Greetings all!
I am still in Denver, CO and will still be here for a couple days. It has been awesome spending time with friends and actually relaxing! Yesterday, church began the day and then there was a sweet fishing excursion into the mountains where we caught a few trout and took in some beautiful scenery!
Well, here are a bunch of pictures. I quickly went through my pictures and selected a few of them. This is only a sample of what there is... enjoy!
Pictures 1
Pictures 2
Pictures 3
Pictures 4
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A big day
Greetings all!
Maybe I should give a prize to the person who guesses closest for the mileage I have when I get back home. I might do that... stay posted. (I see there is already one guess).
Today was quite a day. I woke up to frost once again and as I sat crunching on my Cocoa Roos and watching the sunrise over the mountains and seeing the trees ablaze with fall colors, my mind wandered and I began to reflect on God's promises of causing the seasons to come and go. It truly is a miracle, in this world of decay and pain that the sun never fails to rise and the trees never fail to change colors and spring never fails to sprout new life. Just a few thoughts.
Once my Cocoa Roos were down and the tent packed up, I drove over the pass and to the base of Grays Peak in Colorado. This was a mountain a group of us attempted to summit 2 years ago, but were turned back by a snowstorm. No sooner had I begun, then two men said I will never make it to the top because of snow and ice. Well, I decided to get as high as I could, enjoy the view and head down. I ascended higher and higher and met a few more people who had turned around, but once I got up to the mountain, I saw many people up there in the snow and again, I decided to see how high I could get. When all was said and done, I arrived at the summit in my nearly smooth sneakers, the same ones that carried me to the belly of the Grand Canyon and up to Mt. Rainier, and the view was awesome! Miles and miles of God's good creation were laid before my feet with rain and snow showers mixed in the scenery.
The night before, I had read Psalm 8 and sitting there, the words of vs. 3-4 stood out. Again, I read those verses and looked at that view and felt completely miniscule. But, then, I read vs. 5-8 and felt a great importance. As I sat, with Bible in hand, and reflected on that, a man noticed the Bible and asked me what scripture stood out in that place. So, I told him what I was thinking and he agreed wholeheartedly. It was a short but very sweet encounter atop my first ever 14ner.
I have many more thoughts and reflections, but I am tired. Now, I am in Denver area with some awesome people. This will be the first time I have stayed in one place two nights in a row since I was in Modesto, CA: over 2 weeks ago. So, it is a welcomed stop.
There is no good way to end this, so may God continue to bless you all as I have seen him do!
Tim
Maybe I should give a prize to the person who guesses closest for the mileage I have when I get back home. I might do that... stay posted. (I see there is already one guess).
Today was quite a day. I woke up to frost once again and as I sat crunching on my Cocoa Roos and watching the sunrise over the mountains and seeing the trees ablaze with fall colors, my mind wandered and I began to reflect on God's promises of causing the seasons to come and go. It truly is a miracle, in this world of decay and pain that the sun never fails to rise and the trees never fail to change colors and spring never fails to sprout new life. Just a few thoughts.
Once my Cocoa Roos were down and the tent packed up, I drove over the pass and to the base of Grays Peak in Colorado. This was a mountain a group of us attempted to summit 2 years ago, but were turned back by a snowstorm. No sooner had I begun, then two men said I will never make it to the top because of snow and ice. Well, I decided to get as high as I could, enjoy the view and head down. I ascended higher and higher and met a few more people who had turned around, but once I got up to the mountain, I saw many people up there in the snow and again, I decided to see how high I could get. When all was said and done, I arrived at the summit in my nearly smooth sneakers, the same ones that carried me to the belly of the Grand Canyon and up to Mt. Rainier, and the view was awesome! Miles and miles of God's good creation were laid before my feet with rain and snow showers mixed in the scenery.
The night before, I had read Psalm 8 and sitting there, the words of vs. 3-4 stood out. Again, I read those verses and looked at that view and felt completely miniscule. But, then, I read vs. 5-8 and felt a great importance. As I sat, with Bible in hand, and reflected on that, a man noticed the Bible and asked me what scripture stood out in that place. So, I told him what I was thinking and he agreed wholeheartedly. It was a short but very sweet encounter atop my first ever 14ner.
I have many more thoughts and reflections, but I am tired. Now, I am in Denver area with some awesome people. This will be the first time I have stayed in one place two nights in a row since I was in Modesto, CA: over 2 weeks ago. So, it is a welcomed stop.
There is no good way to end this, so may God continue to bless you all as I have seen him do!
Tim
Friday, September 26, 2008
The furthest point...
As I write to you now, I am taking a break in Rifle, Colorado. This marks the second time I have been in Colorado on this trip and I am very excited because this time means I am heading home.
The past couple days have been interesting. Yesterday, I left my campsite on the shores of the great salt lake and headed for Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, I found my way to the Mormon Temple Square and took a tour of their facilities. It was interesting to see their tabernacle, visitor's center and where they worship. The grounds were also very beautiful being covered with flowers and fountains. Mixed in were also statues of Joseph Smith. I was kind of disappointed because I thought there would be more talk on the beliefs of Mormons, but it was more of showing off the buildings. Although, there were plenty of "missionaries" to talk with. The whole time I was there, I couldn't think of a good question to ask them about their beliefs, which is kind of my curse, but once I started heading down the highway, then I thought of questions. One of my tour guides asked if I wanted a book of Mormon and I thought about it and said, "sure," thinking it would be interesting to read and then she wanted to know where I lived so they could send over some elders with the book to talk with me. "Well, maybe I get one later." It could be interesting, though, in the future to host a couple Mormon elders. Leaving there and after my conversation with the man the other night left me wanting to learn more about Christianity and its history and then also to learn about these other religions.
I made my way through the mountains to the southwestern part of Utah and down to Arches National Park. That is a beautiful part of the country! It resembled what you see in westerns and, I am told, many were filmed in the area. So, I toured Arches this morning and now am making my way across Colorado. Tomorrow, I hope to be in Denver and will be there with friends for several days. That will be a welcomed break because I have now slept in a new place every night for a little over 2 weeks. A break will be nice.
