In Transition From Colorado To The West Coast

Spoke with Jim Burns from Unity Church in Quincy this morning. Agreed to arrive at the Quincy Railroad Depot about a week before I'm scheduled to speak on Sunday May 1st. So, I am looking at possibly April 25th.

We talked about seeing what happens after my debut on May 1. The church board evidently have most of the Sunday slots already taken. Jim wants me to stay with him around 2 weeks or so. Advised Jim that Michael Bickhaus will arrange a speaking engagement for me in front of the Men's Club at St Francis Catholic Church in Quincy. Jim wants to attend that event as well. While I'm in Quincy I would like to contact some of the service clubs as well to see if I can speak to their groups.

The bottom line here is that I am not going to be preaching for a month or 2 at Unity Church like Jim and I had previously thought. And, although a bit chagrined about this turn of events I still think there is an opportunity to be of some use in Quincy not to mention the chance to become reacquainted with Jim, Deborah, Michael Bickhaus and his lovely family, Jesse Mazzoccoli, Monica and Dakota Thompson and others. I plan on getting with my family back in Morton since Quincy is only about 100 miles away.

This morning I attended Adult Sunday School at United Church and morning services at First Baptist. Pastor Dawit's teaching sermon regarding the Transfiguration of Christ was the best sermon I have ever heard on this subject. Dawit's upbringing in the eastern culture of Ethiopia and his immersion in the Hebrew Scriptures and it's relation to Christian Scriptures brings a refreshingly new take on things. First Baptist is extremely fortunate to have him as a Pastor/Teacher.

This coming week I will be starting a water/juice fast regarding my upcoming hiking journey to Seattle, WA. I have no idea how long this fast will last, 2 days, 2 weeks?

I once fasted back in 2004 for 3.5 weeks taking not one morsel of food in my mouth. I took only water and no juice. I was undergoing severe marital problems at the time and felt I needed to change things around. The marriage eventually went to hell but I began a new spiritual journey that year which proved beneficial.

Cody Yates is fasting as well about his possible role in joining me in late May early June.

Fasting and prayer I believe is critical when in transition like I am in now. Other than Cody I have not been able to get anyone to accompany me on my westward journey.

I understand that people have jobs, homes, families and obligations. I get that. One the other hand, I know people with no commitments or family to support but they lack the desire or the calling. I get that too. That was me at one time in the past.

Christ followers obviously can serve him from their homes, workplaces and churches every bit as well or better as I can being on the road. It's just that after walking to Colorado from Illinois I'm now in the place where I believe having a companion would make my journey much more fulfilling. There was a reason Jesus had the disciples walk town to town in twos. There's comfort and safety in numbers.

I'm not a bit ashamed to admit I'm intimidated by the thought of hiking alone through thick forests and over mountain ranges in Grizzly country. Forest rangers warn travelers of going it alone. Unfortunately, the odds are very good I'll be doing just that. Going it alone.

I don't think having someone along with me during my walk from Illinois would have been helpful. I absolutely needed the solitude and aloneness to do the hard and very painful work of sorting through the emotional baggage I took with me.

I have been tested to some degree now and have learned much about my own physical and spiritual limitations since walking out of Central Illinois almost 2 years ago. And, I still have around 1400 more miles to go to Washington State. Then, after spending the 2016/17 winter in Illinois I have another 900 miles to Virginia Beach, VA. After that leg of my journey I will have trekked across the entire length and breadth of the United States.

Transition has always been difficult for me whether it was a new job, new company, new wife, friends etc. So, I'm on the lookout for mood changes and my trend to melancholy.

Fasting is going to impact my Wednesday night suppers at the Blackwells as well as other dinners I attend here in Idaho Springs. But, it is critical that I subject myself to this spiritual and physical discipline.

It will also help me to adjust to those times on the road where inevitably I will encounter days without food due to remote locations and lack of money. On my journey here to Colorado I went three excruciatingly long days without eating along with many days of being absolutely dehydrated and disoriented.

I encountered all of these and more: pulled muscles, a serious blood infection, bed bugs, ticks, sprained ankles, severe blistering, skin chaffing, falls, scraped knees, crazy rednecks, vicious dogs, tornadic type weather especially on the Nebraska Plains, hunger and dehydration, sleepless nights shivering in a wet and cold tent made of only a few ultra thin millimeters of polyester. And, let's not forget over zealous police officers, self righteous clerics and much more. I now know what it truly means to be homeless and penniless too. And, I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything. They have made me who I am today.

So, I now know what to expect and what's ahead of me. The hardships, physical pain, tiredness, fear and the like are constant companions on long distance walking journeys.

I am now beginning to throw things away and clean up the Lucas House which is in the process of being sold by the Blackwells to a couple from First Baptist Church. I have to begin the painful process of deciding what to keep to take with me out west and what is not absolutely necessary for survival. I have acquired a fair number of books, blankets and other personal property which I cannot carry with me.

I learned the hard way last time about what to take with me and what not to. I have to be ruthless with things. I want to travel light this time. No more than 35 pounds this time. Can I do that? It remains to be seen.

I absolutely need my tent, sleeping bag, pad, change of clothes, water filter, oatmeal, water, coffee pot, cup, first aid kit, knife, walking stick and bear spray. Everything else would be great but not critical.

So, this I week will be going through my camping equipment downstairs in the billiard room where I have been storing my stuff on the old pool table.

I need new hiking boots as my most recent pair have a hole in the right sole. My tent although showing wear and tear is probably still functional. I'll know for sure when I set it up in the yard. May need to be mended a bit. I believe I still have all the required metal stakes for the tent.

I won't be able to take my tipi tent along as it consists of too many heavy tarpaulins and 8' tall poles. It's just not practical for carrying on a long journey.

So, there it is. As I have said ad nauseum, life is about saying hello and saying goodbye. Saying hello is both easy and enjoyable but saying goodbye is at once distasteful and gut wrenching. I have made lifelong friends out here in Idaho Springs and the prospect of leaving them for a long time and with the real probability of never seeing them again is giving me the shakes so to speak.

The second photo featured here is of Cody Yates outside the Buffalo Restaurant.

That's about it for today. I trust the new week will be kind to y'all. Peace out as they say.

BR Schoenbein
February 28, 2016- Sunday