http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Pastor-Steve/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Pastor Steve en-us Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:20:55 +0000 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:20:55 +0000 We are homeWe did not have computer access on our last night away from home so Irsquoll give some highlights. The scripture for the day was Acts 919 Saul on the Damascus Road. This is a powerful story and I love it but at the time I wasnrsquot seeing any immediate connection for our dayrsquos plans.However I do have what I call ldquosignpostsrdquo in my lifemdashthose moments http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wyoming/Grand-Teton-National-Park/blog-409677.html Our trip is winding down and we are taking some quiet time in one of my favorite places Grant Teton National Park. We are staying at THE HOSTEL at the base of Teton Mountain in Teton Village outside of Jackson Hole. Yesterday morning we awoke to clouds but dry conditions in Rexburg ID but that was shortlived. We weren't more than five miles out of Rexburg heading north toward West Yellowst http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wyoming/Jackson-Hole/blog-408800.html I think the last time I put sunblock on was on Malibu Beach. And it has been 45 days since I last felt comfortably warm through a whole day's riding. I think I last remember feeling that way while riding through Sonoma wine country on US101 in CA. After that a low pressure system stalled over the CAOR coast and we've been in various clothing and rainsuit layers ever since.But I know better th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Idaho/blog-407933.html We left late from Medford because of rain and cold and finally got on the road around 1030. Our route took us north up past Crater Lake but not in view of the lake. It is very high and there is still a lot of snow around the rim. We did go over the pass near the lake at an elevation of about 6000 ft. and there was snow in the ditch along the road. It began to rain and it poured pretty hard http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Bend/blog-407794.html We arrived in Fortuna CA after spending a great day riding on winding roads and through Redwood Forests and along the northern coast of California. After supper we sat in the hot tub for a while then settled in for a few episodes of Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel. Today we went north to Redwood National Park and then Northwest to Medford OR. We stopped at AAA and picked up some maps th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Medford/hotel/blog-407717.html Scripture Luke 103037A neighbor is one who shows mercy. That was the message Jesus was telling the religious leaders in the Good Samaritan story.Two people were traveling on a highway up the coast of California on a motorcycle when they grew tired and wanted to stop for the night. When they saw a sign that said 55 per night they turned around and went back and rang the doorbell. A youn http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-407064.html Today we left Buellton CA after staying at a FANTASTIC Best Western motel with wonderful beds. I think if I've learned anything about myself on this trip it's the importance of a good mattress and how it effects my life the following day. I had a great day today because I had a great mattress last night maybe.Our Bible text today was from Luke 24150. It was Passover and twelve yearold J http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/North-Beach/blog-406720.html The scripture today Mt. 21318 was about Mary and Joseph's flight to Egypt with baby Jesus. Here and there scripture records journeys whose sole purpose was protection. I think of David running from Saul Jacob getting out after he stole Esau's birthright and a number of others. With a crooked smile I think of today's journey with a little bit of the fleeing for protection motif.L.A. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/blog-406388.html Ever have one of those days you really wanted to remember forever This has been the trip of a lifetime for both Grace and I because it was fairly bold and spontaneous for two people who are almost 50 going across the country on motorcycle. So when we did the planning it occured to me that we would be traveling on our anniversary. In our initial planning we had planned to go on our anniversa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Kingman/blog-406380.html Today's text was from Ezra 114God effectively paving the way for the Israelites to return from exile by changing the heart of the king of Persia and causing him to make law that all the Persian people should give the Israelites whatever they needed to return home. When does that ever happen for anyoneAgain I didn't immediately resonate with today's text but mentally filed it for later ret http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-405995.html We left early from our motel in Santa Fe to try and make up time. We are hoping that if we can make up time we can go through L.A. on Sunday which would likely be the best traffic day of the week. Also we need more time to go up the Pacific coast. Traveled through Albuquerque and on to Gallup where we were supposed to have spent the night last night. We stopped at a grocery store and bought http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Flagstaff/blog-405986.html Man looks at the outward appearance but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 167bThis scripture text on Samuel journeying to Bethlehem to annoint the next king of Israel didn't resonate with me much initially. So I pondered it and put in the back of my mind as we drove into the new day.This day was red letter. A high pressure system had come in behind the rain and the air was clear the s http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-Mexico/Tucumcari/blog-405561.html Grace and I woke up in Tulsa this morning I think that is the same place we went to bed last night. I was too tired to care. It was kind of a dive of a motel down in the industrial area of Southern Tulsa but it was close to Route 66 and it had a keyboard even though the spacebar didn't work very well. You wouldbegintotypeanditwouldlooklikethis. Then you would have to go back and pound on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oklahoma/Elk-City/blog-404434.html I haven't written here for a couple of days just my journal. Last night we grabbed almost the first motel we could find after riding through 3040 min. of steady rain and departing daylight. no computer in this motel of our desperation It was a fun day of rolling green vistas in backwoods Wisconsin. The only problem was the wide weather system blanketing most of the midwest. We were in mist http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Illinois/blog-402840.html Today we left Erick Oklahoma and almost immediately entered Texas since we were only 7 miles from the Texas border. The problem was we couldn't get out of our motel room until 1100 a.m. because of the heavy rains lightening and thunder. Neither Grace nor I are fond of playing lightening rod at 70 mph on the back of a motorcycle. Our first stop was in Shamrock TX where we stopped at the U http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Flagstaff/blog-405401.html We took a little side trip up to Kansas City on Sunday. After a couple hours of riding we arrived at the Nelson Museum near the Plaza in Kansas City. I tend to forget how fantastic that place is. Ancient stone figures from Egypt in the time of Moses reminds me of our today's scripture of Moses leaving the luxury of the palace in Egypt and fleeing to the land of Midian after he killed the Egypt http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oklahoma/Tulsa/blog-404221.html I had a fairly open mind about what we might experience on this trip knowing that there were too many variables. Our scripture to ponder on the day of assault on St.Louis was Joseph's journey into slavery Gen. 37. The question I wondered about as I finished my pondering and prayer time was When have I been on a coerced journey like Joseph's and how did I react I came up with a few vague http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Missouri/St-Louis/blog-404086.html So what ever happened to the travelers on route 66 It's like this we discovered that not every motel has a computer in the lobby. In fact we had three straight nights with no computer to record the happenings on our route. So since we are also doing a journal we can regress in time three days and catch you up on what has been happening. We had a great time riding down through Illinois. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Illinois/Springfield/blog-404082.html We arrived in Mankato early today around 200 and rested. We will probably have to ride in the rain on Tuesday but we only have about 350 miles to go to Rockford Il. on Tuesday.Each day Grace and I have some scripture to look at and contemplate about journeys depicted in scripture. It seems every movement of God involves journey and travel. Nothing worthwhile ever occured in scripture witho http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Minnesota/Mankato/blog-402131.html It took me the first 100 miles to mentally grasp that we are really on our way. And then I couldn't stop smiling. In the past few weeks I have thought more than once about the prejourney that occurs in the preparation for a journey. My prejourney prep seemed pretty intense as I worked to get three teaching projects with which I have been involved ready to be turned over to other hands. I rea http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Minnesota/blog-401947.html