Vernal....

Vernal, UT

July 6

Slept in a bed last night.

A little spendy for my tastes.

But the Lord knew what I needed and provided.

Had the opportunity to chat with a couple people about the journey.

This morning I was awake early.

Got cleaned up, again, and had some time in quiet with the Lord.

One thing I have learned is to always, everyday, check the pressure in your tires.

They may seem full, but a few pounds difference of air can make a small knoll of a hill seem like Mount Everest.

A bit of a hyperbole, I know, but the road, the heat, the bumps all can make an effect on the pressure of the tires.

Found they were all low by a few pounds.

Cleaned it up a bit as well from the condensation during the night.

Packed the panniers, grabbed all the cold water out of the fridge and started loading up.

Then I met Jeff.

He had come up from California to do some catch and release fly fishing.

Asked me about the "train."

Found out he is a believer.

Took my picture by the bike and said he would email it to me.

And that he would be praying for me as well.

Ok, Lord.

Who next?

After getting all loaded, I began my way out.

Not even out of the property where the lodge sits, I meet Chris.

He is the maintenance man.

So I get to share with him as well.

So, since the Lord had in mind, all along, that the rain would fall and I would pull into this place, I had the opportunity share with four different people. 

Thanks Lord, for continuing to impress that this whole journey is about people.

I must say, honestly, that I was a little concerned, ai would get another wash in the rain today.

But it did not happen!

I made all the forty five miles to Vernal, set up the tent, got all the bags off the bike and literally threw them inside before the rain came. 

I am a happy camper.

Met one couple at an overlook, who were from Santa Fe, 

Talked with them a bit as well.

Everyone is amazed that I am doing this journey by bike.

Yet, I have met others who have pedaled cross country and they are in their seventies.

I simply want to be obedient.

And that really means something to me, since there have been so many times in the past where I have not. 

So where do you think I am while typing all these words in for all of you to read?

In the tent.

Oh, and I have already had a Ben and Jerry ice cream and a Sobe strawberry banana drink.

The laundry is open 24/7 at this KOA.

So I had better go do some.

Not as if my shirts or shorts will ever be wearable in public again.

The sweat, the grime, the elements all have taken a toll on the material.

Especially on the front side which gets the brunt of everything.

Thinking would be fun to cut them up and make a quilt as a remembrance of this journey.

One last comment.

Even deep in Mormon country, people read the back side of the card and agree. 

There are only two things that will last for eternity.

God's word and relationships.

That is all.

Thanks for continuing in the joy of this journey.

D.

Red Rock......

Red Rock Lodge

July 5

Today was sure something!

I started in Manila UT where I had spent the night under the bleacher stands at the rodeo ground.

There were fireworks going till all hours of  the night.

So it seems.

But then I was quite tired and maybe a little sleep deprived.

All in all the night was good.

Talked with Michal.

Then Kacia called and told me all about the wedding she was a special part.

Saw a couple walking and introduced myself. 

Told them I was silently going to sleep under the bleachers.

She agreed with what was written on the card.

They told me no one in town would mind.

After all, it is the fourth of July!

So for a ground cover I used the tent.

It was warm enough out that I did not actually set it up but simply laid it down and then the sleeping bag on top.

So what about today you are asking yourself?

Is he going to tell us about today?

Well sure I am.

Are you ready!

Here we go.....

The start of the day was very nice.

Sunny.

Warm.

Beautiful time of talking with the Lord.

Singing.

Praying.

All of this happening while on the bike, of course.

And going up Flaming Gorge was intensely beautiful.

The deep reds and oranges.

The burnt colors in the rocks.

The ride up was not too difficult.

Some short steep climbs.

Some long slow ones also.

As I was slowly, yet steadily, making my way up one of those climbs, over the twenty miles of undulating ups and downs, I could see on the other side of the road, maybe a hundred yards away, a vehicle pulling off onto the shoulder.

And a lady getting out and taking pics as I came up the grade.

I looked in the mirror attached to my steering, saw there was no one coming up behind, and no one coming down the hill toward me, and eased my way over to the other side of the road, parking my bike in front of her small pickup.

Her name is Madeline and she has been traveling with her little dog, seeing the country, since her husband died of Parkinson's.

We started to talk.

And talk....

yes, and talk.

We both basically told our life stories in the time we stood on the side of the road.

Talking.

Her husband was a strong believer in Christ, and had traveled and lived in the Philippines 

She talked. I listened.

I talked. She listened.

She is the first one who has pulled off the road and waited for me.

All so I could share about this journey.

Was wonderful to prayer for and over her the Lord's protection as she went on her journey of travels.

Not five miles down the road after this divine appointment from the Lord, I had another one.

This time was different.

This time was with...

Rain.

Drenched and cold, I took cover at a rest area where I stood under the little bit of shelter.

The loo.

The toilet.

The commode.

Whatever name you want to give, it gave shelter from the storm.

There were people there who had been having a picnic by the pond.

They too, got caught in the deluge.

After waiting for an opportune time to make my escape, it looked as if it had cleared enough to try and get a few miles. 

Asked one of the men who had been fishing, how far it was to the nearest campgrounds.

He told me and also told me of a lodge not too far down the road.

Five miles.

I made it there.

