Weekend Update

After looking over my blog, I noticed a few things I forgot to mention that I consider worthy of being included here.
First, I did add a few pics to some of the older posts to give a visual along with what I wrote.
Second, on the "I Don't Like Ike" post, I forgot to talk about the Mexico side of the tracks. The train runs right on the border at this point. I don't know the name of the town I saw, but it was sad to see how those folks have to live. Major poverty. Something very interesting occured while we were stopped in El Paso. I stepped out of my room, and almost ran into a guy walking down the hall carrying a very big gun. He was searching the whole car. Apparently, there were several armed guys on the train. Turns out, they are Border patrol, and they search the train every time it stops in El Paso.
Third, while sitting up on the mountain in Colorado, I visited with a retired couple named Irv & Kay. Irv was a Social Studies teacher in San Mateo for 36 years. Since I was a Social Studies major, we had lots to talk about. Irv taught from 1956 to 1992. He said that during those 5 decades, things didn't really change, kids are kids...always.
The next day, I had lunch with Irv & Kay while we were passing the Great Salt Lake. None of us could figure out what was so great about it. I also had the chance to share my faith with them. They are not Christians, but they were open and respectful, and I really hope I was able to plant some seeds, or maybe water some that were already there.

I think those are the only significant things that I left out. Thanks again for sharing this journey with me. It was nice to have you all along.
God Bless

Home Again, Home Again

Day 33:

I spent a couple of hours visiting with my aunt. That's a picture of her at the top. She shared several stories of my grandparents that I hadn't heard before (they both died when my dad was just a kid). My grandfather was in the Drum & Fife Corp, and he played at President McKinley's inaugaration. Hmmm, that's word I've never written before. I hope I spelled it correctly. I'm sure Travis will let me know, lol. Anyway, lots of stories that were very interesting to me.

I left about 9:30, and decided to have brunch at Granzella's. It's been rebuilt after the fire, and looks exactly the same. I included a picture of it also. The food is still great, so if you've never been to Ganzella's in Williams Ca. give it a try.

I grabbed a pic of Mt. Shasta as I passed. It is still one of the most spectacular views of the whole trip. I stopped in Medford for a couple hours, then began the final leg of my journey. What a journey it's been! I saw incredible sights, met interesting people, saw dear old friends, experienced a myriad of new things, several natural disasters, encountered God in a way I never have before, and had the time of my life! I've never been so blessed by an experience. I haven't been able here to put into words all this trip has been.

I'm back in THE most beautiful place in this country. It's my favorite kind of day, cold & sunny. I've included some pics I took this morning. The majority of the people who live here, take it totally for granted. They don't know how blessed and spoiled they are.

Many thanks to my aunt Ruth and cousins Karen & Jenny, John & Melody Bailey, Mark & Sierra Middlebrooks, and Travis & Eva Lynn Lund for their incredible hospitality. Thanks to my family and friends for the many prayers lifted on my behalf over the past several weeks.

Big thanks to Kevin Rider & Jim Goodman for installing my beautiful new flooring while I was gone. It was great to come home to it. I've included pics of that too.

My biggest thanks to my God, and Savior Jesus Christ for delivering me from any fear or anxious thoughts that might have spoiled my trip, and for giving me great peace and joy like I've never experienced before. God is great!

I pray the same peace & joy, comfort, grace and mercy for each of you that God has bestowed upon me.

Be Blessed!

The Adventure's Not Over Just Yet

Day 32:

12:01 am, we are pulling out of the Reno Amtrak Station. The plan is to stop in Truckee and Colfax before reaching Sac. I want to stay awake for this last part of the trip. I'm not sure why.

We stop in Truckee and let 2 people off the bus. It's the middle of the night, the 2 motels we saw are full, and there is no one around, and no one waiting for them. These 2 people did nothing but gripe and complain since we turned back to Denver. They were in the room next to me, and they complained very loudly. At one point, I started singing loudly to drown them out. They are very annoyed by me. I tried very hard to feel bad for them. I finally managed to feel sorry for them.:)

A bunch of people of off the bus in Colfax. Wow, who knew that was such a destination?

