Day 4 of Ride West

I arrived at the entrance to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon about 7:30am.  Sort of like Big Bend, the drive from a populated area until you reach the entrance is about 50 miles.  The scenery along the way is so beautiful, it seemed like much less.

If the South Rim is like Disney, the North Rim is like........well, the opposite.  Very remote, no lines, no tour or shuttle buses, and only a small parking lot.  The Grand Canyon Lodge is the central point of the  commercial area, with the most amazing view that you can imagine.  Two large decks with a huge fireplace, and rocking chairs all poised to look out over the Canyon.  There are many log cabins, large and small, and a sizable camping area.  All are booked solid months in advance.  And the North Rim and the Lodge are closed mid-October thru mid-April b/c of the snowfall.  The North Rim is about 1500 ft higher in elevation than the south, and receives over 80 inches of snow per year.

Hiking trails abound, as do mule rides to the bottom of the Canyon.  Feels like another trip with some advance planning to stay here.

If Day 2 tested my patience, today tested my heat tolerance.  After starting the day in the 50's and all leathered up, by noon, after leaving the North Rim, the elevation kept dropping and the temperature kept rising.

Having to break my trip rule of no Interstates, I-15 is about the only way to get from the North Rim to LA, via Las Vegas.  At least, for my time frame.  I'm picking up Brooke at noon on Saturday in Venice, to start our way up Highway 1, so I needed a more direct route today.

By the time I reached Las Vegas around 5pm, the temperature was 108, and I was done.  My I-Phone even shut down with a "High Temperature" warning.  Something I had never seen before.

I did stick to my rule of no chain hotels, staying at an old school motel on the old part of the strip.  Next door is a Denny's, and on the other side a wedding chapel.  My Harley is definitely the most expensive vehicle in the parking lot.  Hope it's still there in the am.

Day 3 of Ride West

  Awakening to a splitting headache, probably caused by the two glasses of wine at dinner, I enjoyed an early morning time in the garden at the Hotel nursing my coffee, and finishing up the blog from Day 2.  

After an OK breakfast at the Falcon, a 50's throwback breakfast on Route 66, I hit the short stretch of I-40 that took me to Flagstaff.  Rain clouds were already forming, and I knew today would be the day for rain.  I was not proved wrong.

Once again, the constant elevation changes have me donning and shedding clothes all day.  Winslow, AZ is about 3000 ft, Flagstaff, 5000 ft, and on the ride toward my destination for the day, The Grand Canyon, I reach about 7000 ft just outside Flagstaff, before I drop back down, and warm up at the South entrance to the Canyon.  

I was warned, but the South Rim is like Disney, except this is real, not  fake scenery.  Like Disney, there are lines, many languages heard, tour buses, shuttle buses, massive parking lots, souvenirs, etc. Unlike Disney, once I walked away from the visitor center, the views of the Canyon were breathtaking.  And, I didn't even go to the Village; I can only imagine the crowds, lines, and chaos there.

After a time of catching my breath, oohing and awing like everyone else I got back on the bike and headed east toward the Desert View lookout, about 25 miles away.  Along the way, there were numerous places to pull over and see the Canyon.  These were much more enjoyable without the crowds.

Yes,  everyone I talked to before this trip that had visited the Canyon had told me that it is like nothing you have ever experienced.  I must say, now I understand.  It's like that saying a lot of Harley riders live by: "If you have to ask, you won't understand."  Standing at the edge of a chasm over one mile deep, ten miles wide, and two hundred miles long, words can't describe.  It is so large, I feel small, similar to looking at the stars at night.  I have been thanking my Creator all day for the amazing creation I have seen, and somehow just saying thank you seems really small and insignificant.  I've already decided to come back and do some of the other things, like hiking to the bottom, rafting the river, and more.

Arriving at the Desert View lookout, I get another view from a different angle, and I can see the desert off to the east, with all the rain clouds and rain falling.  Now I finally get to use the rain suit and I am glad I packed it.  Riding from south to north on the east side of the canyon, there are several more drastic elevation changes, and some of the strongest winds I have ever experienced on a bike.  As strong as that time in Big Bend a few years ago, when the wind literally blew my glasses off as I was riding.  Today I have on a full face helmet and it is really needed, especially with a dust storm and rain at the same time.  That's a first for me.

After only about 300 miles (seems like more), I arrive at my destination for the evening, Jacob Lake Inn.  It's near the North Rim, which will start Day 4.

Day 2 of Ride West

Today was to be the day to test my patience.  After getting an early start to the day, my favorite breakfast spot in Ruidoso didn't open until 7am.  While waiting in the parking lot I got to spend time with a local, who was jealous of my ride and told me of his plans to buy a bike and ride to Sturgis for the 75th anniversary of Sturgis in 2015.  Sounds like another road trip.

