Grounded Theology

Yesterday (7/19) I rode Route 66 diagonally through the wide “hot” state of Missouri across the Ozark Plateau. I broke out my cooling towel that I had stowed since lower Texas back in June. It started out well and got warm, up to 94°. Route 66 did not disappoint. Leaving Baxter Springs, I got to see some of the most “famous” Route 66 sights, the Rainbow Bridge, the Devil’s Elbow, and some other Old Road places. In one area, past Devil’s Elbow, it’s obvious that the original concrete pavement of the road still exists. I pointed it out in the video. The road was paved with a concrete conglomerate with the edges of the road turned up, no shoulder to speak of, weeds growing onto the road. We’ve got to remember that this was the first of its kind. When it was finished in 1938, it was the first highway to be completely paved from start to finish. I had no “meet ups” yesterday. The one thing I did was against my normal protocol. When I stopped for gas, the heat was really picking up, so I for...

This past week I’ve been riding the historic Route 66. From Santa Rosa, New Mexico, I crossed into the top of Texas (7/16), then to the middle of Oklahoma (7/17), into the corner of Kansas (7/18). In Texas, I had lunch again at the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, TX. I ate there in 2017 when I was west bound. The place is full of nostalgia and signs. They are dedicated to keeping the memory of the mother road alive. The “Midpoint” is exactly 1139 miles in and equidistant between Santa Monica and Chicago. In Oklahoma, I crossed myself in Oklahoma City and was invited to spend the evening with the Fankhouser’s again on my way through.  The scenery changes quickly on Route 66. Different towns offer different levels of preservation or dilapidation, depending on the circumstances. The landscape goes from high dessert to rolling hills, to flat prairie. Lots of agriculture and small towns. The Americana of yesteryear lurks in the shadows of neon gardens and museums. The “old road” is barely pass...

Yesterday 7/14, I rode from Williams, AZ to Gallup, NM. The scenery, while similar, was buttes, flats, washes, and interesting rock formations. I enjoyed the ride! Much of Route 66 lays under I-40, so a minimal amount of the “old road” exists. However, there are some parts through towns that have preserved the route.  Today, I decided to not take the Santa Fe loop like I did in 2017 and just go straight to Santa Rosa, NM. I passed through famous Rt 66 areas like Albuquerque, NM and crossed over the mighty Rio Grande. However, I was disappointed that a river with the name Rio Grande (Great River) would be so dried up. I didn’t have anyone to “meet up” with, so I enjoyed the Americana and scenery along the route. In 2017, I spoke a lot about the sacredness of the road. To me the road is sacred because it is set apart and represents a time gone bye. Route 66 ceased to be a maintained E/W Hwy route in the 80s and much of the original road has either fallen into disrepair or been overla...

Yesterday was wonderful. I got to spend the morning with my good friends Beth & Anthony Tripp in Boulder City, NV (just a short jump from Vegas). We spent the morning catching up over coffee and then set out to see Boulder City. They took me to the park to see the Big Horn Sheep that come down to graze in the green grass. Then we drove by the pirate house and the local Episcopal Church and the National Cemetery.  It was wonderful to spend time with them. Beth and I have been friends since High School. We met (along with Susan Bastin who I caught up with in McKinney, TX) at a Campground in Northern California in 1983. The last time we connected was 2017 when I came through on my Sabbatical. This time we were able to spend more time before I left to pick up Rt. 66 in Kingman, AZ and ride to Williams, AZ. The ride to Williams, AZ was cooler than crossing the Mojave, but I still rode part of the hot desert. My cousins were telling me about the Grand Canyon Railway that goes from Wi...

The ONLY reason that I would ever go to Las Vegas is because I knew someone there or I was going to a concert or a show. It’s not that it’s a bad place, it’s just me. As extroverted as I am, Vegas does nothing for me. Some folks like it. For some it’s a destination vacation. Whatever.  The reason that I am going to Vegas is to see some other parts of my family. I have 2 cousins there. They are related through my maternal grandmother. Val and April are sisters. Their mom, Joan, lives with April. Dale is Val’s husband. Not bad for a bunch of Furman blood. (Furman is my Grandmother’s maiden name). My grandmother’s father (My great grandfather) and Val & April’s grandmother (my great great Aunt Louise) were 1/2 siblings. My Aunt Louise lived in the same neighborhood as I did growing up and I was responsible for cutting her grass. Our family was close. I knew Val & April growing up, but didn’t know them well as they grew up in Santa Monica, CA. They came east to visit on occasio...

Today was WARM!!! It got up to 122° at the “heat of the day.” I stayed on 66 through the long stretch of the desert until I ran out of road! 😳 Rt. 66 was CLOSED at Kell Baker Rd. East to Essex for bridge repairs. I had to take Kell Baker Rd. North to I-40 and back to Rt. 66. Just added frustration to a very hot day. The day stayed tolerable with my “cooling vest” and lots of water. As plain as the desert is, it has its own beauty. There were no meetups today. Yesterday’s abundance made up for it. However, tomorrow I plan to see portions of my family who live in Las Vegas, NV. Therefore, I rode off of Rt. 66 up to Laughlin, NV and stayed overnight, preparing to ride to Vegas in the morning. I stayed at the Tropicana Laughlin (yes, a casino) that offered a very reasonable rate for a very nice room. The thing that had me “stunned” today was the road closure that I didn’t expect. Life sometimes throws us “road blocks” for one reason or another. Today’s reason was so that they could make r...