Post overload from last night to today! Pictures from today...

Here are more pictures from Washington D.C. today. I also finally posted and wrote a little about the last few days, so don't miss that! Hope the Lord is continuing to bless you all!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48747&l=f306d&id=713683254

The Last Day of July... a catch-up post.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It has been a long time since I have posted, so I am sorry for that. Actually, it is tough for me to remember what I last wrote about. I believe, I was in Philadelphia, after getting held up by the rain. Well, since then, much travelling and sightseeing has happened.

I don't even know where to start because I have seen so many things. I eventually did go downtown Philadelphia, as you can see in my pictures and I got to experience some of the history of out country. Being in Liberty Hall really creates a feeling of respect for the men that started this country. According to the world's standards, we are still young as a nation, but even so, to stand in a 200 whatever year old building, in the room where our nation began, was very humbling. After touring some more things in Philadelphia, I rode out towards Gettysburg and I want to write a little bit about that ride.

As I was riding out, I was kind of complaining. Now, obviously, I'm complaining in my head, because there is no human being on the cycle to complain to. On that ride, I believe I was complaining about the traffic and how this trip isn't going as I planned and how the timing keeps getting thrown off by different things and other such complaints as that. Well, about that time, God smacked me with a revelation. He showed me how much complaining I was doing and how I fell I need to be in control of everything. I thought about it and realized it to be true. I don't really trust in God's time. I trust in my time and I want things to happen my way and in my time and I realized how selfish I was. God nailed me in between the eyes and there was nothing I could do but reflect on it, pray about it, try to make a conscious effort to change and then sit back and worship God, the one who points out our faults, in one way or another. Since then, I still struggle with handing things over to God, and I will continue to do so because people don't change that fast, but at least I am aware of it. So, that was one good, challenging ride.

Anyway, a little continuation. I got out to Gettysburg, but it was late in the evening, so I found a campsite and hung out there, relaxing around the fire. The next day, I got up early and headed for Gettysburg. Again, another historic place where many, many Americans lost their lives. Truly, it was one of the darkest moments of our country. Six thousand acres of battlefield; of brother killing brother and cousin killing cousin. There are no words to describe.

From Gettysburg, I headed south crossing through Maryland, West Virginia, into Virginia and to Shenandoah National Park. It was early afternoon and very warm, but soon, I was driving the skyline drive and it was cool in the forest. Man, what a view! It was rather hazy, but still. I could only ride about 30 miles or so of the skyline drive because I needed to get to Washington D.C. that night, so, after a brief break from the cities, I headed back.

All this happened on Tuesday. So, on Tuesday night, I arrived in Washington. Since then, I have been touring the city. Tuesday night, I got to see the Capital, Washington Memorial, World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial and the FDR Memorial all lit up in the night. They are beautiful! I believe I posted a few pictures. Wednesday, I was at the National Air and Space Museum most of the day, then went to the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constituation along with the Magna Carta. Today, I went back into the city and toured the Holocost Museum and walked through all the war memorials in the daylight and also visited the Lincoln Memorial, White House, Arrlington Cemetary and the Pentagon. So, it was a lot of walking, but I made it and am back to relax a little.

Tomorrow, I hit the road again and make for Norfolk, VA. Hopefully, that post isn't too long for you and hopefully it got you caught back up. I have a few more things to write, but I will leave it at that.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and God bless you all!

Tim

More Pictures

Okay guys.... I promise, I will tell what has been happening the last few days, but first, here are a bunch of pictures. Again, these are a select few. My camera now holds 681 total pictures.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48610&l=85642&id=713683254

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48612&l=8d2d4&id=713683254

Great ride today

Greetings friends!
This is a quick update just to tell you that I had a great day of riding and saw Gettysburg this morning, drove through some of Shenendoah (however you spell that) and am now in the suburbs of Washington D.C. So, it was hot, no rain and some beautiful scenery. I will give more details later.
God bless you all!

Tim

Day 23, A quarter of the way around...

