On our recent east coast trip we left DC on a warm October morning heading for a Hampton Inn in Danbury CN, leading to our return flight in Boston. So I loaded the address into Waze on Sheila’s cell, those marvelous silicon chips did their work and spat out the directions, with a distance of 286 miles. I hit start and followed what it told us. I trusted Waze; she’d never led us wrong. But…
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Mick on the left, in the redwoods
Seasons
Five years back, Mick thought the right time had arrived to stop riding his bike. He looked back on many miles and a lot of trips with no problems, and a slew of great stories and memories. So he decided to quit while he was still ahead. To show his commitment, he gave his Honda Goldwing to his son-in-law. His riding days ended. But his wife…
Read MoreWhy Worship?
An encounter with a squirrel opened up an interesting discussion about God and worship.
During a friend’s retirement party, while standing under a tree and talking to another old friend, he gently mouthed, “Squirrel.” I slowly turned, about one foot from my face was who I later learned was Albert. Apparently he wanted some of the food so freely available, and I held a finger up for him to sniff. He promptly yet gently bit it, almost as if to say, “No, squirrel food. Please.” Quite used to humans, he never flinched when I reached down for my phone to snap some pics of him. He seemed to pose. But yet another brief conversation with the wife of another old friend…
Read MoreDodging Obstacles
Dodging Obstacles
On the recent Alaska ride, Mick, Brad and I visited the most majestic cathedral I’ve experienced. HiWay 1, NorCal, The Avenue of the Giants. We slowly cruised through the redwoods that crept to the edge of the road and provided a canopy of boughs that kept us cool. And in awe. Then Brad spotted a sideroad we’d never taken, Mattole Road to the Big Tree Grove, so we yielded to temptation. If HiWay 1 was narrow, Mattole was just a faint…
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image by usgs.gov
Trout as Teachers
Trout, much like the cutthroat in the pic above (by usgs.gov), have taught me much about the finer aspects of the spiritual life. Honest. When fishing for the hatchery-raised idiots in California’s roadside streams, Power Bait works well with fish who don’t recognize genuine trout food. Scientific research has blended the scent trout love with a consistency that will stick on a hook, yet with no nutritive value. But I most love hiking into the backcountry to find…
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image from banffandbeyond
Morning Devotions
On a late June morning we fired up the bikes and rode out of Kalispell, Montana, expecting great things at Glacier National Park. Early indications didn’t encourage us. The chill cut deep and we endured 30 miles of mostly urban traffic. So far, the shivers from cold and the frustrations from traffic seemed typical. Nothing awesome, just unpleasant conditions. Then we entered Glacier. The first ten miles or so were straight and slow and serene as we skirted Lake McDonald. Evergreens provided a covered archway and limited the visibility, and I relaxed in the slowness. The frustrations of the earlier morning ride seeped away and I sensed God’s presence again invading my soul. Serenity soon ended as…
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image of Avenue of the Giants from California Through My Lens
The Glory of Silence
I’ve long said, as a semi-joke, that riding greatly increases my prayer life. And it should--a lot of idiots drive cars, bikes trade protection to gain speed and maneuverability, which inherently increase the dangers we face, bad weather can cause problems, and we all make mistakes. So, I pray that God in his mercy would keep me safe. But prayer plays another vital role in my riding…
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image from yelp
Step Back, Step Up
Last spring while at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, I noticed an artist. Her easel set, she’d already begun to paint the flowers about 6 feet away. She paused, looked intently at the flowers, then returned to the canvas. Just a few moments later she stepped up within a foot of them, another pause, then back to painting. One more pause as she moved back 20 feet, then she shifted 5 feet to the right, and returned to her work. Why? She wanted…
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