Grounded Theology

On 7/22, I completed Route 66 and road to Mequon, WI to stay with Kenny & Tania Miller, my friends since NC (almost 20 years). I love the Millers. They are great friends. Kenny and I are priest colleagues, even though he is running a recycling business now and not active in parish ministry. It is wonderful to spend a few days with them and think and decompress. I decided over the last couple of days in Mequon, that this is the end of my journey. I will call this the 4th corner, even though it isn’t Maine. From here I will set my sights on home and reunite with Kelly to spend some quality time with her. She and I will attend my 40th High School reunion on August 1st, and Jace’s birthday party at the end of August. I will spend September in a state of rest and small home projects. Some would say that I haven’t rested the past 2 months in my travels, but I have. Everyone rests differently. We may do some simple family stuff here and there on the few days I have left on my sabbatical, ...

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...

I’m not sure the complete reason for the infatuation I feel for the Historic Route 66. When I traveled 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica in 2017, I spoke a bit about the “sacredness” of the road… about how traveling the road connected me to something from the past and something other than myself. I prayed the Litany of Supplication at the 3rd Corner of these contiguous United States, asking God to guide us to peace and reconciliation.  One of the main treats of today was meeting up with my classmates and friends, Pete Ince and Bobak Montemedi. It was very cool to get together with them at Ye Olde King’s Head, a restaurant on Santa Monica Blvd. just up from the West End of 66. Pete, Bob, and I graduated from Frederick Military Academy together 40 years ago. With this as the year of our 40th, and them not able to make the reunion in August, I felt it was a real honor to see them. We enjoyed stories of yesteryear and bringing each other up to date with what’s going on in our lives. Like...

Today I road from Monterey to Bakersfield, CA to the home of Jerry and Ruth Greer. Jerry and I worked together at NPTU Charleston. He was actually my supervisor in Radiological Controls Operations.  The Greers and I have stayed in touch over the years, and they offered me a place to stay. I had to ride inland from Monterey because of the fires and slides. The PCH was closed at Big Sur. It was great to be with Jerry & Ruth and catch up with them. Jerry retired from NPTU in 2007 and moved to Utah then to Bakersfield. He and Ruth grew up in Bakersfield.  The Ride today went from 52° and hazy/overcast on the coast to 98° inland. Started off in my leather jacket, ended up in my riding shirt. Today I was thinking about the past and how our experiences shape who we are. Jerry & Ruth knew me in my 20s, at a very different time in my life. They attended our wedding (Kelly & I). Jerry and I had our troubles and differences of opinion, but he always encouraged me to be the be...

Yesterday (7/5) I rode from Santa Rosa to Monterey, CA. I decided to spend the weekend in Monterey and prepare for the trek up Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago, IL. It was a beautiful ride to Monterey with plenty of California beach scapes and the Golden Gate Bridge in all its glory and ominous cloud cover. It’s a bit chilly here in Monterey, with the high of just 62° and the low of 53°. Today I worshipped at St. Mary’s by the Sea in Pacific Grove. What a delightful place with a beautiful worship space. I was greeted warmly by members and made to feel at home. They extended true hospitality and invited me to participate in the ground breaking for the new labyrinth garden and cookout afterward.  The service was a Rite III (Enriching Our Worship), but was very well done. The sermon was excellent. The Rev. Kristine Johnson is a fine preacher and it was great to hear a sermon that dealt with current events in the Gospel light. The location of the church is literally “by the sea.” ...

Yesterday, I road to Santa Rosa, CA, the heart of wine country. I’d taken the PCH before in 2017, so I decided to come down 101 into Santa Rosa. Grape vines EVERYWHERE!  The ride today started off chilly, but warmed up as I approached the city. It’s amazing what concrete will do to ambient temperature. Beautiful landscapes of water, awesome bridges, cows, grape vines, etc… There is no question that this is wine country! I didn’t buy any wine because it would be difficult to carry on the bike. I decided to stay in Santa Rosa over the 4th and leave Saturday. This would keep me off the roads on the holiday. It also allowed me to get my stuff straightened out after two days of camping. So, today I washed clothes, repacked gear, washed bike, etc… (oh, and I got a new camp pillow at REI!) 😉👍 It feels good to decompress for a day, rest, and clean. Before I left the coast, I did find a Post Office in Eureka and mailed my first box home, mostly containing gear I didn’t need or want. This ...

Magnificent trees! The giant Sequoias were a sight to behold. I road to Sue-meg (sue-may) State Park near Trinidad, CA. Yes, I crossed into Northern California and I will be in California for the next few days. No intended connections today other than random campers who see my bike and the Tennessee plate and wonder if I rented it or rode it here. 😜 I assured them that I road it, I’ve got just over 7000 miles clocked into this pilgrimage. There’s something about camping I love. I’m not sure what it is… being outside, in nature, living off of the minimum, the set up/take down, making do with what you have. [sort pillow story: sleep systems are important! My camp pillow died (wouldn’t hold air any longer), so I had to wad up my hoodie sweatshirt as a pillow. It was awful! Yuck!! It’s not bad being on the mattress pad in a sleeping bag, but no pillow is the worst!] Anyway… I was raised camping and have camped with my family and scouts all my life.  I want to talk a bit about the camp...

I am on the Pacific coast with a light house too! Tonight was a chilly camping night at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. I set up camp and made dinner and read for a few hours. My personal connection today was Miranda Everitt, Kelly’s cousin. Miranda is Kelly’s father’s brother’s son’s daughter (so really, Kelly’s first cousin - once removed). I’d never met Miranda, but her mom (Kris) knew I was going to be coming through and connected us. Miranda is an avid outdoors person and has hiked many trails around the world. I met her for coffee/breakfast before heading toward the coast. The ride today was spectacular. It got cooler and cooler as I headed toward the ocean. Portland was toasty at about 80° but it soon cooled off to about 60° by the time I got to Tillamook, OR. I stopped, and for the first time put on my chaps because my legs were freezing! The cool damp air coming off the water and the fog in places made it feel like 48°.  When Jesus sent out the apostles, in Chapter 9 of Luke...