My estimate of 15,000 miles has been shot because I passed that point today. So, who knows what the total will end up being. Any guesses?
Well, I better hit the road again. There are a few more miles to cover before I stop for the not. Hopefully, it doesn't rain because my plastic bags, housing my sleeping bag, tent and sleeping pad have huge holes in them from the stinking ravens. Not so waterproof.
Anyway, God bless you all and have a great weekend!
Tim
The past couple days have been interesting. Yesterday, I left my campsite on the shores of the great salt lake and headed for Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, I found my way to the Mormon Temple Square and took a tour of their facilities. It was interesting to see their tabernacle, visitor's center and where they worship. The grounds were also very beautiful being covered with flowers and fountains. Mixed in were also statues of Joseph Smith. I was kind of disappointed because I thought there would be more talk on the beliefs of Mormons, but it was more of showing off the buildings. Although, there were plenty of "missionaries" to talk with. The whole time I was there, I couldn't think of a good question to ask them about their beliefs, which is kind of my curse, but once I started heading down the highway, then I thought of questions. One of my tour guides asked if I wanted a book of Mormon and I thought about it and said, "sure," thinking it would be interesting to read and then she wanted to know where I lived so they could send over some elders with the book to talk with me. "Well, maybe I get one later." It could be interesting, though, in the future to host a couple Mormon elders. Leaving there and after my conversation with the man the other night left me wanting to learn more about Christianity and its history and then also to learn about these other religions.
I made my way through the mountains to the southwestern part of Utah and down to Arches National Park. That is a beautiful part of the country! It resembled what you see in westerns and, I am told, many were filmed in the area. So, I toured Arches this morning and now am making my way across Colorado. Tomorrow, I hope to be in Denver and will be there with friends for several days. That will be a welcomed break because I have now slept in a new place every night for a little over 2 weeks. A break will be nice.
My estimate of 15,000 miles has been shot because I passed that point today. So, who knows what the total will end up being. Any guesses?
Well, I better hit the road again. There are a few more miles to cover before I stop for the not. Hopefully, it doesn't rain because my plastic bags, housing my sleeping bag, tent and sleeping pad have huge holes in them from the stinking ravens. Not so waterproof.
Anyway, God bless you all and have a great weekend!
Tim
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Day 82... Heading South
Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
It has been an interesting few days since I last blogged. Since that time, I have been through Yellowstone National Park and saw some amazing things from waterfalls and canyons to Elk and Bison to Geysers and mountains and lakes. It was an awesome stay and of course, one with many pictures. Last night, I camped next to the Grand Tetons and this morning drove along side of them taking pictures in the morning light. It is crazy how much the landscape changes in this section of the country and how diverse Yellowstone is. Truly a beautiful place!
Now, the weather has been somewhat disagree-able. The first day in Yellowstone, I think the high was somewhere between 37 and 44 and it was windy, cloudy and I even drove through a few snowflakes. Crazy! The past two nights of camping, one in Yellowstone and the other by the Tetons, it has dropped below freezing. I was forced to dip into the bottom of the saddlebag where my thick pants and coat were for some proper sleeping attire. This morning, when I stuck my head out of the cacoon of my sleeping bag, the thermometer said 22 degrees, but I think it was lying to me because right after that, when I started moving and stuff, it jumped up to 30. So, either way, it was between 22 and 30 in the tent. Hopefully, it warms up a little.
Have any of you heard of Bahi? Yesteray, I was having supper and a man drove up in a van and set up camp across from me. He came over and we talked for a while and he seemed nice enough. Well, I decided that I needed to talk with him more, so I prayed that God would grant me success in gathering enough firewood for a couple hour fire and after much cracking and smacking and chopping, I had a good size stack of wood. An invitation was extended and he came over. I was set on bringing up religion at some point in the evening, but as usual, God led him to that topic. He said that he was a part of a religion called Bahi and they basically believe in the validity of all religions, except that they claim to have a religion higher up on the totem pole, so to speak. He acknowledged Moses and Jesus and Buddah and Mohammad and Joseph Smith as all men sent by God to speak to the church in certain contexts. I could describe their beliefs further, but I want to read more about it myself.
Basically, we sat there talking about varying beliefs and he kept trying to make it sound like it fit with Christianity and the Lord would just give me parables of Jesus and teachings of the prophets and Jesus to shoot that down. Basically, I tried to tell him the gospel in comparison to what he was saying to me. It was a great discussion and he was a super nice guy, but as with other things, I can't see the impact that our conversation had on him. He didn't back down at all and I just pray that the Holy Spirit moves in his heart.
This morning, he invited me over for some oak meal, so that was good as well. It was nice to get something hot in me and have a little more time to talk with him. Over the past few days, there have been several encounters with people, not on the religious level, but where I had nice conversations with them and these three instances, God used to show me, again, the goals I had when I left. So, please pray that God continues to challenge me and also pray for the man I met last night.
I hope to be home in about 2 weeks and I can't wait to see and talk with you all once again! God bless you!
Tim
By the way, I am in Jackson, WY and heading for Salt Lake City, then Arches National Park and then Denver.
It has been an interesting few days since I last blogged. Since that time, I have been through Yellowstone National Park and saw some amazing things from waterfalls and canyons to Elk and Bison to Geysers and mountains and lakes. It was an awesome stay and of course, one with many pictures. Last night, I camped next to the Grand Tetons and this morning drove along side of them taking pictures in the morning light. It is crazy how much the landscape changes in this section of the country and how diverse Yellowstone is. Truly a beautiful place!
Now, the weather has been somewhat disagree-able. The first day in Yellowstone, I think the high was somewhere between 37 and 44 and it was windy, cloudy and I even drove through a few snowflakes. Crazy! The past two nights of camping, one in Yellowstone and the other by the Tetons, it has dropped below freezing. I was forced to dip into the bottom of the saddlebag where my thick pants and coat were for some proper sleeping attire. This morning, when I stuck my head out of the cacoon of my sleeping bag, the thermometer said 22 degrees, but I think it was lying to me because right after that, when I started moving and stuff, it jumped up to 30. So, either way, it was between 22 and 30 in the tent. Hopefully, it warms up a little.
