Route 66 (through Missouri)

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 forwent the last quarter of the ride on 66 and “hot-slabbed” it around St. Louis on the interstate to get to Hamel, IL before nightfall. I spent last night and will spend tonight here in Hamel. It was good to rest today after a long hot ride yesterday.

This morning I attended worship at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edwardsville, IL. It was a lovely 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with about 55 in attendance. Great hymns, good liturgy. I sat in the back incognito, trying to stay off the radar.



In the sermon, the priest spoke of the relationship of Mary and Martha. He warned about the over “busyness” of society and suggested that we don’t sacrifice our spiritual lives for “activity.” Both are important, but one does not supersede the other. This made me think about my activities and how some have commented that I am moving very fast. Unfortunately (or fortunately) there is a reason for that. On August 1st, I need to be in Chesapeake, Virginia for my 40th High School reunion. As of this writing, I have 11 days to get to the 4th corner and to Chesapeake. I’m optimistic, but I will also take the doing part out of the equation and enjoy the trip at a comfortable pace. If I make it, I make it. If I don’t, I don’t. It looks like I will probably finish 66 and then try to plot a route toward Chesapeake.

Challenge to St. James & Self: Don’t get so tied up in the activity of things that you neglect the spiritual. Sometimes we can get so fixed on what we want to have happen, we discount where God may be leading us.



Location: Hamel, IL, USA

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This Week!

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