Now the real adventure begins. After a few more miles, the driver starts shaking his head back & forth. Then, he starts rubbing the back of his neck, and the top of his head. A while later, he begins slapping himself in the face over and over again.

I'm glad I stayed awake.

I'm in the third row, so I lean up to the folks in the first row, and suggest they start a conversation with the driver. They had seen the same thing as me, so they agreed. They kept him talking, and that helped a lot. We arrived in Sac at 3:20, and I walked the 3 blocks to the hotel. Walking in downtown Sac in the middle of the night with 3 pieces of luggage, is an experience in itself.

When I got to the hotel, they had labeled me a no-show, and charged my card. I had to wait while she reversed the charges, and reinstated my stay. She felt bad for me, so she upgraded my room, and gave me an extended stay (extra 3 hours) which I thought was nice.

I was able to sleep until 10, and then called my cousin to come pick me up. The original plan was that I would arrive at 3:45 the day before, and I'd stay at my aunt's house that night. I'm so glad my family is flexible. I still wanted to stay and visit, and they wanted that too, so I got to spend the whole day with them. We had a great dinner that my cousin Karen prepared, and a great dessert, that my cousin Jenny prepared. Karen has 3 great kids that you see at the top of this post. Karen kept my van for me, and they really enjoyed it. I think I'm lucky they gave it back (joking). They were really thankful to have had it for a few weeks.

The family retires early, and i thought I'd be sitting up alone for several hours, but I was in bed by 9:30. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was.

I can't believe this is my last night away from home. It sure doesn't feel like I've been gone over a month. It's been a great trip.

Praise god!

What Happens in Reno

Day 31:

I last left you in Glenwood Springs after being bussed there. Boy did they try to suck up to us. Our beds were ready with a mint on the pillow. Extra pillow, extra blanket, and extra friendly staff. They knew a lot of people were really upset. Like it was Amtraks fault that a Union Pacific train derailed.

I woke up to sunrise in Utah. The area just East of Provo was really beautiful with lots of Fall colors. I expected more from Salt Lake City. You hear so much about it. The Great Salt Lake... what's the big deal? I'd much rather see Lake Tahoe, now that's an awesome lake.
Anyway, at Salt Lake City, they announced that we would be booted off the train again in Reno, and bussed to our destinations in California. People were furious. Amtrak wanted to get their trains back on schedule, and the easiest way to do that was to boot us and turn the train around.
We arrived in Reno at 11:30, and it was another mad rush to get everyone and their luggage on the busses. The train goes right through downtown Reno, and it was night, so it was really cool looking. If our stop had been a little longer, I would have run into Circus Circus for the buffet.

We are still 12 hours behind schedule, so instead of arriving at 3:45 pm, I'll get to Sac at 3:30 am. I called ahead to reserve a room at the same hotel I started my trip at. This means another early morning walk in downtown Sacramento.

God's Sense of Humor @ 10,000 ft

Day 30:

Well, this is it. I now board the train to head home. Yes, Travis (and Eva Lynn) woke up to say goodbye at 6am, and Trav helped me carry my stuff to the car. I punched the address into the GPS and headed for Denver. One little problem, the address I had was for the train station, not for the Hertz place. When I arrived at the station at 7am, I started searching through all my Hertz documentation for an address. There wasn't one. Did I panic? No. I prayed. Then, in the crack between the seats, I saw a map of the Denver area that they gave me. On that map, all the Hertz places in the area were marked. The place I needed was marked with a #2, and on the right hand side, there was an address. I punched that in, and arrived at the correct location a few minutes later...just in time. The shuttle was ready to leave, but they held it for me. Thank you Lord.

