Day 8 – PEI – I made it!!

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. After  8 days (7 traveling) and 5633 kilometers I arrived in Charlottetown at 10:00 pm Saturday evening, June 28.

Thankfully the last and not the first day was the roughest. It misted on us a bit but we never got any hard rain. It was cold though. I thought late June was supposed to be warm.  Both days I traveled with Jeff it looked like the heavens were going to open up with a torrential down pour but we managed to always just miss it.

When I planned this journey I thought I wanted to take all secondary roads. But after it taking 2 hours longer than anticipated the day before, Jeff and I decided we would get to a main interstate as soon as possible in order to make better time.  We saw some spectacular scenery, especially around Lake Placid.

One memory from the day before when Jeff and I stopped to check in to the Days Inn in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. As we waited patiently for the one clerk to serve us the couple checking in asked where they might find a good place to eat.  She sized them up and said, Elements was a nice establishment with good food and a quiet atmosphere. After we had completed our check in the same young lady, Brandi I think was her name, didn’t even wait for us to ask where we might find a good place to eat. She sized up with our Biker chaps and said oh you fellas might want to eat at the Red Bull Tavern and Grill. I remember reading in Grade 9 English, Clothes Make the Man. Well, it seems for Brandi, clothes determines where you eat.

The highlight of my day was crossing Confederation Bridge. This is the bridge that connects PEI to the rest of Canada. A wave of emotions swept over me as I thought about God’s protection and provision during this journey. As I drove on to the bridge I lifted one hand in the air (not two for obvious reasons) and just thanked God for His Goodness and Greatness.

When we finally arrived in Charlottetown I was so excited to be here but was a little disoriented. I almost drove into a car because I was in the wrong lane. On the University of PEI I got turned around and had to drive across the lawn. I was so glad to finally be here.

Ol’Bessie did great. Not one problem. The great blessing to me is that through listening to CS Lewis and Donald Miller, the worship music and the books on tape, as well as just the long stretches of quiet time I have felt a renewing and refreshing in my spirit. I believe God has spoken to me about some areas of my life  and I pray that I will listen and obey.  Thanks for reading this blog and praying for me. The next three days I will be busy with convention. I love you all. dad

 

DAY 7 – Marathon Day

Iron Butt – that’s the name given to motorcycle riders who ride more than 1000 kilometers in one day. I haven’t figured the milage yet, but Jeff and I traveled on our bikes for 14 hours today. Needless to say we are both bush whacked. We did travel through the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in New York, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire…it was in one of those states we passed through. 

We stopped for lunch at a place called Tupper Lake and ate at the Swiss Kitchen. They served the best New England Clam Chowder I have ever eaten. Jeff was a real trooper today. It was a long ride and he doesn’t even have cruise control on his bike. 

One important lesson, don’t always listen to the GPS. It took us on some roads that were long and windy. Now for a while this is great, but we lost about two hours because of the speed we had to travel on those roads. 

It was great to have someone travel with. It made the time go much faster and it sure beats talking to yourself. I finished listening to a book by Karen Kingsbury called, When Joy Comes and of course like the tough biker I am, I cried when the little girl was reunited with her mother. My biker image has really taken a beating on the trip.

With God’s protection we should arrive in Charlottetown tomorrow. Only 984 kilometers to go!! love, dad

Day 6 – Toronto

It was great to have a day off the bike, for obvious reasons. Salt thinks I’ll be walking bow legged by the time I get to PEI. I had two good meetings today hanging out with Toronto area pastors. Jeff C was great to drive me around. I continue to be amazed at the spirit of pastors who sacrificially give themselves to the Lord and his work. What a tremendous joy to walk with these men.

I forgot to mention another incident from yesterday’s ride. I was coming up to the Canadian border and I was dreading the long line because I had heard Canadian immigration officers weren’t happy about their contract offers and were taking an extremely long time. As I was driving up I saw a line that said express – NEXUS. Well, I have a NEXUS card and I thought that’s great. So I jumped in the lane that I thought was the right lane. I should have had some clue that I was not by the number of semis that were in front and behind me. Anyway, I thought how blessed I was to be in the express lane with the NEXUS. When I drove up to the immigration window the lady officer was 6 feet above me and as I reached out to hand her my card she said what are you doing in this lane? I said I thought this was the NEXUS lane, she said no it’s over there, pointing to my left. This is for semis. I apologized and pledged by resolved to never let that happen again, and lo and behold she let me go through with the warning to pay better attention next time. One of the questions I’ll ask in Heaven is why those Canadian border officers were so doggone friendly.

Jeff and I leave tomorrow. We are hoping to get away by 5:00 am to beat the Toronto traffic. We hope to make it to Bangor, Maine. Thanks for reading and praying. bob

 

Days 4 & 5 — Arrived in Toronto

I saw a black bear yesterday. I was traveling down the road at about 100 k/h when off in the distance I saw something that looked like, well a bear. I slowed down and the closer I got, 100 – 50 – 25 feet…then he leaped out and bit my leg…just kidding. When he heard my motorcycle he high tailed it in the opposite direction.

Also yesterday my Bible reading was Psalm 119. You know the one where the Psalmist praises God and His Word through the whole Hebrew alphabet. So I decided that’s what I would do as I traveled down the road.(English not Hebrew alphabet)  Now, I have done this before, but there is something special about it as you are riding along looking at God’s creation and the majestic sky. Awesome God, Beautiful Savior, Compassionate Friend…you get the idea. God and I had a great time.