Have any of you heard of Bahi? Yesteray, I was having supper and a man drove up in a van and set up camp across from me. He came over and we talked for a while and he seemed nice enough. Well, I decided that I needed to talk with him more, so I prayed that God would grant me success in gathering enough firewood for a couple hour fire and after much cracking and smacking and chopping, I had a good size stack of wood. An invitation was extended and he came over. I was set on bringing up religion at some point in the evening, but as usual, God led him to that topic. He said that he was a part of a religion called Bahi and they basically believe in the validity of all religions, except that they claim to have a religion higher up on the totem pole, so to speak. He acknowledged Moses and Jesus and Buddah and Mohammad and Joseph Smith as all men sent by God to speak to the church in certain contexts. I could describe their beliefs further, but I want to read more about it myself.
Basically, we sat there talking about varying beliefs and he kept trying to make it sound like it fit with Christianity and the Lord would just give me parables of Jesus and teachings of the prophets and Jesus to shoot that down. Basically, I tried to tell him the gospel in comparison to what he was saying to me. It was a great discussion and he was a super nice guy, but as with other things, I can't see the impact that our conversation had on him. He didn't back down at all and I just pray that the Holy Spirit moves in his heart.
This morning, he invited me over for some oak meal, so that was good as well. It was nice to get something hot in me and have a little more time to talk with him. Over the past few days, there have been several encounters with people, not on the religious level, but where I had nice conversations with them and these three instances, God used to show me, again, the goals I had when I left. So, please pray that God continues to challenge me and also pray for the man I met last night.
I hope to be home in about 2 weeks and I can't wait to see and talk with you all once again! God bless you!
Tim
By the way, I am in Jackson, WY and heading for Salt Lake City, then Arches National Park and then Denver.
Monday, September 22, 2008
An update
Greetings all!
Well, I'm not sure what to write. Many miles have been put in since I last blogged and a few pictures have been taken.
For a brief senopsis (however you spell that), I made it to Glacier which was a very beautiful stay. I hiked about 11 miles up to one of the many lakes within the park which offered some spectacular views. Although my time in Glacier was sweet, it didn't quite live up to expectations because the Going to the Sun road was closed, due to construction. I could have driven more of it from the east side, but that would have meant many more miles. Oh well, just another reason to go back. :)
In Glacier last night, I talked with some fellow Minnesotians! It was a great time and it was good to be in the presence of people that understood waving to everyone in town, and driving down gravel roads and knowing the frustrations of being a Vikings fan. It was also great to meet people who liked the Twins and were so friendly. I think that is just a Minnesota trait, but who knows.
Sunday, I made my way South, driving through strong winds, cold weather and some rain and I eventually made it to Belgrade. Actually, I first drove through Manhattan and Church Hill, MT to check out the areas and then made for Belgrade. Long story short, I ended up in a hotel for the first time since Acadia, Maine (besides Oklahoma City with my parents). On Sunday night, I made it to a CRC in Church Hill where I was warmly greeted by some new faces and some that I recognized. It felt like being home, in a place where people know you and it was a great feeling. Thank you so much for all your kindness and for eating some tacos with me!
Tomorrow, Monday, I am heading for Yellowstone and should be there a couple days and then, we shall see where the route takes me.
I'm sorry that this is a more informational blog and not so much what I'm thinking, but I had a few long conversations on the phone tonight about feelings and thoughts and it is late, so basically, I don't feel like sharing anymore. Maybe in the future. Until then, God bless you all!
Tim
P.S. I tried to upload some pictures, but this computer is not having it. Maybe soon, or maybe not until I get home...sorry.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Day 77
Another Weekend approaching!
Since the weekend is coming, I thought I should update the blog again since I probably won't be able to in the next couple days.
Currently, I am in Bonner's Ferry, Idaho and heading for Glacier National Park. Today will probably mark the furthest north I will have been on the trip. I haven't really looked at a map, but it seems like it should. The plan is, to get to Glacier, camp tonight and then hike around there tomorrow and camp again that night and then start heading south towards Yellowstone. It should be a good time and I have heard great things about the park, so I am really excited!
Yesterday, I made it all the way to Spokane, WA and it amazed me how the landscape changed. From Oak Harbor, I headed into the mountains and on the West side, they were green and very lush, but as I kept going through them, the trees eventually gave way to smaller shrubs and then scrub brush and soon, I found myself in a desert like setting, similar to New Mexico and Arizona. I was really surprised! Then, going further, the landscape changed again to miles upon miles of harvested wheat fields. It was quite a change.
Really, I don't have a lot to write right now, but I felt I should blog before the weekend. The plan from here, which still could be changed, is to head south to Yellowstone and then through the Tetons to Salt Lake City and then continue south to come into Colorado from the West. From there, head east through the mountains to Denver and then up north again to Rocky Mountain National Park and to the Black Hills and then back across South Dakota, home. I figure, it should take about 3 weeks or a little less. That is what I am figuring anyway.
Well, for not having a lot to say, I have said a lot. Enjoy your weekend!
Thank you so much for all your prayers, for I know that this trip would not have gone this well without all your prayers! God bless you all!
Tim
Thursday, September 18, 2008
A new direction...East
Hello,
It seems like my blogging has been rather spiratic lately, so I am sorry for that, unless you like not having it every day, in which case, "you're welcome."
The last few days have been a little different and went different than planned. Before leaving Everett, WA, I changed the oil in the Goldwing, so that should be good until I get back home. Then, I kept looking for a place to take it and no one would. Frustration set in, but eventually, I did find a place and headed out.
I ended up calling a relative to see if I could visit with him for a while and that worked out, so I drove over to Oak Harbor, WA. As it turned out, he invited me to stay the night. Now, I really wanted to get into the Cascade Mountains and was really antsy to start heading east and hopefully meet some people in the campground, but then God planted a few thoughts. Here is this elderly man, who lives by himself now and probably wants some company. Also, it would be good for me, so I decided to stay and we had a great time.
