All we need

I think we now have everything we need to live on the road. The propane heater for the camper came today....A way to get clean, a way to eat, a way to sleep, and a way to stay warm (it hit a high of 50 in Yellowstone today). What else is there? Oh yes. A way to answer nature's call. That, too.

While I was in Michigan this weekend to see my family (my father turns 90 next month), a F-5 tornado tore through Parkersburg, Iowa. The devastation is tremendous. From the air, the town looks like matchsticks - smashed. Cal's dad was a minister and had a church in that area many years ago.
Check out this link for pictures. www.kcci.com/slideshow/weather/16393589/detail.html?rss=des&psp=news
Our daughter, Rachel and son-in-law, Justin came from Grand Rapids for dinner (Rachel, your hair is incredible!) and I visited with my sisters and extended family who were camping just outside Kalamazoo. It was great to see everybody. Love you guys.

Rosy

Here she is! This will be our home for at least 2 months starting June 15. I know "she" is a "she" because I named her after my boss, Rosa, who so graciously allowed me to have those weeks off this summer. I thank all the people who were involved in getting her to us in Pella, but I'll let Cal take care of giving credit where credit is due. We are indeed spoiled.

I am loading her up. Rosy is basic, tiny, and very classy. She is black and silver inside. (Fleetwood, Coleman, Cobalt) She's a little lopsided - a full bed on one wing and a twin on the other. Stove and sink and table and that's about all. I am working on how to take a shower in a pinch and keep us human in other ways. I'll let you know how it works when we get on the road.

We will not be able to put up the camper until we reach our destination each day so clothes and daily food and water and personal items all be in the mini van, but I think we will have plenty of room even for me to take a little nap in the back while I wait for my husband to come tooling down the road. Hey fella, want a ride?

Beside taking care of Cal (we have both decided that this trip is all about him) I hope to take pictures and learn some local history, pick up a few rocks, identify a few leaves, and read a few books. I might be a monastery of one. The Monastery of the Open Road. I'm sure I'll be changing the name of my monastery as my situation changes...Monastery of the Blistering Heat...Monastery of the No Place to Park.

I also have responsibilities to my hair stylist and friends to keep them well informed of daily life on the road. Pray for me, My Friends. Pray I learn to use a cell phone without swearing. Pray for kind churches with great parking lots. Pray for water. Pray for safety. Pray I won't ruin the carpeting when I dye my hair in a motel room. Ok. I won't dye my hair.

Cal has been training in Iowa wind. He has a bikers wind burn and he is biker thin.

We leave in 24 days.

Love you all!

Our House in Pella, Iowa

Inside this innocent looking house in Iowa, a bike trip across the United States is being planned.

One State At A Time

I have put away my Dutch Costume. Pella's Tulip Time has come and gone for one more year. The spring in Iowa has been cold and miserable, so therefore, the town's tulips were unusually beautiful. (If that's what it takes, we might want to consider another flower!) Cal and I tandemed around town to check out the tulips yesterday...(maybe that will be the first step to lose the 20 pounds I gained this winter.) Anyway...back to the trip planning of the Renewing Spirits Bicycle Tour.

I am very excited about the possibility of pulling an basic 8 foot pop-up. It will give us the sleeping space we need without taking away from the adventure of "camping." We have camped in a pop-up for years with our kids. Now I know how to deal with all the details that have been teasing me.

Did you know that it's only 31 degrees in Yellowstone right now! I am monitoring temperatures in the Western United States to make some decisions about our living needs...looks like we will need warm layers as well as cool layers. When we went to Italy I was able to pack all my personal clothes in one carry-on suitcase and I liked living that way. Simple...and I am hoping to be able to pack in a similar way on this trip without looking too much like a bag lady.

Last night I looked at maps...it was so exciting and I started getting curious about all these little black dots with names and the squiggles of ink that connect them! In less than 6 weeks, the dots and squiggles will have faces to go with their names. I only let myself look at one state at a time so I won't get overwhelmed by the bigness of it all. (My computer has no trouble with "bigness".) "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day (or each state) has enough trouble of its own." From the book of Matthew.

Cal, in his blog, mentioned "Pressing On" by Bob Dylan. Other song that I will carry with me is "I See You" by Rich Mullins. Especially these lyrics.

Lord, You're leading me (Lord, You're leading me)
With a cloud by day (With a cloud by day)
And then in the night (And then in the night)
The glow of a burning flame (The glow of a burning flame)

And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)

And You take my hand (And You take my hand)
And You wash it clean (And You wash it clean)
I know the promised land (I know the promised land)
Is light years ahead of me (Is light years ahead of me)

And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)

Well, the eagle flies (Well, the eagle flies)
And the rivers run (And the rivers run)
I look through the night (I look through the night)
And I can see the rising sun (And I can see the rising sun)

And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And everywhere I go, I see You (And everywhere I go, I see You)
And I see You, Lord, I see You

One State at a Time.

Adventure and Details

I just reread my last post. It sounded kind of scared, didn't it... I'm really not at all scared. I love adventure and I love solving problems in my head. I just don't know what the problems will be this time, nor will I...the whole trip. Now that's what I call adventure! Each day will be different. Different weather, different landscape, different people... I suspect I will learn much about being dependent on God and dependent on others, and for someone like me who hates to ask for help - that is enough adventure all by itself. Here's another whatif for you. "What if I get tired of adventure?"

We will need to get the house ready for my son, Jeff, to take care of this summer while we are gone. It will be a good learning experience for him and for us. I started a little notebook for him about how to clean the kitchen sink and how often to feed the cats....full of things that are just Details, Details - until you need them -and then they become Important Information. It IS a little frightening how many details you deal with on a daily basis...and I find details stressful - so trying to get the house ready for our absence is not as much fun as thinking about how to survive on the road for 8 weeks. (My dear children. You will learn a lot about your mother if you read this blog. I think I raised you in survival mode.)

Cal is right...it's easy to wander around when you are writing these blogs. While Cal is busy training for the ride...I am still dreaming and making lists. Details, Details.

Dreaming the What ifs

This "thing" will happen. I don't know what it's going to look like...but it will happen!

Cal and I will be camping on the road but I don't know yet what I am going to be driving - my ability to plan is limited... so I just dream the "what ifs." "What if we don't have electricity?" "What if we don't have water?" "What if it's snowing in the mountains?" "What will I do while Cal's biking?" "What kind of food will he need?" "Will churches let me park my "rig" in their parking lots for the night?" I have solved all these problems in my head very creatively. I have biked with Cal enough to know what to expect each day, but all I did was bike at those times and let other people take care of the logistics. Now it is my turn.

The biking maps came the other day and Cal ordered me a set of my very own. The woman has maps!

I do know two cookbooks I will be taking along with me. I cooked out of the More With Less Cookbook from the beginning of our marriage until Cal took over the kitchen. Now it will be traveling with me again. The other cookbook is a North Woods Cabin cookbook. Lots of simple comfort food. "What if I don't have an oven?" "What if...? "What if...?" What if...?"