Brothers and Sisters,
Today was definitely a learning day, which I'm sorry, but I cannot go into detail about at this point. I am tired, and need to go to bed. Currently, I am in the outskirts of Philadelphia. Now, the plan for today was to tour Philadelphia and get out close to Gettysburg, well, neither of those happened. I got on the motorcycle, which is running great by the way, and headed for the city. Once again, I hit rain and drove through it for quite a while. Using my amazing skills of observation (insert sarcasm) I noticed that the clouds looked awful dark to the south, so I decided to stop, take a break and see what the weather was like. To keep a long story short, (for my sake, not yours) it was storming in Philadelphia, so touring wouldn't be a lot of fun. I began searching for a place to stay and eventually hooked up with a family friend at 9 p.m. So, I only drove about 120 miles today and didn't see much (except lightening), but I am in a cool place with a roof over my head. Tomorrow is another day and one where the battle must be fought.

God is definitely challenging me to grow in various ways and he is using many different things to empower me. Once again, I can't go into great detail, because I have to sleep. Have a great night and God bless you all!

Timothy

Day 22... Lady Liberty, Traffic...yes.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
I haven't blogged in a couple days, so I am sorry to leave you hanging. Right now, I am in West Milford, New Jersey which is about 35 or so miles west of New York City. I got here yesterday evening.

After waiting a day for the rain to stop, I saddled up the bike, got in position and cruised down the road once again, hitting 5 states in one day. Yep, those would be Massechussetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Except, the trip didn't go as smoothly as planned. The day started of great with beautiful weather and nice, sunny skys. I enjoyed my dinner on the rocks in Connecticut, listening to the waves roll in. Upon finishing my food, I made my way to the naval station in New London where I toured the Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine. It was pretty sweet. From there, being as smart as I am, I decided to get moving and beat rush hour and get to my destination on time. Well, I was cruising down the highway just fine until. BOOM!! stop and go traffic. Basically, there was an accident so traffic wasn't moving. By the time I got past that mess, it was about 4-4:30 and rush hour had commenced and there I was, stuck between some big cities in Connecticut and New York City... not the most opportune place to be. So, more stop and go traffic and, I later found out... another accident. To keep the story short, over the course of 2.5 to 3 hours, I moved a grand total of 25 miles and the only reason I moved that far was because 17 of those miles had been inbetween accidents where I could go 70 mph. Frustrating is the only word to describe it. But, I eventually made it, 4 hours after I planned.

Today was filled with good times. I took a train into New York and then another train to Liberty State Park, then a bus into the park and then, finally, a ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island. It was a long commute, but I got here and enjoyed the monuments, for a short time. Now, some of you know, I give America a hard time on many different levels and I can ride it pretty hard, but I do have a lot of national pride. After visiting the history of Boston and now standing where millions of immigrants came into the country and reading the history of the statue of Liberty and what she stands for, I can say that I am proud of our history. America truly does have a unique history, even though we are young as a country. As I stood, looking up at Lady Liberty, I tried to imagine myself as an immigrant in the early 1900s, coming from a country of trial and tribulation, to America, the land of opportunity. It was a place famed for wild frontiers and freedom and after cruising into New York Harbor, the first sight is Lady Liberty, holding her torch high, signalling to the rest of the world that there is a place where liberty and justice are supposed to be the foundations of the republic. Honestly, I can't describe what I felt, but I can say that I felt pride for this country, probably more than I ever have. There is a lot that she does wrong and I have many problems with the U.S.A., but I still hope and pray that she can have "liberty and justice for all."

Tomorrow, I plan on travelling to Philadelphia to take in more history and see how I may be used there. I am still trying to figure out how God wants to use me on this trip and it is tough because every day, I am in a different geographical region. Anyway, please pray that I stop listening to my own voice (and maybe the voice of Satan) and open up to God's gracious voice of comfort and instruction.

God bless you all!

Timothy

Day 20- an update, since I have time

Hello Friends,
Here is an updated map of where I am. I have covered the black line from Edgerton, MN all the way around to the white arrow. I know, it is a very high tech. map. :)

Well, today, the rain stopped me. It was pouring this morning and, actually, places in this section of the country had the possibility of getting 3 inches of rain! Crazy! So, I'm taking the day off. Tomorrow, the plan is to head down to New Jersey, just west of New York City.

Yesterday, I drove down to Boston and toured there for quite a while. It was really cool to be in one of the oldest parts of the country. While I was there, I saw things like Paul Revere's house, the Old State House, the church where Paul Revere hung the two lanterns to warn of the British movements, the U.S.S. Constitution and Bunker Hill. I attempted to get to Fenway Park for a tour before it closed, but got lost, so sorry guys (you know who you are), no pictures. I did see it fly by on the highway though.