While at his place, I reflected a little bit on age and the hardships of life. Remembering things from my past and now seeing this man and knowing his wife had Alzimers, pain just kind of came up in my mind. There have been books upon books written on pain and everyone experiences it in their own ways and yet, it is amazing how God works through pain. But still, every time I feel it or see it in other people, I just want to scream "Come Lord Jesus!" And, I believe that is what our yearning should be. Yet, on the flip side, Jesus us not to sit and wait for his coming but to get out and reclaim his creation. He says, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." How are the workers few if this country says it is 85% Christian? It's because there are so few people who are truly affected by the love of Christ and it so overflows in them that they want to spread it to others. We have many Christians in name, but very few in "being Christ."
Another thing I think about a lot is that sometimes, we get these notions that sharing the love of Christ and being "harvestors" means going overseas or on long trips to find people who aren't Christians and converting them. Being Christ and being harvestors means being the people of God, right where we are at any given time, to any given person in any given place. It could be a smile, eye contact and a "Thank you" to the cashier at the store or it could be tying a little kids shoe. The love of Christ does not have a minimum requirement. It encompasses all good deeds done in the spirit of love. This is something God has been convicting me of pretty hard on this trip. He may not lead me to bring someone to Christ every day or every week or even every month, but every single day, I can practice being Christ to every single person that I meet.
Anyway, again, those are just a few of the thoughts running around my head. If it doesn't make a lot of sense, please don't hold it against me, because, as I've said before, I just get to a library, sit down and spill out what comes.
By the way, I am now in Twisp (?) Washington and heading east. I hope to be close to Spokane by tonight and get to Glacier National Park tomorrow. Whoot!
Have a great end of the week and God bless you all!
Tim
It seems like my blogging has been rather spiratic lately, so I am sorry for that, unless you like not having it every day, in which case, "you're welcome."
The last few days have been a little different and went different than planned. Before leaving Everett, WA, I changed the oil in the Goldwing, so that should be good until I get back home. Then, I kept looking for a place to take it and no one would. Frustration set in, but eventually, I did find a place and headed out.
I ended up calling a relative to see if I could visit with him for a while and that worked out, so I drove over to Oak Harbor, WA. As it turned out, he invited me to stay the night. Now, I really wanted to get into the Cascade Mountains and was really antsy to start heading east and hopefully meet some people in the campground, but then God planted a few thoughts. Here is this elderly man, who lives by himself now and probably wants some company. Also, it would be good for me, so I decided to stay and we had a great time.
While at his place, I reflected a little bit on age and the hardships of life. Remembering things from my past and now seeing this man and knowing his wife had Alzimers, pain just kind of came up in my mind. There have been books upon books written on pain and everyone experiences it in their own ways and yet, it is amazing how God works through pain. But still, every time I feel it or see it in other people, I just want to scream "Come Lord Jesus!" And, I believe that is what our yearning should be. Yet, on the flip side, Jesus us not to sit and wait for his coming but to get out and reclaim his creation. He says, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." How are the workers few if this country says it is 85% Christian? It's because there are so few people who are truly affected by the love of Christ and it so overflows in them that they want to spread it to others. We have many Christians in name, but very few in "being Christ."
Another thing I think about a lot is that sometimes, we get these notions that sharing the love of Christ and being "harvestors" means going overseas or on long trips to find people who aren't Christians and converting them. Being Christ and being harvestors means being the people of God, right where we are at any given time, to any given person in any given place. It could be a smile, eye contact and a "Thank you" to the cashier at the store or it could be tying a little kids shoe. The love of Christ does not have a minimum requirement. It encompasses all good deeds done in the spirit of love. This is something God has been convicting me of pretty hard on this trip. He may not lead me to bring someone to Christ every day or every week or even every month, but every single day, I can practice being Christ to every single person that I meet.
Anyway, again, those are just a few of the thoughts running around my head. If it doesn't make a lot of sense, please don't hold it against me, because, as I've said before, I just get to a library, sit down and spill out what comes.
By the way, I am now in Twisp (?) Washington and heading east. I hope to be close to Spokane by tonight and get to Glacier National Park tomorrow. Whoot!
Have a great end of the week and God bless you all!
Tim
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Day 74... A hike, Rhythm and a few thoughts
Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
I update you now from Everett, WA where I am staying with some awesome people! Above, is an updated map of my journey and where I have been. Sorry about the sloppy-ness. I am tired and didn't want to spend so much time doing it. Maybe, a new map will be found: one that is better.
Well, I did make it to Mt. St. Helens yesterday, which was kind of strange to behold. Basically, it looked like a mountain...that had the top blown off. I tried to imagine what it looked like, but no pictures came to mind besides the ones I had seen on the History Channel.
From Mt. St. Helens, I made my way to Mt. Rainer. Again, an awesome sight to behold! Up to this point, I had seen that mountain on my flight simulator and on postcards, but never up close. It is pretty sweet...and the weather was clear as well, which, I am told, is quite rare. So, the campsite was chosen and I settled in for the night.
This morning, I wanted to do some hiking, so after seeing some waterfalls, I drove closer to the mountain. From there, I hiked for several miles and had some awesome views of the mountain. Part of me, wanted to continue on and conquer the mountain, which I would guess is a human characteristic, but I knew that I didn't have the time or the gear and so after a great hike, I turned around and headed down.
On the way down, my keys were jangling in my pocket with every step and soon, I started snapping my fingers with the rhythm and to this beat, "Jesus Loves Me" was hummed/whistled/sang (not all at the same time). It was so random, but made the hike down so much better.
Thinking about that, going down, really, that is all that matters. I remember talking in Theology classes and Shim making some comment about it... Jesus Loves Me. There it is... that is the entire point of Christianity. We can fight and bicker and hit people over the head with the plank sticking out of our own eyes, but we sure don't remember the point, Jesus Loves Me. Why are we so quick to forget that point when others do things that annoy us or do things to hurt us? When all the dust from Synod settles and the desks get put back in order after a heated debate in theology class, maybe we should all hold hands and sing...
Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong.
They are weak but He is strong!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Much, Much, Much
Greetings All!
It is now Monday, which means the Librarys are open once again, but I have a very limited time. So, a quick catch up of the last few days. Basically, I camped at Redwood National Park in the big trees, then drove up to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and camped there and then yesterday, I drove back to the coast and camped right on the ocean. Now, I am heading north towards Mt. St. Helens and hopefully, Mt. Rainer later today.
