked up that gate of the compound I felt two burdens and I was anxious about what was going to happen well what did happen dick well Mr Baggett explained from the scriptures the wonderful thing that had happened to me he helped me to understand that I had a worth I never dreamed of I was worth something to God if God cared enough to save my life three times out there in the desert then I was some value to him as we read the Bible I told Mr bagad I had nothing to give to God but he told me that God wanted only me and roughs went away and left dick with me in the chapel and I remember he said well I don't know where to begin but I've wasted 35 years of my life and I really need garb and so from the word of God I showed him how Christ had died for her sins and so we had a time of prayer I said would you like to pray and he said no you pray and after I prayed I could just see the joy of the Lord in his face that there had been a real change in his heart what was wonderful the way you made clear for me the reality of my decision for Christ out there in the desert but I wasn't the only one who benefited from your instructions Russ was always too tired when we got there he'd say I'll wait here to your finish to take you back so he received the same biblical instructions that I did so he could have to leave Mrs Baggett wasn't about to let him just walk out I had taken his hand to say goodbye and he had such a distressing look in his face and and he stooped over and he kissed me and I said are you sure Russell that you want to leave here tonight without receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior and he said no I I do want to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my savior so we bowed our heads and I held his hand in both of mine and right then and there he accepted Jesus and he asked him into his life after we'd finished praying after I'd accepted Jesus Christ as my own personal savior I I felt a tremendous inner peace and at the same time a tremendous excitement because I discovered something that I'd never had before in my life Mrs bragette must have been exciting to see them off yes my husband saw the Two Fellas off at the front gate and it was an amazing thing because I went back into the kitchen and there I found our son and daughter Stephen and Verna and they were weeping for a joy because not only had uh dick come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior but now Russell had accepted Christ well this was an event of tremendous significance that these two fellows in the center of the Sahara Desert through God's Providence and mercy had come to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and now they were going out with a new purpose going out on Life's greatest adventure for Christ and in his service [Music] Yes we made it across the Sahara we travel 3500 miles and we had many Unforgettable experiences but for us and me the most important was we'd found God not some vague abstraction but a personal God who enters into our deadly lives in a very practical way and now for the first time our lives have real meaning and purpose but Junior can go to the extreme that I went to God will meet you right now this very instant and I can tell you this from personal experience if you commit your life to Christ you too will have found the Ultimate Adventure [Music]