Mason and Lia Geiger of Warsaw will embark on a 34-day adventure alongside Tour Divide bicyclist Tim Devlin and Dave Wildman in June. The couple will film and photograph the event to raise $25,000 for House of Hope, an orphanage sponsored by 2nd Mile Missions in the Dominican Republic.
(Photo provided)

A local man and his wife will take to the road next month in a cross-country adventure to film a documentary following two local men as they bike the 2,745 mile Tour Divide Race. Mason and Lia Geiger of Warsaw will follow Tim Devlin, an eighth grade history teacher at Edgewood Middle School, and David Wildman, director of 2nd Mile Adventures, an organization that exists to challenge people to go the 2nd Mile physically, mentally, and spiritually, during their 34-day bike ride over a 200,000 foot elevational climb from Antelope Wells, New Mexico to Banff, Alberta, Canada.

“The race itself is for people all over the world,” explained Mason Geiger. “It is the most difficult route in the world right now. Tim and Dave are riding to raise $25,000 to go to the 2nd Mile Missions’ House of Hope orphanage in the Dominican Republic.”

David Wildman is the director of 2nd Mile Adventures and is married to Sarah Wildman. The couple reside in Winona Lake. Wildman has been riding sections of the Tour Divide route for 4 years and has covered most of Colorado and Southern Wyoming.
(Photo provided)

Wildman and Devlin, both of Winona Lake, will ride an average of 80-90 miles a day and are required to be entirely self-sufficient, carrying their tents and food along with them as they go. The group will encounter a variety of terrains and people living in rural communities.

According to Geiger, Wildman invited Geiger to come along and film the trip half-jokingly, never expecting Geiger, whose non-profit film company Film For The Maker creates films for local groups, charities and benefits, to agree and come onboard. As Wildman and Devlin train for the ride, Geiger and his wife are working to prepare for the 34-day project which will also serve to raise matching funds for House of Hope. In addition, Geiger stated that the couple is working to raise the $12,500 necessary to set up a van they can both live out of and work out of as well as assembling the necessary equipment and supplies.

Tim Devlin of Winona Lake is an eighth grade history teacher at Edgewood Middle School in Warsaw. Devlin will ride alongside Wildman during this year’s Tour Divide.
(Photo provided)

“If we are going to do this, we need to do this right,” stated Geiger. “Our whole idea is to move people to action through film. There are a lot of organizations around the world and our community that are doing truly awesome things but don’t have a way to promote themselves. We sit down and figure the best way to reach their audience and put together a promotional film or documentary. Our whole campaign is ‘I’m a difference maker’. We are going to put together a montage of all the people who made this happen holding a sign that says that for the documentary.

The Geigers are currently working on securing corporate sponsors for the trip and invite anyone interested in hearing more about the documentary, Tour Divide or House of Hope to visit their booth at Fat and Skinny Tire Festival Friday through Sunday, May 16-18. Geiger noted Film For The Maker will be filming the festival and sponsors will be stopping by to speak with the public. Wildman and Devlin will also be visiting the booth with their bikes and equipment, which were donated by Summit City Bikes in Fort Wayne, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Both Wildman and Devlin will bicycle between 80-90 miles per day for 34 days. Fundraising is ongoing to meet Devlin and Wildman’s $25,000 goal.
(Photo from http://tourdividetimdave.wordpress.com/)

The Geigers will leave for the race on Thursday, June 5, with Devlin and Wildman set to begin their ride on June 9. Those looking to make a donation to Film For The Maker for the documentary/House of Hope may do so by mailing 2nd Mile Adventures CO Film For The Maker, PO Box 733, Winona Lake, IN. Film for the maker non-profit company under 2nd Mile Adventure and tax incentives will be available for those who donate.

Further information on Film For The Maker can be found by visiting the website here, or by visiting the company’s Facebook. Information on Devlin and Wildman’s ride may be found by visiting their website or their Facebook page. Information on 2nd Mile Missions and House of Hope may be found here.