It has been cold. Two nights ago, it dropped to 35 degrees. Last night, it dropped to about 40 degrees. So, thanks to God for warm clothes and sleeping bag!
Full service stations, like the ones in Oregon are awkward on a motorcycle, because basically, all they do is, after I slide the card through, they take the nozzle off the pump and hand it to me. Really, kind of awkward. Just saying.
The ocean was awesome and I actually got to see it under the sunshine. Last night, I watched the sunset over the water, which was quite an experience. It was also cold!
As of right now, I am doing pretty good. Some good devotions times have taken place and I have many miles to cover. Many, many thoughts have passed through my head, but I am almost out of time.
Hopefully, I can blog more later. God bless you all!
Tim
By the way, I am now over 12,300 miles for the trip.
It is now Monday, which means the Librarys are open once again, but I have a very limited time. So, a quick catch up of the last few days. Basically, I camped at Redwood National Park in the big trees, then drove up to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and camped there and then yesterday, I drove back to the coast and camped right on the ocean. Now, I am heading north towards Mt. St. Helens and hopefully, Mt. Rainer later today.
It has been cold. Two nights ago, it dropped to 35 degrees. Last night, it dropped to about 40 degrees. So, thanks to God for warm clothes and sleeping bag!
Full service stations, like the ones in Oregon are awkward on a motorcycle, because basically, all they do is, after I slide the card through, they take the nozzle off the pump and hand it to me. Really, kind of awkward. Just saying.
The ocean was awesome and I actually got to see it under the sunshine. Last night, I watched the sunset over the water, which was quite an experience. It was also cold!
As of right now, I am doing pretty good. Some good devotions times have taken place and I have many miles to cover. Many, many thoughts have passed through my head, but I am almost out of time.
Hopefully, I can blog more later. God bless you all!
Tim
By the way, I am now over 12,300 miles for the trip.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Day 70... (untitled)
Greetings All!
The last few days have been very interesting. I made my way out of the central valley towards San Francisco and after crossing the Bay Bridge and navigating downtown San Francisco, I made my way to the Golden Gate Bridge where I was able to stop and take a few pictures from several different locations. It was slightly foggy and the top of the bridge was in the clouds, so it was kind of cool. While I was there, I kept thinking about Full House and also the movie, "The Rock" when I looked across at Alcatraz Island.
From the bridge, I followed highway 1 up the California coast. Actually, I was not impressed at first because it was really bumpy, but it got better and the scenery was awesome!
Last night, I found a campground and ended up picking a campsite next to some guys. I stopped and talked with them for a little while and then went to find try get a phone call out. Upon returning, I built a fire, but was soon convicted to go and talk with those guys. So, I went back over there and we talked about many different things for a quite a while. I had set a goal of asking someone what they thought about religion before the week was up, so I was trying to think about how to do it with these two men. Well, then they asked what I majored in, in college. Bingo. I said, "Theology," and after that, we talked for quite a while about the church and the problems with it and about different religions. It was a great conversation! The one guy was Baptist, then had left for a while and lately he has been exploring all kinds of faiths, but still leans towards Christianity. It was a great night of sitting around the fire, having a beer, and talking theology. I thank God for that time!
Right now, I am in Eureka, CA and making my way towards Redwood National Park. Today has been an interesting day of driving. When I left, it was about 57 degrees, so I had several layers and big thick gloves on. Then, the road bent away from the coast and it warmed up to about 80 to 85, so I was stripping layers off quickly. As I drove, the road started working its way back to the coast, so again, the temperature dropped and I was forced to stop along side the road and cover up. What a crazy day!
Actually friends, today I am the most depressed I have been in a long time and I am not exactly sure why. Whether there is something oppressive about the areas I have been going through or what, I don't know. But, while riding today, I definitely considered turning east and heading home. I'm not sure if I have had a day like this on the entire trip, where I am just down and want to go home. Prayers about that would be great. Honestly, I am having a hard time describing to you how I feel and "depressed" is the closest I can come. Who knows?
Well, if I hold to the plan, I should be in Redwood National Park today and go to Crater Lake, OR tomorrow and then keep heading for Washington. Please continue to pray for safety (and no rain!).
Thank you so much for your prayers in this journey!
Tim
The last few days have been very interesting. I made my way out of the central valley towards San Francisco and after crossing the Bay Bridge and navigating downtown San Francisco, I made my way to the Golden Gate Bridge where I was able to stop and take a few pictures from several different locations. It was slightly foggy and the top of the bridge was in the clouds, so it was kind of cool. While I was there, I kept thinking about Full House and also the movie, "The Rock" when I looked across at Alcatraz Island.
From the bridge, I followed highway 1 up the California coast. Actually, I was not impressed at first because it was really bumpy, but it got better and the scenery was awesome!
Last night, I found a campground and ended up picking a campsite next to some guys. I stopped and talked with them for a little while and then went to find try get a phone call out. Upon returning, I built a fire, but was soon convicted to go and talk with those guys. So, I went back over there and we talked about many different things for a quite a while. I had set a goal of asking someone what they thought about religion before the week was up, so I was trying to think about how to do it with these two men. Well, then they asked what I majored in, in college. Bingo. I said, "Theology," and after that, we talked for quite a while about the church and the problems with it and about different religions. It was a great conversation! The one guy was Baptist, then had left for a while and lately he has been exploring all kinds of faiths, but still leans towards Christianity. It was a great night of sitting around the fire, having a beer, and talking theology. I thank God for that time!
Right now, I am in Eureka, CA and making my way towards Redwood National Park. Today has been an interesting day of driving. When I left, it was about 57 degrees, so I had several layers and big thick gloves on. Then, the road bent away from the coast and it warmed up to about 80 to 85, so I was stripping layers off quickly. As I drove, the road started working its way back to the coast, so again, the temperature dropped and I was forced to stop along side the road and cover up. What a crazy day!
Actually friends, today I am the most depressed I have been in a long time and I am not exactly sure why. Whether there is something oppressive about the areas I have been going through or what, I don't know. But, while riding today, I definitely considered turning east and heading home. I'm not sure if I have had a day like this on the entire trip, where I am just down and want to go home. Prayers about that would be great. Honestly, I am having a hard time describing to you how I feel and "depressed" is the closest I can come. Who knows?