Completely soaked.

As were others who were also caught unawares.

Decided it was worth it to spend the night.

Clothes strewn about trying to get dry.

Shaving. 

Getting a hot shower.

And eating a delightfully tasty chicken sandwich and hot tea.

I was so cold and chilled I ripped open the crackers for my soup with my teeth.

Not very gentlemanly, but it works.

Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

Sharing a few texts with family and friends.

Still no wifi.

So will have plenty of posts to put on the blog when I do get to a place that has some.

What else to say about this day?

It was, as I said at the beginning of this post, truly something.

The  Lord had my back the whole way. 

Even while waiting out the weather, He knew what would happen next.

Where He would direct me.

That makes the whole day, rain, cold and all, completely worthwhile.

Continuing to joy in the journey,

D.  

Mountain View.....

Mountain View

July 4

Independence Day.

A national holiday.

A day off from work.

A reprieve from the nine to five syndrome. 

Fireworks.

Parades.

Watermelon.

Barbeques.

I hope all of you are enjoying family get togethers and all the fun activities and outings of this day.

And hope we remember that we were, are and continue to be built on morals and truths that will not change.

God's.

Only and ultimately.

Man's change way to easily.

Too fickle and unsteady.

As can be seen in the decisions of the courts recently.

But that is altogether another topic and story. 

Me....

Well, right now I am sitting outside a Subway in Mountain View WY.

No wifi.

Typing in all about yesterday.

Nice.

Quiet.

And in the shade for an hour or so.

Veggie sandwich and fuzed tea.

What the body needed.

False summits.

You may think you are at the top of the pass, but you are not truly there till you see the elevation sign saying so.

Deceptive inclines and declines.

You know you are on an uphill, even if it seems you are going downhill, when you hear the familiar down shifting of a semi coming up behind you.

Or that of a pickup pulling a trailer and/or a boat.

Will finish this later after I stop for the evening. 

Should be in Utah this night!

Probably tomorrow, now that I have looked at the map. 

It is still forty seven to Manila Utah.

Continuing to joy in the journey,

D.

Kemmerer....

Kemmerer

July 3

Today was about three people.

Three people I most likely will never see again in this life.

That is unless I do another recumbent journey and travel the exact same route.

Most likely......

Not.

The first person I want to tall about is the waitress at Blondies Diner in Cokeville.

Straight across the highway from the motel where I stayed the night.

She asked me more than once if there was anything else she could get for me.

And asked about the recumbent.

Which, as always, leads into a conversation of why, where, the cause, etc...

The small towns where this journey has taken me are totally something.

They will talk with you, give you advice about the routes you are taking, tell you the best places to sleep and eat....

They tell the history of so much of our history.

Something to think about as celebrations are abounding the next few days.

Small towns are great.

The second person is Tony Adams.

Guess you could call him a legend to cross country cyclists.

He has criss crossed the US eight times.

At least that is what I think he told me.

He started bicycling around America......

On a ten speed.

A tent.

A sleeping bag.

He now rides a "MacGyverized" three wheel recumbent, towing his own fashioned and made sleeping trailer behind him.

Been riding bicycle around the US for fifteen years.

When I met him in Kemmerer, he was just coming round the corner and I was just coming up the hill

I crossed over the road to his side, we shook hands, and then he started storying about his life and adventures.

If you want to find out more about him look up "tony adams cycling."

Should you ever run into this "young fellow" take a few minutes to hear some of his stories.

You will be challenged.

The third was a state employee, who had seen me in Cokeville in the morning, passed by me several times, up and down the road, and then caught up with me again in Kemmerer.

Wanted to make sure I was ok and if there was anything he could do for me.

Sure wish I had written down his name. 

He was fascinated by the "train" and wanted to know more about what I was doing.

Gave him a card.

Well, you know what happens after that! 

Yes, indeed, let the talking begin.

Between Tony and the state employee, I sat on the side of the road for almost one and half hours.

Talking.

Listening.

And most of all learning.

We as people are incredibly fascinating.

We all have our needs.

Our quirks.

Our unusualities. 

Our desires.

Our dreams.

And all of those parts of our character and life have been put there by the Lord.

And I love the fact that most always, I get to share about the Lord within the conversations.

That, I am totally down for!

So....

Tony is going in the opposite direction than me.

Would have loved to have heard more of his stories.

There was still plenty of light left in the day.

A good four hours.

The junction where I get onto Hwy 412 is eleven miles.

Got there in about an hour and began looking around for a place to pitch the tent.

Not too many options.

So decided to ride down 412 a ways and see what there is.

Chose a spot off the road next to the boundary fence.

A good spot.

Close to half way to Carter.

Nice cool breeze the whole night.

Was going to put my thoughts into the journal after I got the tent set up.

Too tired.

Sixty one miles.

Lots of talking.

Laid down the sleeping bag.

Went to sleep.

Wanted to share about these three people for a reason.

No matter who you are...

The Lord will use you.

If you are a believer in Jesus, He has chosen you, even before you were born, to be a part of His work in is world.

So let us get to work!

If you are not a believer in Jesus.....

I pray you will take the time to find out more about a relationship with Him.

You will not be sorry.

Till tomorrow.

Continuing to joy in the journey,

D.