Denver to Houston
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July 5th, 2007 Departure day from Houston finally arrived. Leaving from our friends house in Englewood, South West of Denver, brought a mix of emotions and thoughts. We had just spent a number of wonderful days with them, sharing in good wine, the most fantastic salmon I have ever had, and some hair raising (for some) driving through hail and rain on Mount Evans. Approaching the moment of actually taking off, and the night before, I often thought of Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman as they prepared to leave on their adventure, that would take them half way round the world. While my journey was minute, in challenge and distance, I must confess that I was inspired by their adventure. The morning came and after a light breakfast with our wonderful friends, I loaded up Luke and said my 'Muchas Gracias' and 'Good byes' to our friends and to SO. I could not leave though, before giving them the John 1 sign.
It is amazing to me, to think how we often envision these various adventures in life, and while it all seems great and fantastic, when the moment of departure comes, we almost immediately find ourselves in the middle of it all, not trumpets, drums and fanfare as we go through some golden gate, but rather, in the case of the motorcycle, the wind blowing, the engine humming, and the air close to our skin making us aware that the world is around us, but at the end of the day it is only us, ourselves, inside, that know what we are undertaking. Like the pebble in the river, the water flows around it, shaping it, moving it, but unaware of its existence. In the same way, as bikers, we are flowing through the streets and traffic flows around us, but at the end of the day, we are the ones that know where we started and where we are headed. With the aid of the GPS, I came to my first stop, unplanned, North of Colorado Springs. I was just riding by United States Air Force Academy, when I noticed a bunch of parachutes coming down to my right. Of course I had to stop and get some shots, but as it often happens, the best I could hope for were some great shots of the landscape, as the parachutes were so small that I may have been lucky to gat anything bigger than a pixel or two that resembled a paratrooper.
A few miles later came the exit to Garden of the Gods. After a bit of riding through surface streets I finally arrived there. Red rock formations have always played a central role for my spirit; providing an atmosphere of deep serenity and spirituality. As I prepared for the trip I had wanted to carry with me an outwardly noticeable sign of the fact that I was traveling with God, trusting myself to His care. That was the reason I inscribed my helmet with references to two of my favorite Scriptural verses, John 1:4-5 and Luke 17:24. The first one talks to my about the fact that once we let God into our lives, His light shines eternal and with such power, that darkness will never overcome it and gain control of our lives. It becomes then my struggle to continue to trust His Light and His Love to carry me on. Luke 17:24 talks about the glorious day when Jesus will come again, and like lightning, He will light the skies from one end of the horizon to the other. This is a day I await with excitement.
While I was there, taking in the warmth of the early morning Colorado sun, I had time to take a quick breakfast and to read more of Luke's Gospel. During this meditation time, I was struck by the story of Zaccheous. Not only did I wonder how he had made it through first grade knowing how to spell his name, but I was also made to think how often I have failed to climb up a tree to talk to Jesus, especially when He is passing by every moment of my life.
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