I got on the train and watched Denver fade in the distance as we climbed the mountain. Here, I had my first problem with a lack of trust. There were 2 issues before me. First, we were headed for Moffit Tunnel, a 6.3 mile long tunnel through the mountains. I have suffered from claustophobia for most of my life (I got locked in a closet as a kid). As I got a little nervous, I prayed and let it go. I knew everything would be fine, and it was. No problem, it didn't bother me at all. If I had thought about it, I would have realized that I was over it because the "roomette" on all the trains is not very big, and when you close the door and curtains, it's like being in a closet. This hadn't bothered me at all.

The 2nd thing, I didn't let go of. (I know that isn't proper english structure, just so you know). Beyond the tunnel is a town called Winter Park. It is also beautiful like the one in Florida, but in a different way. Winter Park is at an elevation of almost 10,000 ft. Now remember, I got kind of sick at 5,000 ft, so I got nervous. I prayed, but I didn't let it go. Guess what happened? A freight train in front of us derailed and we couldn't get through. They said we had to turn around and head back to Denver. The problem is, there was a problem behind us also, so we had to wait.

I don't believe that God said, ' okay, since you didn't trust me, I'm going to teach you a lesson'. My God doesn't work that way. I do believe he may have said, ' my silly child, you don't know what I'm capable of, or what you are capable of...let me show you'. This is what I consider to be a demonstration of his sense of humor. We had to sit at the top of the mountain for 6 more hours. I was fine. My headache did come back after a while, but it wasn't that bad. God took what was a bad situation for most of the people on the train, and used to my benefit.

By the time we got back to Denver, it was 8pm. That's 12 hours after we first left. There, they put us on busses, and took us to Glenwood Springs to get back on the train. We arrived there at midnight, so that ends day 30.

I added this picture of Kelly from yesterday. The rest of the pics are from the train during our hours on the mountain.

Pink Elephants, Mushrooms, & Castles

Day 29:

I woke up today with no headache. Yea!

The plan was to go to a new church that Mr. & Mrs. Lund have been wanting to try, but they had something come up unexpectedly, so we had to skip that. I did watch Joel Osteen on tv. Some people don't like him, but I think he is great for new Christians, and also for people who need encouragement... always a positive message.

For lunch we went to a Hawaiian Grill place called Rumbi's. It was really good! I had a chicken & shrimp dish that I really enjoyed. Wish we had one of these in CC.

The Lund's had a great idea for something to do with an old man who can't breathe up that high.

Miniature Golf. Eva Lynn had won a free game last time they went, and I thought it would be a fun thing to do. We actually had a really good time, even though we had had to play the first few rounds in the rain. (God still providing mild, cool weather for me). Travis beat us by a couple of points, thanks to an amazing hole in one. He actually came close to doing that several times that day. He was on a roll.

That evening, Kelly came up and we all went to dinner at the Olive Garden. I wanted to celebrate Eva Lynn's birthday which I had just missed a few weeks before.

I 've had a great time with the Lund's, and I'm sorry I have to leave tomorrow. I have to leave by 6:15 in the morning, and Travis says he is going to get up and help me with my bags. Travis and mornings don't usually mix, so we'll see.

By the way, Boulder is great!

Cruise Pics ~ Castaway Cay

Cruise Pics ~ Nassau

More Disney Pics

Disney Pics

Goodbye Mark & Sierra, Hello Travis & Eva Lynn

Day 28:

I remembered to snap a picture of Mark & Sierra before I left their house this morning, so that should be the last pic you see.

The drive from Denver to Boulder was very nice. I was thinking if Colorado had an ocean, I could probably live here. Found Travis & Eva Lynn's place with no problems. They have a nice apartment, and they (Eva Lynn) have done a good job putting it together. We visited for a while, then went to lunch at a cool little noodle place. After lunch, we drove through the canyon, to a place called Boulder Falls. Can you guess why? Travis said it's a short 100 yard "hike" to the falls. It wasn't Red Rocks, but there were plenty of steps and rocks to walk over. Travis had a great time making fun of me for my frequent stops to breathe. It is a beautiful area, and we got a couple good pics.