Finally underway, I am making good time on Hwy 380 West towards AZ.  This road goes through the White Sand Missile base.  About 25 miles down the road, I am stopped at a roadblock and told that the highway is shut down for a missile test.  The choices are to wait 2-3 hours or turn around and find another route.  I opt for the turnaround and ride about 150 miles out of the way to continue on my journey. (Bill, I end up on the same road we took two years ago from Red River to Ruidoso).

I've discovered that NM and AZ have a lot of long straight roads.  The scenery in western NM is beautiful and the elevation changes have me changing from warm clothes to short sleeves constantly.  I've also discovered that most of the highways are under construction, which caused several delays.  As I said, my patience is being tested.  Trying to just enjoy the day and not worry about the time.

When I set out on this trip, I planned to keep plans to a minimum, so that delays like this would not cause stress.  I keep telling myself this as I wait at another construction delay.  Two other goals were in my planning: avoid Interstate highways as much as possible, and no chain hotels.  I wanted to stay at local, unique, or unusual places.  

As I wandered about AZ on non-interstate highways, I came upon the Petrified Forest National Park.  At the south entrance I found this (see picture).  Two "museums" at the entrance, each with parking lots filled with cars, and each offering "free" petrified wood, maps, and cold beer.  After stopping in the parking lot of one, I noticed that most of the cars were old, abandoned, and on blocks.  The same tourist trap trick I remember from a vacation with my parents when I was about 8 years old.  We had been seeing signs for miles about a reptile farm.  I kept bugging my dad to stop.  When we got closer, he saw that the parking lot was full of cars, and said " Must be good, look at all those cars"  After a closer look, he saw all the cars were junkers.  By then, it was too late, he had to take me in.  Guess that old trick still works, b/c several cars stopped and people went in to the "museum" while I was there.

The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Park was awesome and worth the time, even if the museum was bogus.  Met two Italians on sport bikes.   They were traveling from NYC to SF, via, Chicago on Route 66.  They had been in the states for a couple of months and were having the time of their life.

While riding a short stretch of I-40 toward Flagstaff, the day was rapidly getting away from me.  After riding about 500 miles today, Flagstaff was another 80 miles away, and seemed like 200.  So, recalling the Eagles song, I pulled off into Winslow, on Route 66.  And saw the historic La Posada Hotel.  www.laposada.org.  This is one of the old Harvey Hotels, built on the Santa Fe railroad.  Back in the day, before Flagstaff and Sedona were popular, this place served thousands of people weekly, arriving by train and Route 66.  The main entrance was built facing the tracks, since it was built before Route 66 was there.  If you are ever traveling I-40, stop in Winslow and at least tour the place.  The current owners live on the property and it is clearly a labor of love for them.  Oh yeah, cheaper than the Holiday 

Inn Express on the Interstate.

Met two New Zealanders at dinner in the hotel.  They had been to Sturgis (in a car) and were traveling the US for a month.  Asked what the biggest difference was from home and they said the hugeness of the Western US.  New Zealand is about the size of Wyoming with only four million people, and close to water all around.  They couldn't get over the vastness and dryness of the West.  As we were talking outside after dinner, Amtrak stopped in front of the hotel and several people boarded to points west.  

Day 1 of Ride West

Leaving Arlington at daybreak, already sweating after loading the bike.  Riding west towards Lubbock is pretty uneventful.  Seeing all the pumping oil wells and spinning windmills in West Texas reminds me of how thankful I am to live in Texas.  We are the only state that has its' own electric grid separate from the rest of the US.  Texas leads the nation in wind generation, oil production, and provides much of the corn and cotton for the US, grown out here in the wide open spaces.

Riding through Tahoka, I lose a piece of luggage,  Fortunately my phone # is on it.  A young Texas Tech student who live there picks it up from the highway, we connect via cell, and meet for him to return to me.  I'm reminded again of the goodness and honesty of many Texans.

Hwy 380 West is nothing but a long straight highway with few towns all the way to Roswell, NM.  This is a town that is trying hard to maintain its' identity as the alien capital of the USA; not sure its' working.  

Leaving Roswell, the 10,000 ft Sierra Blanca looms in the distance.  I always love the first sight of the NM mountains after leaving Texas, both here and further north near Raton.  Climbing the altitude grade challenges the cruise control of the Road King, as it struggles to maintain the 70mph speed limit.  I'm guessing my BMW rider friends would not have the same problems:)

As the altitude increases, the temperature drops and I enjoy the rising mountains as I change into something warmer.  I dodge rain showers, with only a short time of rain, not even requiring a stop to change into rain gear.  My prayers for a smooth ride have been answered.

