following articles capture the call on his life...
In the early afternoon on August 1, 2003, a kindly looking gentleman was spotted playing a trumpet near the monument
in downtown Caledonia. In a conversation with the man we found out his name is Richard Jacobson and that his calling is
to travel from village to village on his bicycle playing patriotic and gospel tunes. He is originally from Owego, NY but has
been traveling on his bike since 1995. He camps out most nights but occasionally stays with friends or acquaintances.
He was heading east on Route 5 to Geneva and then on to New York City and Boston. He eventually wants to travel
overseas to Ireland and Germany and on to Israel as his final destination. What a pleasant surprise it was to hear some
beautiful music filling our village on a peaceful Friday afternoon.
Richard Jacobson passing through Caledonia
By GREGORY BRUNO
Special to The News Virginian
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
A bicycle-riding, trumpet-playing Christian evangelist visited Waynesboro on Monday. Around noon, I heard unexpected
sounds in my Burly Nerd computer office, and they were good sounds. Someone was playing a heart-felt rendition of a
patriotic tune across the street from me, in front of the
Waynesboro Heritage Museum.
As I went outside to see what was happening, he began playing an old gospel tune with inspiring enthusiasm.
City workers were laying out the streetscape designs on the pavement near him, as if they heard such things every day.
Passing cars slowed down and didn’t mind the wait for the next green light. A lady from Sam’s Hot Dogs brought the
trumpeter a bottle of water. A gentleman from Waynesboro Rapid Print dropped some money in the trumpet case on the
sidewalk, as did several passersby.
Richard Jacobson, originally of Wichita, Kan., had ridden his bicycle into town on Route 250 from Charlottesville.
His bicycle was loaded with his traveling gear, a Christian flag, a wooden cross and a sign in the front and one in the
back. The front sign said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness," while the rear sign asked "Who is on the Lord’s
side?"
Jacobson has been riding around America for 10 years, and recently rode from Kansas to New York City. He also
appeared in Florida to rally protesters against what was happening to Terri Schiavo.
He earns his way via the donations he receives when he plays his trumpet, most of the time. When winter arrives, he
sometimes earns money playing the trumpet in indoor gospel music shows. Most of his time is devoted to his ministry,
and his hometown is wherever he is when it comes time to stop.
Previously, he rode around Germany performing his ministry for four years.
“I do a lot of interviews for newspapers in the places that I visit,” Jacobson said. “I don’t mind because it brings attention
to my mission of spreading God’s word.”
After Jacobson finished an hour or two of playing music in front of the museum, he stopped at Burly Nerd to talk for a
while. He commented on how beautiful the area is, and that he is coming back to ride along the parkway.
When we finished, Richard went to Sam’s Hot Dogs for lunch with the $10 donation he earned for his interview. Later he
was seen pedaling off to the Waynesboro Public Library.
Next stop: West Virginia
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By Christina Florada
November 4, 2005
Event ID: 74210
Belting out old hymns on his trumpet, Richard Jacobson has traveled far to point the people of Bennington toward the
Savior. Every year for the past four years, Jacobson travels from Kansas to bike up and down the east coast for about
five months spreading Christianity through music.
Richard in Manhattan NY; 2006.
Now on his way through Eastern CANADA