Well, if I hold to the plan, I should be in Redwood National Park today and go to Crater Lake, OR tomorrow and then keep heading for Washington. Please continue to pray for safety (and no rain!).
Thank you so much for your prayers in this journey!
Tim
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Hiking, friendly faces and the road to the ocean...
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Two days ago, when I last updated, I was heading for Yosemite National Park. Well, I made it there safely and took in the sights there. The first day, I made my way to Yosemite Vally, which is the famous part of the part that everyone streams to. And boy where there people there. In the valley, there were cars and people everywhere. That night, there wasn't a campsite to be had, so I had to drive 16 miles west to get a campsite.
Sorry, I think today is one of those days where I just sit down and type random bits of information. I'll try again.
Coming down into the park, there is awesome scenery with glass smooth, gray cliffs rising thousands of feet above you on either side. Between these cliffs, a river runs lazily through a valley covered with trees and meadows. Now, normally, there are waterfalls coming into the valley, but Bridalveil Falls had about a whopping 2 gallons going over it per second and Yosemite Falls had absolutly nothing. That's what I get for being here in early September.
After a quick tour of the valley, I made my way to the campground and after some struggles and some tests on my patience by God, I found my way there. That night, as I was journalling in my tent, I heard some familiar music, so I went exploring to find where it was coming from. There was a group sitting around a campfire singing worship songs, so I asked if I could join and they said "sure." They were a Korean Group for Campus Crusade For Christ from San Diego and I ended up being with them for about an hour and a half singing, sharing stories and praying. One thing that I found interesting was our prayer time. We were told to pray for the people on our right and left, but we did so outloud, all at the same time. To those listening, it was a jumbled mess of words, but it was a neat experience. Those of you in Korea, can maybe know what I'm talking about. Needless to say, it was a blessed time to spend with Christians around the fire in worship.
The next morning, I got up to go and hike. I had decided to hike the Yosemite Falls trail, even though, there were no falls. It was a hike that was, when all was said and done, about 11.2 miles and took 6.5 hours. I'm not sure what to try and describe to you, whether to focus on the physical aspects of the hike or what I was thinking. Maybe, both will have to wait until I am back or am feeling more creative in my writing. Either way, I made the climb, up through the rocks and trees, across the "river" that did not flow over the falls, to a point a couple thousand feet above the valley... a place of amazing beauty and solitude. At this point, I was again humbled on how I can be so prideful at times in things I have done and yet, there is a God who laid the foundations of these granite cliffs, who formed the valley, who planted every tree and helped it grow. Who am I to claim any glory in anything I do? It was an amazing place to sit and overlook God's creation!
From that point, I worked my way down and felt very happy... like after a long conversation with a great friend. The road down continued that conversation as I just talked with Jesus through the trees, over the rocks and across the sand. People I met, I attempted to treat as I thought Christ would. It was truly an extremely challening hike as well as an awesome, prayer filled time.
Oh, there are so many more things I could say about my thoughts, but again, time and space limit. Right now, I am in Modesto, CA and tomorrow, will head to San Francisco and then up the coast. We shall see who God has in store for me to meet and what sights to behold. He is so good!
God bless you all and I am still looking forward until we can meet again!
Tim
Two days ago, when I last updated, I was heading for Yosemite National Park. Well, I made it there safely and took in the sights there. The first day, I made my way to Yosemite Vally, which is the famous part of the part that everyone streams to. And boy where there people there. In the valley, there were cars and people everywhere. That night, there wasn't a campsite to be had, so I had to drive 16 miles west to get a campsite.
Sorry, I think today is one of those days where I just sit down and type random bits of information. I'll try again.
Coming down into the park, there is awesome scenery with glass smooth, gray cliffs rising thousands of feet above you on either side. Between these cliffs, a river runs lazily through a valley covered with trees and meadows. Now, normally, there are waterfalls coming into the valley, but Bridalveil Falls had about a whopping 2 gallons going over it per second and Yosemite Falls had absolutly nothing. That's what I get for being here in early September.
After a quick tour of the valley, I made my way to the campground and after some struggles and some tests on my patience by God, I found my way there. That night, as I was journalling in my tent, I heard some familiar music, so I went exploring to find where it was coming from. There was a group sitting around a campfire singing worship songs, so I asked if I could join and they said "sure." They were a Korean Group for Campus Crusade For Christ from San Diego and I ended up being with them for about an hour and a half singing, sharing stories and praying. One thing that I found interesting was our prayer time. We were told to pray for the people on our right and left, but we did so outloud, all at the same time. To those listening, it was a jumbled mess of words, but it was a neat experience. Those of you in Korea, can maybe know what I'm talking about. Needless to say, it was a blessed time to spend with Christians around the fire in worship.
The next morning, I got up to go and hike. I had decided to hike the Yosemite Falls trail, even though, there were no falls. It was a hike that was, when all was said and done, about 11.2 miles and took 6.5 hours. I'm not sure what to try and describe to you, whether to focus on the physical aspects of the hike or what I was thinking. Maybe, both will have to wait until I am back or am feeling more creative in my writing. Either way, I made the climb, up through the rocks and trees, across the "river" that did not flow over the falls, to a point a couple thousand feet above the valley... a place of amazing beauty and solitude. At this point, I was again humbled on how I can be so prideful at times in things I have done and yet, there is a God who laid the foundations of these granite cliffs, who formed the valley, who planted every tree and helped it grow. Who am I to claim any glory in anything I do? It was an amazing place to sit and overlook God's creation!
From that point, I worked my way down and felt very happy... like after a long conversation with a great friend. The road down continued that conversation as I just talked with Jesus through the trees, over the rocks and across the sand. People I met, I attempted to treat as I thought Christ would. It was truly an extremely challening hike as well as an awesome, prayer filled time.
Oh, there are so many more things I could say about my thoughts, but again, time and space limit. Right now, I am in Modesto, CA and tomorrow, will head to San Francisco and then up the coast. We shall see who God has in store for me to meet and what sights to behold. He is so good!