I arrive in Ruidoso, aka Redneck Aspen, looking forward to a cigar and good dinner.

stay tuned.......

Harley Ride West

I am about to embark on a Harley ride that I have been thinking about for a long time.  Next week, I set out for California, via some scenic sites along the way.  Several of the sites and scenes I plan to visit along the way are some of Route 66, Grand Canyon, both South and North Rims, across the Mojave desert and into Venice, CA.  There, I pick up my daughter, Brooke, who lives and works in Venice, and we ride the El Camino Real, or US Hwy 101 up the coast.  Our destinations, stops, and routes are unplanned, just to follow 101, enjoy the scenery, food, and people.  We will stop when we are tired, and ride when we're not tired.  We have about a week together, so somewhere along the way, we will turn around and ride back to LA.

After dropping her off, so she can get back to work, I'll start home, maybe through Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and back to the 100+ heat of Texas.

I plan to blog and post along the way, so if you want stay tuned.

If you have any suggestions of sites and stops, please let me know.

Stay tuned for more.

Africa Journal Day 7

Day 7

This morning starts slowly for all of us, after a late night of soccer and Super Bowl viewing.  A regularly scheduled team meeting at the Richter's is scheduled for this morning from nine to noon.  The agenda included prayer and praise, project and activity reports, scheduling and planning, and scope discussion. I am amazed at the busy-ness of this team.  With the three families working in different areas, while moving the ministry ahead in the positive forward direction, there are a lot of moving parts.  Chris, being a long term thinker has helped the team recognize and assess some challenges around achieving their goals while also planning furloughs, retreats, and the 2014 departure of the Johnson’s back to USA.

After lunch, devotion time, and waiting for 3pm (businesses close from 1pm to 3pm), we drive into town to have tea with Mr. Barry.  This wonderful gentleman, a native of Dano and a tailor has been a friend and unofficial language teacher to the team from Texas since their arrival in Dano ten years ago.  While manning his tailor shop during the day, he is the Johnson’s night guard, (not sure when he sleeps), has nine children, and tells me is 56 years old.  He speaks five languages, but does not read or write.  He has been immensely beneficial in helping Andy and now Chris learn French and Dagara.  He is Muslim, but has been doing bible study with Andy for several years, and is seriously considering the claims of Christ.  For him, following Jesus openly will be a costly event, as his entire family is Muslim, and likely a decision to follow Jesus will result in great persecution.  Our prayers are with him as he considers this life changing decision.  Another concern for those of us who have come to know and love him is his health; the life expectancy of a man is about 50 years in Burkina Faso.  How he will provide support for a large family, some of whom are still in school is a concern for the team, and what other employment will he find after the Johnson’s return to the USA, and his night guard services are no longer needed.  

As we sit down outside his shop in a dusty side yard, shaded by a canopy from the hot sun, his young assistant starts to prepare the tea.  A small charcoal brazier sits in the dirt, with a worn metal pot sitting on top.  The tea is brewed, poured into three "shot glasses" and served on a small serving tray.  We spend a couple hours talking and drinking "three cups of tea."  Mr. Barry tells us that:

The first cup is bitter like death

The second is good like life

The third is sweet like love

While we enjoy our tea, a brother of Mr. Barry and another man walk up, and begin to wash themselves, spread their mats on the dirt, and face the east for their afternoon prayers.  As we watch these men pray,  I get another glimpse into the life of a man who will sacrifice much to follow Jesus, just as Jesus talked about in His teachings.

Chris and I drive to the outskirts of town to visit the home of Severin.  Severin is Chris’s day guard, a Christian, Chris’s bible study partner, and language learning partner.  He is also the first participant in the Joseph Project. He is a true entrepreneur, also owning a motorized trike that he uses as a taxi and hauling service, having hired one of his brothers to drive it.  He is the type of person that the team seeks out and invests in with bible study, discipleship, and business leadership training.  This model of leadership training in both business and spiritual training is paying rich dividends and is the key for this ministry to become self-sustaining after all the “white people” leave. 

He shows us the 70+ bags (100kg each) of corn that are stored in his bedroom.  The plan is to buy or build a magasin (storage building) to store additional grain next season.  The corn was bought locally at the end of harvest when prices were lowest.  During the height of the dry season, the price of corn increases.  Severin will sell the corn at then market prices, and give 15% of the proceeds to feed the widows and orphans, keep 10% for himself for his work, and reinvest the remainder in another purchase of corn at the next harvest.