Another thing that made me happy was hearing the thick, Boston accent. I smiled the when I talked with people in the city and actually, on the highway. Strangly enough, while I was driving in the city, I had several people asking questions about the motorcycle and my trip and all that jazz. It was actually kind of fun, because at one point, we were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, so there was nothing else to do. When it was time to leave, I got on the cycle and tried to find my way through traffic, but was stuck in traffic for over an hour. Once we did get moving, the rain rolled in, so I got wet... again. Man, the joys...
No, really, it was a very good day of sight seeing and talking with a couple people on the street. I found it interesting how easy it is to pick out us tourists, so throughout the day, I found a couple of people who were by themselves, like me, and just talked with them. One was on the street in Downtown Boston and the other was climbing the tower at Bunker Hill. Ya know, just being human to someone and talking with them, like we all need.

The trip has been going better, especially since I have been staying with people that I know lately. On top of that, your notes and emails of encouragement also meant a lot. Thank you! But, on top of everything, God has been letting me know in little ways that he was here. I had several good devotions times where I felt very encouraged. There has been something else that God has used though, which is kind of strange and that is road signs. I see a lot of them in a day, and some of them strike me and make me think. Well, in the days when I was ready to turn around and things weren't going well, I reads signs such as "God is in Control." and "Turn your eyes upon Jesus." and one that I am still thinking about said, "Trust says Jesus can... Faith says Jesus will." So, some of those have been very encouraging. I've come to realize that maybe this trip isn't about feeling a leading in every decision, but it is about making decisions the way I would make them on a normal vacation, but be very open to the people around me and the looks in their eyes and just try to be Jesus to every person that I meet. That is when God will open doors. That's where I'm at and I pray that it stops raining...eventually... maybe. Faith says Jesus will, right? :)

Anyway, this is way too long so I am sorry...but just a few thoughts as to what I'm doing and feeling.
Thanks again to you all and God bless you!

Tim

Pictures #2

Ok Friends, here is another small sampling of pictures... Hopefully they work.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=47367&l=2bd36&id=713683254

Groundhog Day!!

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today felt like groundhog day, you know, where our little furry friend comes out and does the whole shadow looking thing. Well, the past 4 days have been rainy, cloudy and cool. I had almost forgotten what the sun looked like. This morning, I woke up and was on the road by 8:15 a.m. and it looked like rain, so I put on my usual apparel: the rainsuit. After driving for a couple hours and not a drop of rain, I was slightly confused and looked up at the clouds floating above my head wondering, just when they were going to unleash their gushes of water.

It never came and actually, something appeared beside me that I had forgotten existed. It was a dark figure, that looked strangly like my figure and appeared to be a shadow, but could it be? In case you were wondering, yeah, it was my shadow.

Today turned out to be a beautiful day and I'm sure, now that I have joked about it, the weather will completely reverse and cook me off the seat of the motorcycle. Besides the weather, I enjoyed company tonight in Rochester, NH, which was awesome. It was so nice to not have to worry about where I was going to sleep and it was awesome to enjoy great conversation over a hot meal. I truly do miss such things and appreciate them even more.

As for myself, I feel rejuvinated and ready to keep going for a little while longer. Thank you so much for all your notes of encouragement. It truly means a lot to me! The plan, I think, is to tour Boston tomorrow and possibly Cape Cod and then start heading west, through Rhode Island and Connecticut. Yep, that's it for now. I'm tired and my brain is shutting off. Good night and God bless you all!

Timothy

Acadia.... Sweet!

Hello Friends,
I must be short tonight because the lady using the computer in front of me used up 13 minutes of my time and the library closes in 7 minutes. The picture above is from Acadia National Park, where I hiked and road around today. It was absolutely gorgeous and I took lots of pictures! The one above is not mine, but I saw those cliffs (and sat on top of them).

Today was a great day of riding through the park and hiking to various parts whether they were down by the ocean or up in the mountains. It was just awesome to sit on the rocks and listen to the waves blast the rocks time after time after time. I think that is one of the most relaxing sounds on earth. Honestly, I can't describe the sights I saw and I'm sure my pictures won't do justice, but they will have to do.

As for tonight, I am camping on the island and tomorrow I will start working my way back down the coast. Even though today was a good day of sightseeing and even talking with a few people, I still feel lonely and I still am wondering about what I should be doing. I have had a good trip so far and seen some awesome things but...