God bless you all and I am still looking forward until we can meet again!
Tim
Monday, September 8, 2008
Day 66...Big Trees, Waterfalls and the road goes on...
Greetings All!
After a great week with friends, I am now on the road again. From Friday until Sunday, I spent my time in Visalia, CA with some friends in which we hung out and talked, saw a couple movies, went to church, enjoyed good company and saw some amazing trees and an awesome sunset. Hopefully, pictures will follow soon!
Yesterday, I drove up into the mountains to Sequoia National Park and saw some huge trees. Actually, the largest tree in the world was on the agenda. This tree was not the tallest or the widest, but it had the largest volume of wood of any tree in the world. The General Sherman stood 283 feet tall and was 103 feet in circumference at the base. Absolutely huge!
The roads were a blast to drive on as they wound their way through awesome forests and up and down the mountains. Great fun was had while cutting right and left. After going through Sequoia, I went into King's Canyon National Park. Now this canyon was much bigger and more beautiful than I thought it was going to be. The road wound its way down several thousand feet to the river at the bottom and past several waterfalls. After setting up my tent, I enjoyed supper on the rivers edge. Running water is still one of the most relaxing sounds in the world. I also hiked to a waterfall that turned out to be in one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. At the end of the path, it opened up to the falls which cascaded out of a gap in the rock into a clear, brilliant blue pool. Surrounding this pool were smooth rocks shaped like a bowl. From the pool, the water cascaded down through the rocks and into the river. I climbed up to a shelf and sat, watching the waterfall and the waves slowly spread across the pool. Then, looking to the right, I could see the canyon walls, steep cliffs rising up, stained red by the setting sun. In this place, I could be at peace. Songs of praise slowly rose in my throat...
God of wonders beyond our galaxy,
You are Holy! Holy!
The universe declares your majesty!
You are Holy! Holy!
Lord of all creation
of water earth and sky.
The heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high!
Right now, I am in Oakhurst, CA preparing to go into Yosemite National Park. There, I will camp for a few days and then head west to the coast. Yay for the Pacific Ocean!
This week, an idea was presented to my mind. Sitting in chapel at Providence Christian College in Ontario, CA, a group was doing a presentation on their trip to the Dominican Republic. During that trip, they estimated how many hours they were up during the day and then tithed their time to spend with God. I thought that was a good idea, so I am giving it a try. Throughout the day, I had a set amount of time I have commited to prayer, Bible reading, worship and talking with people about Christ. I'm giving it a try to see how it goes and what happens. We shall see.
But, once again, there are too many things to write about and I have already gone too long, but hopefully you enjoy reading some.
God bless you all!
Tim
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Day 64... Moving North
Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
It has now been a couple days since I blogged, which I'm sure some of you are thankful for! :) Right now, I am in Visalia, CA hanging out with some friends. My time in Ontario, CA was awesome! We had great conversation, good times playing volleyball and tennis, watching a little tv here and there and getting some reading done. I loved it, but being on a college campus really made me miss being at Dordt. sigh.
Yesterday was a good ride with many different points to it. To start off, it was beautiful weather leaving Ontario to drive up and through the mountains. Again, I got into the desert landscape, but being in mountains, the temp wasn't so bad. I spent the first half hour or better in prayer, recapping what has happened in the last week and what I need to do better and what I have done well. It was a great time of prayer! From there, it just overflowed into worship where I would sing any song that came to mind and just belt it out as I was travelling down the road. It made miles pass quickly and was also the best worship I had in many, many days.
I made it to the Tehachapi Loop, which most of you don't have a clue about. It is a railroad loop where many trains have to pass through every day and it is cool because it is this huge loop where a train is literally driving overtop of itself either going up the mountain or going down. Most of you wouldn't care at all, but for the few railfans, they might be interested.
From there, I drove down out of the mountains to the central valley and it was hot! I got down there and it was now late afternoon, yet it was hotter than when I left L.A. at 12:30. But, there is nothing to do except keep driving. While driving down the interstate, I saw a sign along side the highway that said 101 degrees and this was at 6:10 p.m.! Here in Visalia, it was 107 yesterday. It is just plain hot, which I hear, is quite the opposite from back home.
From here, I plan on working my way up the valley and hitting Yosemite and then cutting across to San Francisco and then up the west coast. The weather should start getting cooler as I head north and towards the coast, so we shall see. Just as long as the temps and snow hold out until I am heading the last stretch towards home.
I wish that I could record my thoughts as I ride, because I mull over so many things that I would like to get your thoughts about, but now I can't remember. Whatever. Feel free to make comments about anything I say or send me an email or something. As of now, the trip is going very well, I am trying to get more focused on my goals once again and yet I do yearn for those last 2 days of riding towards home!
God bless you all!
Tim
It has now been a couple days since I blogged, which I'm sure some of you are thankful for! :) Right now, I am in Visalia, CA hanging out with some friends. My time in Ontario, CA was awesome! We had great conversation, good times playing volleyball and tennis, watching a little tv here and there and getting some reading done. I loved it, but being on a college campus really made me miss being at Dordt. sigh.
Yesterday was a good ride with many different points to it. To start off, it was beautiful weather leaving Ontario to drive up and through the mountains. Again, I got into the desert landscape, but being in mountains, the temp wasn't so bad. I spent the first half hour or better in prayer, recapping what has happened in the last week and what I need to do better and what I have done well. It was a great time of prayer! From there, it just overflowed into worship where I would sing any song that came to mind and just belt it out as I was travelling down the road. It made miles pass quickly and was also the best worship I had in many, many days.
I made it to the Tehachapi Loop, which most of you don't have a clue about. It is a railroad loop where many trains have to pass through every day and it is cool because it is this huge loop where a train is literally driving overtop of itself either going up the mountain or going down. Most of you wouldn't care at all, but for the few railfans, they might be interested.
From there, I drove down out of the mountains to the central valley and it was hot! I got down there and it was now late afternoon, yet it was hotter than when I left L.A. at 12:30. But, there is nothing to do except keep driving. While driving down the interstate, I saw a sign along side the highway that said 101 degrees and this was at 6:10 p.m.! Here in Visalia, it was 107 yesterday. It is just plain hot, which I hear, is quite the opposite from back home.
