Benjamin Alan Best, from Winterhaven, Florida, has spent the last five years biking across the United States, meeting fellow Americans along the way and raising awareness of veterans. He traveled through Staples

Feb. 8, having spent the night in Motley, thanks to

the hospitality of the Motley United Methodist Church. “Usually, I just stay outside in my tent but sometimes

people take me in,” Best said. Best plans to arrive in Cincinnati April 26, to attend a ceremony in honor of U.S. Army soldier Keith Matthew Maupin, who was missing for nearly four years after being captured in

Iraq. His remains were found in 2008. Best plans to

write a book someday about his adventures, he said. “I’ll prove that the good in this country far outweighs the

bad.” (Staples World photo by Dawn Schimpp-Timbs)