So many thoughts, so little time and not a brain good enough to write them out. Please pray for guidance if I should keep going with this trip or not.
God bless you all and hopefully I can write more tomorrow.

Timothy

Rain, Rain and Thoughts in the Rain

Well Friends, some time, a few miles and many questions have passed since I last posted. As of right now, I am near Bar Harbor, Maine which is on the same island as Acadia National Park. Basically, since I last wrote about the heat, it has done nothing but rain. My rainsuit has been the atire of choice, which can make for long road, especially when they are winding and weaving their way through the mountains of Vermont.

How do I sum up the last three days... Well, there were some beautiful roads and wonderful green mountains to ride through, yet because of the rain, I couldn't stop and enjoy them. I guess you could say I was discouraged because of the last three days. Sure, I was in beautiful country and there were some awesome roads to ride, but the rain really put a damper on that and the motorcycle hasn't been starting the way it should. One day, I had to get it jump started again because there wasn't enough power to turn over and then I didn't dare shut it off so I basically rode through Lake Placid, NY and couldn't stop. I was super bummed about that. Then, I wanted to ride to the top of Whiteface Mountain in New York and see the area from up there, but it was $9 to go to the top and it was in the clouds anyway, so you couldn't see anything. shoot.

One of the things that is really frustrating me about the trip is the lack of human interaction I have. I have been on the bike more hours than I planned and not enough hanging out in places, so I feel like I haven't even been able to try and talk with people. This feels a lot more like a not so well planned out vacation to me than anything else. Along with that, I am by myself, physically.

It is very hard for me to put into words what I have thought about the last three days on the bike, but I am really questioning if I should proceed any further. Am I really coming at this from a missional standpoint? Maybe I should head home in a few days... maybe this is the time where I need to focus and press on... and maybe this is a time for something else. Friends, please pray for guidance and pray that God gets my heart in the right place.

Tomorrow, I plan on taking in the sights of Acadia and then the next day, heading back down the coast of Maine. I will for sure head down into Massechussetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, so I see how it goes over the next few days. Thanks so much for your prayers and thoughts would be appreciated.

Timothy

Day 14- Better So far, but HOT!!

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Well, I am taking a break in Fulton, New York because it is hot. I saw a thermometer this morning at 10:30 a.m. that read 90 degrees F. It is now two hours later and even hotter. Drink lots of water I guess.

I should bring you up to speed about what happend the last 24 hours. Well, while in Hamilton, ON, my battery decided to die, so we were going to jump start the cycle and like an idiot, I hooked up the cables wrong and blew the main fuse on the bike. Amazingly, there was a spare fuse so we put that back in and jumped it, the right way this time. Once the bike was running, I took off, which wasn't a lot of fun because I had a great time there with special people, and headed for Niagara Falls. Going down the highway, the motorcycle would get to about 3000 RPMs and start missing and losing power... sigh. I prayed and prayed, but it didn't make any difference. There was a spiritual battle going on in my head and I was extremely frustrated. Well, I eventually made it to Lewiston, NY where, by the grace of God, I found someone to point me in the right direction and went to get my new battery. I had called them the day before that I was coming for it. With the new battery in place, I took off, back to Niagara Falls and stayed there for a while, but soon, I left and headed east. Now, I can't even express how frustrated I was and questioning so many things. It was the first day where I really wanted to turn around and go home.

Then, another miracle happened. I went to Lakeview State Park, right on Lake Ontario and set up my tent. While sitting at my table doing some devotions, a man (who's name will stay out of this) from across the way, came over with a plate of food and said, "I know what it is like to travel by motorcycle. Here." And he set a plate of food in front of me. When he walked away, I just started crying. But, it got even better. That night, I had made a few phone calls and relaxed on the rocks on the lake before going back to my site. Upon returning, the man's wife came over and asked if I wanted to join them around the fire. So, I went over and sat and talked with them for a couple hours. It was fantastic to say the least! And to top it all off, this morning, she even cooked me breakfast before I left. If you are reading this... thank you so much! You were angels sent from God to encourage me after a day of leaving special people, bike troubles and much spiritual battle! God bless you!

Well, that's what happened and now, I must brave the heat and continue on. My goal is to make the Mountains of Eastern New York tonight.

I still greatly appreciate your prayers and God bless you all!

Timothy

Extremely Frustrated...