After that, we headed back to the house, so Eva Lynn could start preparing dinner. Kel & Carley came over for dinner. It was really nice to see them too. Eva Lynn made the best enchiladas I've ever had. I'm tellin' ya, I'll be coming home a lot heavier then when I left.

Then, when most people would have already been in bed, they watched the new season of Heroes with me. I really like that show, but missed it the last couple weeks. Travis had it Tivo'd, so I got to see the first episode, but then I wimped out, and had to go to bed.

Travis & Eva Lynn are very good hosts (that's just a little note to their parents :)

Be Blessed!

Red Rocks

Day 27:

I woke up this morning and my headache was gone, and I felt more energetic. Mark asked if there was anything I especially wanted to do, and I said I really wanted a Jamba Juice. I told him I had seen one a couple miles from his house, and that I'd like to go there. He said that was fine, but would I rather go to the one 2 blocks away. I chose that one. I'm so jealous he lives only 2 blocks from a Jamba Juice!

After a refreshing drink, we decided to go to Red Rocks. What a great place! I really wish I could have gone to a concert there. There were a lot of people there working out. It was like a huge outdoor gym. We climbed all those steps you see in the picture, and about 100 more. Then, we went to the visitors center and did a bunch more walking. I really enjoyed it, but had to stop often to rest. There's no stinking air here! Anyway, about half way through our little hike, my headache was back full force, and I was feeling really weak again. It was worth it.

After our Red Rocks adventure, Mark had to go to the school to teach a piano class to 9 kids (he had taken the rest of the day off to show me around). He has a great class, and it was fun to be a part of it.

We went and picked up Sierra after her baseball game down in Castle Rock. It's down south toward Colorado Springs. I wanted to take them out to dinner, so we decided on an Italian buffet between Denver & Boulder called Cinzetti's. It was so good. If you ever have the chance to go there...

We all ate way too much, and headed back to Highlands Ranch to suffer.

The whole day had been totally great, but my favorite part was about to happen. I asked Mark and Sierra if they would sing a couple of songs for me. Mark has an amazing voice, but I had never heard Sierra sing before. They sounded so good together, and I convinced them to do a third song. So talented!

Then, they convinced me to sing a song for them, and it was fun. Our little concert turned out to be the highlight of my day. Excellent day!

Jim & Janet

Day 26:

Thankfully, we were running a couple hours late coming into Denver, so I was able to have breakfast on the train. I sat with a really nice couple named Jim & Janet Meyer. We had a good time, and discovered we both had reserved cars at Denver, so we knew we would see each other there. As expected, we ran into each other at baggage claim. We had a 30 minute wait, and while we talked, I found out they attended Hershey Evangelical Free Church. I told them I lead worship at Pelican Bay, and that spurred great conversation. We got our bags and called Hertz, and we had another 30 minutes together to talk. It was a great morning, and I really enjoyed it.
I got my car, and had 8 hours to kill, so I drove around Denver a little. It is such a nice city. I decided to walk through the Denver Art Museum, and ended up spending the whole day there. I still didn't see everything, but I really enjoyed it. It rained on me when I left the museum. Remember I prayed for unseasonably cool weather for this trip? God answered. This whole time there was only one day that I considered kind of unbearable.
I met up with Mark & Sierra at their house in Highlands Ranch, and we had a great time catching up (I haven't seen them in 6 years).
The elevation is a bit of a problem. I feel pretty weak, and have a bad headache, but I know it will get better, and it could be much worse. I've known of people who end up in the hospital, so I'm thankful for just a headache that can be dulled with "drugs".
It's almost over ! :(

Chicago

Day 25:

Another train day. I woke up at 3:30 am, so I got to see Cleveland Ohio at night. When I awoke later in the morning, we were in Indiana wasn't very exciting.
I had breakfast with a very interesting couple this morning, Herb & Kathy. They live in Rhode Island. Kathy is a retired teacher who now does organic gardening, and Herb is a semi-retired professor, who has the best voice I've ever heard. I told him he needs to be doing radio or something. He said, "it does come in handy in the classroom". They are also very active in the Obama campaign. They asked me who I was going to vote for, and I said I hadn't made up my mind yet. They spent the next hour trying to win me over. They have all kinds opf interesting stories about Sarah Pahlin.
When we got to Chicago, it was raining. Can you guess what else? That's right. It was really windy. I didn't get to see Chicago either. The train was an hour and a half late. By the time I got my bag, and checked it for the next train, and got to the waiting area, she told me I had to be back in an hour. I hadn't even had lunch yet, so I just stayed in the station. When I got back, they announced that the train was running a few minutes late. They were having mechanical difficulties, so that few minutes stretched to 2 hours. Oh well, I didn't really want to walk around in the wind and rain anyway.
I'm so spoiled living where I do. I always seem to take it for granted.
Finally got on the train headed for Denver. I did get to see a little bit of Iowa before it got dark.
Listened to more of the Shack. An interesting twist in the story. I'm not sure what I think about it yet.

New York New York

Day 24:

Just a note from yesterday. If you ever have the chance to visit Winter Park Florida, do it. It's a really nice little town.
This morning, I woke up in Virginia, and quickly grabbed breakfast because we would soon be in Baltimore Maryland, and I wanted to be able to see it. What a waste of time. Maybe there is a part to the city that I couldn't see from the train, but what I did see was depressing. It's an ugly, delapidated place, that didn't have any redeeming quality.
Next stop was Wilmington Delaware. This city was much better, but I got distracted by something I saw at the station. I'm sure this isn't politically correct, but the cutest little Omish couple got off the train there. I really wish I had seen them on the train, because it would have been fun to talk to them.
As we came into Philadelphia, it too was a beautiful city, until we got to north Philly, which looked just like Baltimore to me.
Our next 2 stops were Trenton & Newark New Jersey. I wish I had something to say about NJ, but I can't think of a thing.
Next stop, New York City. I planned on taking pics of all the buildings as we came into the city, but several miles outside the city, you enter a tunnel and stay in there all the way to the station.
Penn Station is terrible. I didn't like anything about it. My plan was to wander outside and see some sights during my 5 hour layover. I prayed and asked God if that was a good plan (I'm learning to seek his counsel before doing things I wouldn't normally do). I asked him to let me know what I should do. He did. The train ended up being a little late, and I got lost in the station. Every other station I've been to, including the big ones in LA & DC, had great signs that led me exactly where I needed to go. Penn station's signage sucks! All they tell you is where to catch different subways. I decided to ask a couple cops I saw for directions. These were 2 of the rudest guys I've ever met. I finally found baggage claim 30 minutes later, and there were a bunch of people standing around. No baggage yet. After another 30 minutes, they announced that the baggage elevator had broken down, and they would keep us posted. After another 30 minutes, they sent someone to get us and bring us to our luggage (instead of bringing it to us). After getting my bag, I went to the waiting area for first class, and decided to sit down for a couple of minutes to rest.
That's when I met Hal & Jean. They were these super nice people that talked my ear off. After all these incidents, I felt like I had my answer, and it was to stay in the station. Hal & Jean offered to watch my bags, so I could go get some lunch. I found a New York deli right in the station, so that's what I got. I was assured by several people that this was an authentic NY deli, but I don't see what all the hype is. It was like one step above Subway.
I also saw a K Mart in the station that said "Thank you for shopping at your Manhattan K Mart".

Back on the train headed for Chicago. I met a family at dinner that had just taken a Carnival Cruise, so we swapped stories. We both agreed that my cruise was better.
After dinner, I got to visit with my mom, the Rider's, and the Goodman's. It was nice to talk with all of them, and I got to hear a little about Jim & Vicki's trip to Hawaii.
After that, I started listening to the novel The Shack on cd. I'm not too far into it, but it seems like it will be pretty interesting.
Through all the turmoil today, I still have nothing but total peace.
God is good!