The second Joseph Project item for Severin is to plant a crop of green beans for the next growing season.  He takes us to some property owned by an uncle, who has agreed to let him grow beans instead of corn.  This will not only revive the soil for future corn crops, it will provide another revenue stream from the bean harvest to donate to widows and orphans while providing a profit to Severin, and an investment return to the JP for future use.  Chris hopes to be able to send Severin to The Chalmers Center (http://www.chalmers.org) for additional leadership training later this year.

    Just another example of using business skills, capitalism, and honest hard work to further the cause of Christ.  And yet, I think of the quote by C. S. Lewis: "He who has God and everything has no more than he who has God alone."  We must always keep first things first, and know that money can't solve the world's problems.

  For more information on the Joseph Project and other ways you can participate in this, go to http://www.sandsinburkina.com/

Africa Journal Day 6

Day 6

Sunday is worship day here in Burkina Faso, just as in Texas.  Morning worship will be in a village, and evening worship will be with the team, followed by dinner, and today watching the soccer game between BF and Togo, followed by the Super Bowl (on at 11:30pm here).

We follow Andy and Melissa, and their kids for about an hour, wandering around in the bush, looking for where a particular congregation is meeting.  We receive wrong directions a couple of times, pick up some people who ride in the back of Andy's truck with their bicycles, and finally arrive at a large tree where about 100 people, men, women, and children were gathered.  They started coming toward our vehicles singing a Dagara song, welcoming us.  We were given seats of honor in the front of the gathering, Vickie and I being the oldest guests were given the largest, most comfortable seats.  Most people had brought their own stools to sit on, and some benches had been brought (on the back of motos).  Various people in the congregation would start a song, and the group would start singing.  There was dancing and many songs sung, each with a simple theme of God's provision, His love for them, the great hope they have in Christ, the power Jesus gives them over the devil, and similar themes of a simple but sincere understanding of the great gift they have received because of their faith in Christ.

 I was asked to pray for the gathering, Andy was asked to teach (he taught from Ephesians 2).  His teaching is similar to the way Jesus taught, using a lot of stories and farming examples.  This was followed by the offering, and then communion.  Communion was similar to ours, with a cracker dipped in grape juice, at least for us.  Some of the Dagara drank directly from the cup.  A large portion of the group took of the Lord's Supper, even some teen age children.  It was announced that a baptism would be held in a couple of weeks for those people who had become believers, but not yet baptized.  Being the dry season, there aren't many locations with enough water for baptism, but there is a man-made lake not too far away (maybe a day's walk) that will be used.  We were told a large group will first go into the lake to scare away the crocodiles and Caymans, (yikes).  Wonder how many Americans would go to that length to get baptized?

After church ended, we were asked to stay and drink dolo, their local home brewed beer.  A 5 gallon plastic container was produced, along with wooden bowls (made from gourds) and dolo was passed around to all the visitors and some of the congregation. A non-alcoholic version was available for the kids.  Dolo tastes a bit like wheat beer, but sweeter, and has a low alcohol content of about 2%.  The Dagara are known for their dolo, and it is a staple for celebrations and every day conversations alike.

After lunch and repose' we go with Jennifer to the "Grand Marche", the once a week market that occurs in Dano.  The Dagara week is a 6 day week, and the smaller markets that travel from village to village occur on a different day each week, but this large market is always on Sunday.  There are hundreds of stalls, selling everything from vegetables and fruits to bolts of cloth, and shoes.  There is a building for butchering animals, and as I look through the window at a man yielding a large machete, butchering a goat, I'm splattered with blood (yuck).  

We are for sure the only white people in the market, but many people from Dano know Jennifer and several of the little kids know Benjamin (their # 2 son).  Benjamin is a common French name (meaning last son), so the kids can easily repeat his name. We buy some vegetables and candy for Benjamin, and all appreciate the experience and friendliness of the people.

Sunday evenings are for the team worship service, this week and C and J's house.  Chris leads worship with guitar and we sing several kids’ songs followed by praise and worship music for the adults.  Andy has been asked to deliver the teaching for today, and tells us what he taught this morning at the village (in English this time).  After a dinner of breakfast burritos, men play some ping pong and then watch BF beat Togo to advance to the semi-finals in the African soccer championships.   Soccer is very popular with the Burkinabe, and on nights like this when there is a big game, the people in town gather around the few television sets that are available, either at friend’s houses or at the two or three bars/clubs in town.  I happen to be outside when Burkina scores the winning goal, and I could hear the entire town erupt into a loud cheer which echoed up the hill to the Sand’s house.

  Chris has cable, most channels being French based, but there are several American channels, including ESPN, and a lot of kid's channels.  Later, most of the team comes back at 11:30 to watch the Super Bowl, so it's a very late night for all.