Well Friends, I will not post long because it is getting late and there is still a fair amount of miles that I want to go today. This was the most frustrating day of my trip: a day where I wanted to turn around and head home. I am in Lewiston, NY for reference.
It so happened, that the battery in my cycle decided to die, so I needed to get from Hamilton, ON to Lewiston, NY on a jump started, not so good battery. I may post with more details later about what actually happened with the motorcycle, because it was a long list of things that really frustrated me and that carried over to my attitude about the trip. It was a day of great mental strain to keep going and not let the bad times get me down. Actually, today was a day of growth for me because God was in control, which I can see in how things turned out... finding a spare fuse, actually making it to New York and meeting 3 gems of people along the way. Well, that is all I have energy for right now. Hopefully, I will be moving further in to New York yet tonight. God bless you all!

Timothy

The Almighty Plan

Today was a day of seeking: seeking ways in which I could be used in this community. During the school year, I thought it would be neat if Christians would go to hospitals and spend time playing games and talking with patients or people waiting in the waiting rooms. On my drive to Hamilton, that thought resurfaced in my brain. Well, there is a hospital several blocks down from where I am staying, so I decided to grab a couple Bibles, cards, dice and some paper and head over there, to see where the Lord would lead. To be honest, I had visions of sharing Christ with someone over a game of cards... you know... maybe witnessing a few miraculous healings... who knows... God works wonders, right?

Well, I got there and felt no leading at all. Actually, all I felt was oppression and pain... the oppression of broken bodies... broken spirits. There was a chapel right at the entrance to the hospital so I went in there seeking guidance. I kneeled and prayed for quite some time and I did feel a lot better, but didn't hear anything, so I got up and walked around. A waiting area met my eyes and I went in there and looked for people who maybe needed someone to talk with, but no one stood out. Well, by this point, I wasn't going to force anything, so I got up and walked out of the hospital. I wasn't sure what to do and was kind of frustrated with either God's lack of speaking to me or my lack of hearing. I had dreamed big and had thrown myself out there, so why didn't God come through and bring something... anything to me? I found my answer on the walk back...

While walking back, I came up behind and elderly woman walking down the street. She dawdled along at a snails pace, hunched over a four-wheeled walker, slowly making her way in the direction I was traveling. I knew, she was who I was supposed to talk to. I came up beside her, slowed down to her pace and greeted her with a smile. Her face slowly twisted up from the sidewalk and smiled at me. She said she didn't here me coming. We walked for a while talking about where we were from and other such details. It turned out, she was from a retirement home down the street and she liked to go out and walk every day. A ways into our walk, she made a comment saying, "you don't have to wait for me." to which I responded, "I'm in no hurry." She said, "That's surprising...everyone's in a hurry these days." The comment didn't catch me off guard because it is so true. We don't take the time to slow down and "smell the roses" as the phrase goes. Eventually, we got to where I was staying and I bit her farewell and a nice day, to which she responded by smiling at me and thanking me for walking with her.

It is strange how God works. So many people in our day and time, and particularly my generation, want to see God heal the sick and bring new people to Christ by the thousands. We want to be wow-ed and caught up in the splendor of God's awesome might. These are the things we look for and when they don't come, disappointment and maybe even a lack of faith sets in. Yet, there are noble ways to be used right in front of our noses: even closer than a hospital 5 blocks away.

I don't believe I was wrong in going to the hospital and dreaming big about what could happen because I believe we are called to dream big. Yet, in dreaming big, we can't forget to "dream small" in how God works. Walking and sharing with an elderly woman would seem small in our eyes but it may be just as big as converting 1000 people in one shot. Jesus wasn't always preaching to the crowds and healing the sick, he did take time to talk with a Samaritan woman and share a meal with Zacheus. I don't know... I am still trying to figure it out just like everyone else. Thoughts?
Thanks and God bless you all!

Timothy

"Coincidences"

Greetings All!
There was more to the story for my trip to Hamilton. I had gone quite a while on the motorcycle and needed a break. Well, I pulled off and was going to a Tim Horton's parking lot where I saw two other motorcycle riders. They waved me into the parking spot next to them and we began to talk. It is weird how the people driving motorcycles have a mutual respect for one another even before they even meet. Well, maybe I can write more about that later. We were talking about our trips and getting to know each other when another guy rolls in and parks next to us. He is driving a Gold Wing much like mine, only newer. The conversation keeps going and they ask me where I went to school and what I went for, so I told them that I went for Theology. The one guy was like, "good... what religion." I smiled and said, "Christianity." "Excellent." The next question probably goes without saying, but they asked what I wanted to do with it. I told them about my hopes to get my pilot's license and maybe fly for a mission organization, somewhere. Well, it turns out, the one guy used to fly for African Inland Missions. He was a pilot and did exactly what I want to do. He encouraged me to go for it because it is a sweet job and full of adventure.

