It is Thursday, July 23rd. After a four day car ride with my nephew, Joel, doing most of the driving, I arrived at 13 Thoreau Circle Saturday evening around 6 p.m. Had a wonderful time visiting and getting to know Joel - again - this time as an adult. Sybil had gathered a few friends to greet us. Since Saturday, my breathing has come far easier, the pain of broken ribs is something I will have to deal with for the next several weeks, although I like to think that they are getting better. I have concluded that my trek across America was far more than a mc trip. I visited with important people in my life and have found that each one ministered to me in ways I did not expect. The trip was used by God to help this 'retired' pastor to begin the process of determining what God has in store for me in the next chapter of my life.. How can I begin to thank so many of you who have prayed for me, and walked with me through this trip and particularly through the accident? I am truly convinced when all the pieces have been put together, that God chose to spare my life, and brought me through this accident with minimal broken bones and more than a person going 70 miles per hour on a mc should have had. I thank you and our Lord for his watchcare over me. Now it's time to recoup and reflect. That is my intention for the next month or so. My family doctor said that this is the time for me to pull out my favorite books and read. That's what I'm going to do. Thank you again for taking an interest in Peace and Hope Trust. May God continue to bless this ministry in the years ahead.

To bring you up to date. Following a terrible Sunday with both pain and sickness, Monday and Tuesday were days of slow recovery at Russ and Birgit's home. It was determined that Sybil would fly back to Boston on Monday (she did!) Thankyou, Dave and Marilyn, for picking her up at Logan at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning. Wednesday morning my nephew, Joel, and I left Tucson heading east. We made it as far as Santa Fe, Mexico by last evening. Had good and interesting conversation with a nephew I have not seen in a long time. Up at 5 a.m. this morning. On the road by 5:45 a.m. Breakfast in Raton, New Mexico. Beautiful, changing scenery as we climb higher and higher. Had a brief stop in Colorado Springs to visit with Harvey and Nancy Karlsen. Warm, tender and far too brief a visit! We rolled on with Joel doing most of the driving and ultimately made it to the middle of Nebraska where we have settled in for the night in Lexington. Hope to make it to the middle of Indiana by tomorrow evening. The pain continues, especially when I cough or move much. Other than that, the trip is uneventful. God is so gracious in seeing my through this accident. I am very anxious to get home and be with Sybil once again. I reminded myself today that it has been over 6 weeks since leaving Beverly. Will attempt to bring you up to speed tomorrow.

I start out each day with a map in hand thinking I know what the day before me holds. So on this Tuesday I left Sierra Vista, Arizona at 6:30 a.m. sun shining, a beautiful day. I drove north through the mountains on the northeastern edge of Arizona, stopped for lunch at 9100 feet, cool, wonderfully spectacular, drove down through Alpine, a small village with an extraordinary view. Cross Route 40 and decided to stay on Route 191, a two lane, scenic road that I had been on all day. Found myself in the middle of nowhere - an Indian reservation on the way to four corners. I had just come down a 7 mile stretch of straight road (I mean really straight - not a turn in it!) I had it on cruise control going about 70 miles per hour. (speed limit was 75) I saw what looked like a gentle curve way up ahead. As I approached it I reached over with my left hand to turn the cruise off. Two seconds later I caught the side of the road and shot off into the dirt and grass. Needless to say, I did not get up. When the dust had settled I found I could not breathe. The wind had been knocked out of me. Almost immediately cars began stopping. The ambulance was called. I lay there for 40 minutes, the ambulance ride to the nearest clinic was 30 minutes away. The bottom line is that I had 4 broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a long tube was put in my side. I was air vac to Phoenix where I remained until yesterday. Presently, Sybil and I are back in Tucson with my niece Birgit. I am making arrangements to drive back to Massachusetts, actually, I will not be driving myself back. Joel, my nephew, will be driving. Sybil is flying back on Monday.

I have discovered over this trek that the word adventure has changed definition as time went by. It changed from rainy, cold, crosswinds, and 18 wheelers to hot, thirsty, no breeze, dry and 18 wheelers, to a mc accident, in a desolate part of Arizona, to pain, nausea and an amazing God who saved a 67 year old man from something much worse than broken ribs and punctured lungs. I can only thank you for your continued prayer and concern. I will probably not add to this blog until early this fall when I return to Arizona and finish the trek I started across the United States and back.

Just one further comment. I had lunch with Nathan (one of several nephews of mine). I was very impressed with his maturity and disposition. He has been through some very difficult experiences in the past 10 years. He has worked them through with the Lord's help and has come out a stronger man of God for it. The time spent with various relatives over the past three weeks has been used by God to make me ever more thankful for them all. I am particularly thankful for my two children, Peter and Debbie, who have grown into healthy, positive, godly people. Sybil and I could not be more proud of who they are and who they are becoming! That's all.

It's Monday morning. Have been staying with my brother Jewett. Will leave early tomorrow am for Durango, CO. Saturday was a boyhood dream come true. Jewett and I went over to a neighboring home and, along with David, a past marshal of Tombstone, we rode horses for three hours along the Mexican border. Many pictures of the 'wall' between the US and Mexico. Ugly, ineffective and makes a poor statement of who we are as a country. Went to Calvary Chapel in Sierra Vista Saturday evening, had supper with Tim and Danielle and their youngest daughter Emma Leigh. So good to see Tim again. He is working with the border patrol in returning illegal aliens back across the border. I mentioned Todd Emery who is working out of Nogales which is where Tim works as well. Hope they can connect. Saw fireworks and went to bed tired but happy.
Sunday Jewett and I did some very pleasant mountain climbing. The higher we went the taller the trees. Very beautiful in its own rustic way. Sunday afternoon traveled through Tombstone to the town of St. David where I had a wonderful visit with Joel, Ruth and the children. They have done a fine job of making an oasis out of the desert. Had supper together, was very impressed with their children - their ability to interact, their gentleness and the fine skills that each of them has developed. Left there happy and satisfied. On the way home almost had a run in with a deer. Good thing the road was deserted as I had to swerve quite radically to miss it.
This morning is a time for preparing for departure to Colorado. Washing clothes, washing the MC. I will have lunch with Nathan in Sierra Vista at noon. Am looking forward to it. This afternoon we will rest and visit. How grateful I am to have had the opportunity to visit all my relatives along the way. It has become a significant part of m;y reflective process. How grateful I am for the diverse nature of my family. God has truly blessed us.
Tomorrow I will take route 10 east to route 191 and follow that north to the Carlos Indian Reservation where I hope to camp. Wednesday I will continue to Durango where I will meet up with Steve Crowe that evening. He is flying in from Boston.
Right now my brother is playing the piano in the background. For those of you who have known him, you know he is an extraordinary pianist. Have not heard him play for well over 20 years. What a blessing!