1,952 miles round trip!  Rode the Harley out to OKC  to visit/help my friend Kevin get his Marco’s store ready to open.  I used it as a “test” ride to see how I would do physically.  I’m happy to report that it was a great ride and I was not the least bit sore even after 12 hours on the motorcycle, I love my bike!  My CPAP machine did not fair so well, broke the first day… I guess it just wasn’t built to vibrate down the highway on a Harley

I helped Kevin hire most of his crew and get the store setup for training to start.  It was heartbreaking to discover that almost all of the high school kids we hired came from broken homes.    They were/are an amazing bunch of young people and are going to be a fantastic crew for Kevin and Laurel.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to do a long distance ride and use the time to just ponder the goodness and grace of God… The Lord is so good to speak to me during these rides, I love that He calls me away to the solitude of the open road.  No interstate highways, hustle and bustle of the cities.  He takes me down winding, meandering two lane roads with very little traffic and the opportunity to enjoy what He created.  Some people don’t understand how I can hear the Lord as I ride my Harley but I really can.  Riding allows me to clear my mind of any distractions.  Always when I ride I return refreshed and the longer the ride the better.  I get excited as I think about how He will reveal Himself to me on the ride this summer/fall.  I am looking forward to both His encouragement and revelation of things He wants to change in my life.  I want to honor Him, love Him and show others through my life, the many ways He has redeemed me, broken me, and shown me grace and mercy.

As I ride across 4 states I am struck by both the beauty and creativity of our God.  The differing topography of the land, rolling hills to flat river delta, gentle curves in the road to long straight stretches as far as you can see.  Each state had an abundance of wild flowers in bloom, none the same. Oklahoma had red/pink poppy’s, Arkansas had yellow daisies, Mississippi had some sort of tall white/purple flower that smelled wonderful and of course Alabama had plenty of wisteria.

I love small town America, I rode through towns with population signs of 200-400 people, life is slower, didn’t see many people talking on their cell phones in their cars.  Saw lot’s of people talking to each other on lawns or front porches.  Passed down main streets with the local merchant standing out front, waving as I passed by.  I laughed at the old men sitting out front as well, watching what little traffic went by and probably wondering where they were headed.  Stopped to get gas in south Arkansas at an old gas station, you could smell the bacon and eggs cooking and when I walked in it was like stepping back in time.  It looked like an old general store, filled to the rafters with all manner of stuff.  Of course I had to try the biscuits, man were they good, I got to talkin with the ladies behind the counter and the men sitting at the table, it was nice…warm and friendly the way it should be.  They didn’t have to be nice, it is who they are, they wished me a safe trip and one old guy asked me if my butt hurt but they all said stop back by when your comin through next time, you know what? I will.  I’m always looking for Mayberry, not the location itself but the people and I love it when I get a little taste of how life used to be.

I pulled out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas at dawn coming home and down the road a few miles you could see the fog/mist in the fields.  It was still, no wind, a beautiful clear sky at sunrise.  As I rode down the highway the mist crossed over the road, it’s funny but it becomes eerily quiet when you go through fog…anyway I as I cut a path through the mist I looked in the mirror as the eddies of my passing settled back into a solid wall and Misty Edwards song came to mind about “life is but a vapor” and I realized the truth in that line.  As quickly as I went through the vapor my presence was just as quickly forgotten, it was if I had not been there.  I don’t want that to be true, I want to impact people as we meet.  Not so that they might remember me or my name, I want to them to remember a kindness or a prayer or a simple hug at the time they needed it.  I pray that the Lord will give me many opportunities to reach out and love others.

Anyway, as always the Lord blessed me with His presence and I’m grateful.  He is so very good to me….

Got to spend the day riding with my buddy Eric Kennedy!  We had such a great time!  Eric is the kind of guy I love to ride with, low maintenance…and he loves to ride!  The longer the ride the better, my kind of guy.  We went to Butler to “Justin’s Place” for breakfast and then road down to Edison,GA to “Kountry Kitchen” for some of the best fried chicken in the state, period.  If you get down that way be sure to stop for the buffet, it’s right on Hwy 37, yellow building.

The other thing I love about Eric is that he’s so easy to talk to.  I know I can trust him with the things I share from my heart, I have never felt judged by him or wondered if he still “liked” me after I shared something difficult.  We spent some time talking about our walk with the Lord, our kids and the “ride”.  Yes, Eric is coming with me!! WOO HOO!! Gonna make the trip even better!

Still planning, won’t stop until we leave.  I looked at some alternate routes today after I got home just in case Eric can’t take as much time off as me.  Got the trip down from 9,700 miles to about 8,000.  Piece of cake, right? Right!  We rode about 250 miles today and my butt was getting sore so we are going to have to work up to riding several weeks, can you say blisters on the cheeks  Oh yeah, I must remember to pack talcum powder!

Anyway, great day to ride, lot’s of sun, good food and a great friend…thank you Lord.

Well, this is something very new and different for me.. a blog.. who would have thought it!  I have been thinking about doing one for awhile and as I thought about going on this adventure with the Lord it motivated me to get it started.  I want to be able to share where I’m at, where I’m going and what He is saying to me along the way.  I plan on doing a lot of listening…

I want to post pictures as well!  I am really getting excited about going, I have my route laid out.  At least I have a general idea where I’m going but have no real firm plans.  I want this to be a very flexible trip, turn left, turn right, go straight, doesn’t matter.  My current planned “route” will take me from Georgia up the eastern seaboard to Maine, west through upstate NY, into Canada briefly and then to Spring Arbor, MI to see a couple of wonderful “daughters” from Greece who go to school there, Gina and Christi Long.  Then it’s off to northern Michigan to Mackinac island, over to International Falls, MN. then down to Rapid City, SD to spend a few days with my sister Carla and her family and of course tour the Black Hills!

While in Rapid I hope to meet up with a friend of mine, Scott Mabry, who will be riding up from Colorado to join me for a week.  The plan is to leave the Black Hills and ride a few days in Jackson Hole, WY and Yellowstone Natl. Park.  Then he will go home and I will be off to Glacier Natl. Park.  Leaving there I will ride through Idaho, Washington, and Oregon to Klamath Falls.  Then down to Yosemite Natl. Park, Grand Canyon and points east.

Will go through the Rockies and spend a few days with Scott riding then I plan on heading to Edmond, OK to visit another friend Kevin Wilkerson.  By then I’m pretty sure my face will be sunburned, my butt will be numb and I will be missing my bride too much to stay away any longer. Time to head home.  All in all, I plan on taking at least 5 weeks to complete this journey, longer if the Lord tells me to!

Keep checking for updates!  Leaving in mid August 2010!!