Many people believe life of full of coincidences and there is nothing more than that. But, really. Think about this story. I am in a different country, riding a motorcycle through Canada on a crazy trip and I pull into a Tim Horton's. I don't even like coffee, but it was the first parking lot I came to. There happens to be some other motorcycle riders there who wave me in and who care enough to ask about me and my future. Then, this other guy drives in, who happens to be a former missionary pilot, the very thing that I am looking into doing and he just so happens to be nice enough to tell me about it and give me encouragement. It is amazing how many "coincidences" like that happen. Needless to say, after this encounter, I was very encouraged about my trip and about my future plans, at least at this point.

God bless you All!

Timothy

Attempt #2

Okay that didn't work, so let's try again...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45657&l=3c1e6&id=713683254

Pictures

Hello Friends!
Here is a link for some pictures that I uploaded. Hopefully, the link works and you can see some of what I have been up to.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=45657&l=3c1e6&id=713683254

Day 8- The First Phase Done

Hello All!
Well, it has now been a week since I left and what a busy week it was. As of right now, I am in Hamilton, ON. Yes, they did let me into Canada and they didn't even check any of my identification.
Yesterday was an interesting day. Upon arrival at Port Huron, MI, I decided to stop and take a break before crossing the border, so I went to K-Mart and got some food to eat, which consisted of a can of peaches and Cheetos. While I was eating them out in the parking lot, a lady was loading her bags into the car and she came over and was asking about the motorcycle. Then, she asked if I had anything to drink and offered me some Sunny D. She was going to give me one of those big jugs of Sunny D, but I didn't have room for it. During all this, I felt a push for me to pray for her, so I asked if I could pray for her. She was down with that, so I took her hand and prayed for her in the parking lot of K-Mart and then her and her daughter left.

Well, then as I was packing some stuff up, I felt the push to grab a couple of Bibles and plant them inside the store. So, I took two Bibles and wrote a little note in the cover and went back inside K-Mart. The first Bible, I just found a random pair of Jeans and shoved it in the pocket, but the second, I walked around for a little while and actually tried to open myself up to the Spirit's moving. Well, I felt pulled to a specific rack and a specific bin of Jeans and that is where I planted the next one. So, who knows what will come of that, but I pray that God has those Bibles find the people with open hearts.

So, that's what happened and then I drove into Canada and met my first rain, and boy did it rain. I was going down the 401 and saw it raining up ahead, so I stopped and put on my rainsuit. Not a half mile down, it started pouring! Visibility was about 150 to 200 feet and traffic was crawling. My shoes got soaked but my rainsuit kept me dry for the most part, which was awesome. The rain lasted for about 15 minutes or so and then it was sunny again.

As you can read, it was an interesting day and one in which God blessed me in many ways. It was a day of stretching and of growth and I pray that it can continue. Thanks again for all your support and God bless you!

Brothers and Sisters,
A break... it was muy bien to have a break after the long organ-rattling rides down some rough roads. Today was a day of letting the motorcycle sit and traveling in a car for a while to the metropolis of Detroit and to venture into a place that few Twins fans dare to go... Comerica (if that's how you spell it) Park. Upon arrival, I instantly felt... how do you say... out of my place. Every where I looked was Tigers memorabilia and fans clothed in Orange and Blue. At one point, I saw one other Twins fan... our eyes met... he nodded and gave me the thumbs up. It was a connection that only lasted a second but left us both encouraged to press on in the harsh surroundings.

But, honestly, it was a beautiful stadium and a warm day and when the Twins did do something good, I was the only clapping hands that I could here. From my seat, I could only see 4 other Twins fans, so it was a little intimidating. As for the game, you can read about it online, but the Twins ended up battling their way back from being down by 4 to send it into extra innings and be capped off by Justin Morneau's solo homerun in the 11th to win it; after a 5 for 5 day. Let me tell you, when that ball left his bat and fly towards that wall, I was saying, "go, go" and everyone else was saying "no, no!" And yes, my hands were the only ones I could hear clapping. sigh.

