July 1, 2008. Reflections of the trip thus far

Some of you have asked for more pictures and I will try to post more though my camera can’t begin to capture what we have seen and done. For today, please let me reflect and wax poetic though I doubt my words can do much better than my camera.

Some years ago Sandy and I were in Branson, MO on the suggestion of our friends Sandie and Bernie P. and we went to a show put on by a Jewish Russian immigrant comedian named Yakkov Smirnoff. His line: “What a country!” and it is!!!. But this trip, billed by our leader Rich in our emails beginning nearly a year ago as he worked to put this trip together, as the “Trip of a lifetime” has been such a learning experience about life; about others and myself.

Starting off ceremoniously dipping our rear tires in the Pacific Ocean in wealthy upscale condominiumized Seaside, Oregon and yesterday stopping in Lame Deer, Montana for some water at a gas station/convenience store talking to some of the Natives who reflected both pride and poverty. One guy, in a U.S. Army had, with few teeth talked about his running marathons...in Boston...in little over two hours!!! Climbing mountains ahead of some of my co-riders getting the nick name “goat” and struggling to get strong enough to ride with the lead groups, and overcoming my fears about screaming down mountainsides at speeds I’d never have considered before I am learning much about America and about life and myself and those I know and love. And the trip is only 1/3 done so there is more to see and learn.

We have followed backward in reverse order the trip of Lewis and Clark and we have gone to a re-enactment of the history of the area from the Indian point of view starting with Lewis and Clark and culminating in the tragedy and growing experience of the battle of the Little Big Horn. The rigors of the Lewis and Clark Discovery Expedition in the early 1800’s to the military folly of Custer’s Last Stand. My grandfather trekked along the Oregon Trail and I could only imagine the hardships he faced. I was privileged to stop at a park where they chronicled the conditions he must have seen and for a moment I identified with his journey. Forty years ago when Sandy and I visited the Custer’s Last Stand Memorial outside of Hardin, MT it was all about Custer and his men. Now, renamed the Little Big Horn Memorial it is about reconciliation and tells the story of the Plains Indians who also lost much as well so there is hope for change. Custer and his men had single shot carbines while the Indians had repeater rifles. Our military has had to scramble for safer Humvees in Iraq while our politicians, safe in their upscale condos make life and death decisions for our troops and far too many Americans don’t laud the efforts and bravery of the men and women who put their lives on the line so that we can live in freedom. We seem adept at forgetting to read the history we write and then blunder into the same things over and over again. We must read those history books. Some things must happen “Never Again”. If disagreements, personal, political or national keep us apart, reconciliation can bring us together again.

The group we are traveling with are wonderful. No bad apples. Tough federal agents of courage fighting bad guys, doctors, scientists, business folks, IT folks (whose blogs are far better than mine as documentaries of the trip (I have listed some for you to follow); folks from all different backrgounds. Again, people to learn from and new friends for a life time.

Time to close before this becomes a book. I will try to post more pictures on our next rest day. I will close and implore you to inspect your own lives. Dream, do, forgive, love much and laugh often. This is not a dress rehersal. It is live and it is life. Don’t be stifled by your fears. Live life to the fullest.

And if you want to be bored by hours and hours of pictures of the journey when we get home I will be happy to share this epoch trip with you from the limited eye of the camera.

Danielle, one of our dear friends closes her emails to my with Hugs and Love. I do so here to each of you. Don’t be afraid to say those words. Our friend tour leader Rich told me that had he been two blocks in a different direction in New York when the twin towers fell on 9/11 at the hands of our deranged terrorist enemies, “don’t worry’. He is right. Live life to it’s fullest.

Love and Hugs to all who read this….and please share some of that love with the charities I have linked to above…or any other one you feel can help others.

Fred