I stayed in a B & B in Harrisville, MIchigan called the Widow’s Watch. It was right on the lake and I took a walk along the boardwalk. 

Today I was up early hoping to get to Toronto (Oakville) and meet up with Jeff Christopherson. It was a rather uneventful day, except when I tried to throw away my gum I lost it. and the next thing I knew it was stuck to my other glove and I had gum all over my motorcycle grip. It really impact your biker image when you’ve got these long strains of gum rising from the grip ever time you lift your hand!

Arrived in Toronto, around 3:30. I am thankful for God’s protection and Ol’Bessie has run beautifully. Thanks for praying. bob

 

Day 3

Ashland, Wisconsin located at the southern tip of Lake Superior is where I will lay my head tonight. It was a great day, beautiful weather and my GPS worked great. 

I finished listening to CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity. It was amazing. I need to listen to it 10 more times and perhaps then I can absorb a small portion of the depth of what he says. How ironic that even as we talk at Tapestry about being real Lewis talks continually about the real self, the self that can only find it’s true identity in Christ. 

I learned another lesson today. Not the sunscreen lesson, I make sure to paste it on at every stop. I still look like a raccoon. No, this lesson was more painful. As the day ended I found myself getting agitated with people who were slowing me down. I wanted to get to my destination at a certain time. I felt the Father tug at my heart and say Bob I thought you wanted to enjoy this ride with me, instead you’re trying to conquer it. Well, pray for me that I will enjoy the ride tomorrow and not shoot for some arbitrary time to be at my next destination. 

I do pray for my family as I ride along. I also listened to a podcast by Donald Miller about, Story, I want our whole family to listen to it together sometime. Perhaps at our next Bible study.

love, dad

Days 1-2

Greetings from Winnipeg. That’s right, I made it to Winnipeg. I was not able to post last night because the family I was staying with did not have wireless. It took almost 10 hours with stops for gas and lunch but I did make it to Regina. 

As I was traveling I was thinking “OK God, I’m listening, you have my total attention, teach me some spiritual lesson. Well, it took quite a while before I was really ready to listen.

Thoreau once wrote, most men live lives of quiet desperation and go to their graves with their song unsung. 

I think that is a part of the answer of “Why I would take a trip like this.” For many years I would hesitate for fear of what people might think, or it might not be spiritual. But I have discovered if I am delighting in God and seek to walk with Him, He will take me on all kinds of adventures. I look forward to divine encounters along the way, and even if something should happen and I fail to make it to PEI at least I tried. I think fear of failure paralyzes and I refuse to let it get its grip on me.

The other reason I am taking this trip is that I made a commitment to a friend. Where I grew up, that meant you follow through, even if nobody else goes with you. 

Oh, I learned another important lesson yesterday. Wear sunscreen even if you have a helmet on. By the time I arrived in Regina yesterday I looked like a raccoon who had been on a big drunk, white eyes red face and an even redder nose! 

I wish to thank all of my fellow team leaders who were so encouraging about my chaps. They made comments that are not printable but you can imagine what type of harassment I took.

Anyway I enjoyed speaking at Discovery Baptist Church this morning and I stayed with a delightful couple named Irv & Judy. I hopped on my motorcycle right after church and drove to Winnipeg where I had a great Bar-be-cue with the Garden Park Family at the Cooney household. I head southeast tomorrow toward the Great Lakes. Thanks for praying. bob

 

Tomorrow is the big day!

Well, I’m almost all packed, just a few last minute items to put on the bike and I’ll be heading out tomorrow around 8:30. Deb has been a big help. I am excited and a little anxious. I just hope “ol’bessie” is up for the trip. I do look forward to a new adventure. This week a friend sent me this scripture and it has become my scriptural promise for this journey.

The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,  nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;  8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121: 5-8)

 Thanks for reading keep watching…I should be in Regina, Saskatchewan tomorrow evening.

 

Itinerary for PEI Motorcycle trip

Saturday, June 21– Calgary to Regina           

Sunday, June 22–Regina to Winnipeg  

·      Speak at Discovery Baptist Church in Regina am

·      Speak with leaders at Garden Park Baptist Church in Winnipeg pm

Monday, June 23–Winnipeg to Ashland, Wisconsin

Tuesday, June 24–Ashland to Harrisville, Michigan

Wednesday, June 25–Harrisville to Oakville, ON           

Thursday, June 26–Meet with Pastors in Toronto area           

Friday, June 27–Oakville enroute to PEI

·      Leave with Jeff Christopherson for PEI

Saturday–Arrive in Charlottetown, PEI
           
           

PEI Trip Coming Soon

Time is drawing near for the big trip to PEI. I set up this blog to keep my family and those interested up to date on how things are going. I plan to leave Calgary on Saturday, June 21 and travel to Regina, SK where I will speak at Discovery Baptist Church. For those of you who think I am crazy to travel all the way to PEI you may be right but it is a part of my passion to enjoy the journey with Christ. I am looking forward to being refreshed as I journey across Canada and part of the Northern US. As you think of me please pray that God would give me some divine encounters along the way. grace to you, bob