It was a great day, beautiful stadium and good company (yes, tigers fans do speak english) :)
Tomorrow, I make for the wonderful flat lands of Ontario, Canada. Wish me luck and hopfully they let me back in the U.S. otherwise this trip is going to be much longer than planned.
God bless you all!

A continuation... or something like that...

Brothers and Sisters,
As of right now, I am in rural Michigan and the nearest town is Elkton. It was a great day of travel as I had many less miles than the past two days. Yet, I knew that going through the scenic route would add up. After a few 250-300 butt-wrenching mileage days, my mileage total comes to 1,498 and I have paid as much as $4.45 for a gallon of gas. yeah. If you are doing the math, that means that I have gone 10% of the miles of the trip already, in 5 days. Yep, that's right. If you are really using your brain, that means that my days will have much less miles in the future. Yep, you are right again. Good job.

Well, I don't have a lot of specific stories to tell as of yet, but I have seen some beautiful country and have had some very encouraging conversations with several different people. Yet, there has been the other side as well...where I have driven into a community and there is something there that isn't quite right.

Anyway, I cannot describe everything, so I will just type for a while and see what comes out. Since Saturday, there has been nothing but trees. Actually, I don't think there will be a shortage of oxygen any time soon because it has been non-stop trees along both sides of the road for about 1,200 miles. Insane.

If any of you are going to the U.P. of Michigan, I highly recommend Pictured Rocks National Park. There is some spectacular scenery there such as beautiful waters falls and hard, tall cliffs rising out of the deep blue waters of Lake Superior. Hopefully, I can post a few pictures later. Another awesome sight was the Mackinaw Bridge. There is only one word to describe it...big. I won't venture any further than that.

As for living spiritually, I have gone through a lot of ups and downs. There have been awesome times of prayer on the cycle and here have been times where I have felt very close to God, but I also feel like I haven't accomplished anything yet. Vise Versa, there have been times where I was overwhelmed with what I was doing and what I was expecting of myself. Satan is so powerful and we don't even give him credit. His demons can plant thoughts and can use circumstances to get us down and make us feel like we are chasing our tale when, in reality, we are right where God wants us to be and struggling with the trials he wants us to have. I guess, we just have to pray for God to open our eyes and our hearts to see past the lies and deceit of Satan to a brighter vision of the tasks that God has...tasks that can and must be accomplished by everyday, average Christians.
So, prayers for God's vision and not my own would be much appreciated.

Day 5

Greetings Friends!
I have finally found a computer to do some typing on. Right now, I am in Tawas City, Michigan at a public library. For those wondering, I did not have to sign up for a library card to use the computer. So far, the trip has been going well. My dad rode with me the first two days which was very good and I enjoyed his company. I'm going to keep this entry short for now, but I hope to give a little more detail tonight because I am heading for Shupes house. whoot!

For some rough details, I rode through the northwoods of Minnesota out to Lake Superior, down northshore drive to Duluth and then across Wisconsin to the U.P. of Michigan where I took in Pictured Rocks National Seashore... highly recommended to any who care. From there, I made my way southeast to the Mackinaw Bridge, which is spectacular and then down the east coast of Michigan to where I am now. The riding has been beautiful. No rain yet, except for one night. Thus far, the Lord has blessed the trip. Pray for his continued blessing and for opportunity for me to talk with more people.

Until later,

Tim

1.4ish days

1.4ish days,
Well Friends, the time is near and it feels pretty surreal. I have been planning for so long, that the reality of the trip almost doesn't seem real, yet it is. Right now, I am strangely at peace about the trip and yet thinking and wondering of what I still need to do before I go. The motorcycle is ready, the finances are set in order and my stack of stuff is posted and waiting to get on the road.
Today was my last day of work before leaving and that too, feels surreal. It's like I should be going back to school...after a really short summer...but I'm not. Well, it is a different kind of school.
Anyway, the Lord has blessed the various steps thus far as many aspects of the trip have fallen into place this week and the timing of those steps are impeccable. Even financially, the Lord has provided enough money, but not too much to where I can just go and take it easy. Thus far, things are going smoothly.
Thank you so much for all your prayers so far! Please continue to pray for me, for the trip, for the people I stay with and for those whom God wants me to talk with.
God bless you all!