From here, I plan on working my way up the valley and hitting Yosemite and then cutting across to San Francisco and then up the west coast. The weather should start getting cooler as I head north and towards the coast, so we shall see. Just as long as the temps and snow hold out until I am heading the last stretch towards home.
I wish that I could record my thoughts as I ride, because I mull over so many things that I would like to get your thoughts about, but now I can't remember. Whatever. Feel free to make comments about anything I say or send me an email or something. As of now, the trip is going very well, I am trying to get more focused on my goals once again and yet I do yearn for those last 2 days of riding towards home!
God bless you all!
Tim
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The furthest point
Brothers and Sisters!
I am now in Ontario, California and this marks the furthest point I will be from home for the rest of the trip. I am pretty excited about that and now beginning to work my way back home. Obviously, it will still be quite some time before I am back, say, a little over a month, but it is still really good to be headed in that general direction. I keep thinking about how awesome it will be to get back on familiar roads and how I am going to savor those last few miles into the wonderful town of Edgerton. Don't get me wrong, I have definitely enjoyed driving and seeing the country and I have had an awesome week of talking with people and seeing amazing things, but there is still part of me that yearns to be in a place where "everyone knows your name," to steal a line from "Cheers."
Well, to sum up what has happened and what is going to happen, I have been in Ridgecrest, CA for a few days spending some time with some awesome people! We talked, laughed, played games, went for fried late at night, kicked balls into the air and just had a good time. Thank you so much!
Yesterday, I drove down to the suberbs of L.A. and met up with a great friend from the wonderful years on Res. Life at Dordt. Being here, on a college campus, has made me realize actually, how much I miss Dordt, the people, the apartment, the ministry and the whole atmosphere. So, if you are there and reading this, really absorb it and enjoy it, because it is an amazing place!
From here, I will begin my journey north, through the central valley to see Sequoia National Park, and Yosemite and also some more sweet people. Who knows who God will have me meet up there.
Reflecting on the last few weeks, God has really been pushing me in many ways. He has shown me how Satan has been getting to me to discourage me on this trip. He has been showing me how I haven't been spending enough time with him and how I'm not taking full advantage of random meetings with people. So, once again, I find myself attempting to do things out of my comfort zone and attempting to challenge myself in growth towards Christ and also towards other people. Please pray for this growth!
I got a new tire put on the motorcycle, so that should get me back home. It also got a bath, so once again, it is shiny. Well, that's about it. Until we meet again.
May the Lord bless you!
Tim
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Pictures!
Here are a select few pictures of the Trip to this point! Enjoy!
Pictures 1
Pictures 2
Pictures 3
Pictures 4
Pictures 1
Pictures 2
Pictures 3
Pictures 4
Monday, September 1, 2008
Desert Wind
Dear Friends!
I have made it to Ridgecrest, CA! Since the last time I blogged, I left the Grand Canyon, drove the rest of the way across Arizona, visited the Hoover Dam, camped just east of Las Vegas, on lake Mead, went to church in Vegas (yeah, there are churches there), and then drove through the Mojave Desert yesterday to get to Ridgecrest!
Once again, there are too many stories to tell. I had a reflection from the hike that I might share with you later. Yesterday, I talked with a guy in a Burger King who was riding motorcycle. It was a great conversation and he was a super friendly guy, but the part I wanted to write about was how his friend broke down. Yesterday, I saw many people beside the road and heard about more people breaking down, and that is something that hasn't happened to me yet and I have decided that is because or your prayers. How else is it, that I can drive 10,300 miles and not have any problems, besides one battery? So, thank you so much! That is your prayer work happening! Of course, now that I have said all that, the bike will break down within a few more days of travel. :)
Yesterday was the most technical, tiring day of driving I had had yet. This was so because of the wind. Honestly, it felt like I was back home in Minnesota. The wind had to be pushing 30-40 mph. I drove right into it the whole day, which made for bad mileage, but then I turned north and had to ride perpendicular to it. Driving at a 45 degree angle isn't so fun. As semis would approach, I would hunker down like a cat awaiting a blow after pooping on the floor, because that's what the wind would do: give you a good blow. Anyone who rides motorcycle knows what I am talking about. It was definitely intersting driving, but once again, the Lord guided me safely through.
Here, I will get a new rear tire put on, as this one has lasted about 10,500 miles, which is really good for a cycle tire. Then, I continue on and will soon be heading back north.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and may the Lord bless you all!
Tim
I have made it to Ridgecrest, CA! Since the last time I blogged, I left the Grand Canyon, drove the rest of the way across Arizona, visited the Hoover Dam, camped just east of Las Vegas, on lake Mead, went to church in Vegas (yeah, there are churches there), and then drove through the Mojave Desert yesterday to get to Ridgecrest!
Once again, there are too many stories to tell. I had a reflection from the hike that I might share with you later. Yesterday, I talked with a guy in a Burger King who was riding motorcycle. It was a great conversation and he was a super friendly guy, but the part I wanted to write about was how his friend broke down. Yesterday, I saw many people beside the road and heard about more people breaking down, and that is something that hasn't happened to me yet and I have decided that is because or your prayers. How else is it, that I can drive 10,300 miles and not have any problems, besides one battery? So, thank you so much! That is your prayer work happening! Of course, now that I have said all that, the bike will break down within a few more days of travel. :)
Yesterday was the most technical, tiring day of driving I had had yet. This was so because of the wind. Honestly, it felt like I was back home in Minnesota. The wind had to be pushing 30-40 mph. I drove right into it the whole day, which made for bad mileage, but then I turned north and had to ride perpendicular to it. Driving at a 45 degree angle isn't so fun. As semis would approach, I would hunker down like a cat awaiting a blow after pooping on the floor, because that's what the wind would do: give you a good blow. Anyone who rides motorcycle knows what I am talking about. It was definitely intersting driving, but once again, the Lord guided me safely through.
Here, I will get a new rear tire put on, as this one has lasted about 10,500 miles, which is really good for a cycle tire. Then, I continue on and will soon be heading back north.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and may the Lord bless you all!
Tim
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