You know you’re a dedicated blogger when you’ll get up in the morning and drive 17 miles to a McDonalds to get a wifi signal. 🙂

I am well and hope y’all are too.

Lots of exploring on the bike today.

Some easy black top riding and some off-roading. The forest service roads reminded of the days I lived in Bemidji  and walked other forest service roads hunting grouse.  That was another lifetime ago, but the memories are still there to be dusted off.

Speaking of which, here’s another memory of an entirely different sort. This one has a smiling face staring into yet another campfire having freshly showered.

Showers are something we mostly take for granted. Until the circumstances give them new value. When I first started planning this trip I used to jokingly tell my sister that my visit to them in NM early next month would be my second shower of the trip. They have been intermittent, but nothing like that.

So here’s the memory of the circumstances and the value.

When I was in the army preparing for my tour in Viet Nam, upon returning to the barracks after a long day of training in the field, we used to cut cards or roll dice to determine the order of showering. As you might expect there was never enough hot water to get through a whole platoon of guys, so winning a place that insured a warm shower was no small thing. And there were a lot of dirty, surly guys making sure you didn’t linger. Circumstances.  Some of the memories of those days are not so dark.

I feel compelled to write something about my church experience today.

There are number of things that made this Mass experience special, but there are four in particular I’d like to share.

First of all the congregation was very diverse. There were Orientals, Native Americans, Blacks, Hispanics, and of course some of us white people. That always gives a community an “all God’s children” feel to it.

Secondly, it had a palpable welcoming feel to it that many churches strive for but don’t always attain.

The sanctuary space was domed and at the apex of the dome there was suspended a large white sculpture of a soaring dove , the symbol of the Holy Spirit. It seemed to have it’s own radiance from within and I was transfixed by it. I kept glancing up at it throughout Mass.

Lastly, in the front pew was a young couple that seemed to have a couple dozen kids with them. That’s hyperbole but there were a lot of them.  I’ll bet if you lined them up by age they’d make the perfect profile of a staircase.

It was the kids that fascinated me. They were well behaved but not quiet and rigid in the manner of kids that have had the fear of God put into them about their behavior in church. The parents never once fussed about what any of them were doing.  The older one’s looked after their younger siblings.  They quietly interacted with each other and most importantly they all smiled at each other incessantly. They were all different sized versions of dad who was a tall, slim, sandy haired man in his late thirties I’d say.  And they all had a look of joy about who they are, where they were, and what their family was all about. They inspired me.

And just so ya know, I was paying attention to the Mass.

This is the smallest campground I’ve been in. Only 30 sites. There’s much more privacy between sites in a forest of tall lodge pole pines. The trees are so tall that when you want to sit out you have to move around your campsite to catch those little patches of sun that warm your day.

Gator country! While I was taking this picture one came right up behind me. What!?

Just kidding. 🙂 I still haven’t seen an actual gator or anything else that slithers along the ground. I thought reptiles like to come out and sun themselves. I’ve walked or ridden passed a hundred places where a gator or snake would love to take a little nap. So far the lack of critter sightings has been disappointing.

Even though they aren’t that far from each other, the forest here is different than up at Conecuh where I was last week. The forest floor here is much more densely vegetated. Up in Conecuh the floor is open and layered with a thick bed of pine needles. Here there is this strange contrast of palm like plants underneath giant long needle pines that drop huge pine cones. Ok, enough of that, I think I hear crickets out there.

……. before leaving this wifi signal.

I woke up this morning with a particular group of men on my mind and in my prayers. And a still small voice encouraging me to share something about this important piece of my faith life.

I am a member of a Catholic lay movement called Cursillo. It stretches way beyond the Twin Cities into the whole United States and the world. It actually started in Spain.

At it’s heart we endeavor to be a giant support group for each other in our efforts to live daily Christian lives of Piety, Study, and Action. Other denominations in the wider church have similar to identical movements with names such as Tres Dias, Via de Christo, and Emmaus.

So, back to the particular group of men. Throughout the year there are three day retreat weekends that are important events in the life of our community. One such weekend is taking place now at Guardian Angels Church in Oakdale, and through the weekend I, along with literally thousands of others, will be holding these men in prayer.  A women’s retreat will also take place upcoming.

I just wanted to share this piece of my morning thoughts and prayers with you and encourage any and all, regardless of your denominational affiliation, to consider making one of these weekends a part of your journey.

Peace to your day,                                                                                                         eric

Today marked the beginning of week three. It was two weeks ago this morning that I slipped out of St Paul under cover of darkness and began my long trek south.  I was happy my son, who is living at my house during my absence, was there to mark my departure.

Today along one of the bike trails I came across a “remote” group camp.  I say “remote” only because it is removed from the other amenities in the state park.

It consisted of three canvas tents on platforms each equipped with four cots and a small table. There was a small overhead light in each served by a solar panel with a power storage box. It had an outhouse and a pump station for water. It looked like a fun place to bring a small group of kids for a “camping” experience. When I took my teenage daughter and 9 of her friends camping years ago they would have liked a place like this much better than where we were. 🙂

Tomorrow I’m going back to woods. I’m moving up to Blackwater River State Park in the northern panhandle of Florida. I’ll be there through Monday and then on to visit my friends Gary and Cherie in Destin, FL.

I’ll get to sleep in a regular bed, shower everyday, and trim my nose hairs and stuff.

Weather permitting I might even play some bad golf.

I am well and hope you all are too.

There are about 14 miles of blacktop biking trails in Gulf State Park and more of the primitive variety for the more adventurous.

I’ll get them all covered several times over while I’m here and won’t mind the repetition at all because it’s a beautiful place to ride.

I’ve seen lots of signs for gators but no actual gators yet. At one of the intersections of the bike trails there is a board where people can log their critter sightings. On the board covering the last week or so were listed deer, a bobcat, an armadillo, a big turtle, and a copperhead, but no gators. Lots of birds listed too.

This place is on some coastal birding registry.

Any botanists out there? I spotted these interesting plants in the woods but I have no clue what they are. They remind me of coral.

I’ve been spending two to three hours on the bike the last couple of mornings and walking as well.

In the afternoons I like to drink wine and smoke cigars. 🙂

……… that first cup of coffee in the morning when it’s still quiet is the best.  You early rising coffee drinkers know what I’m talking about.