A Western Odyssey: Day 2

Santa Rosa, NM to Valle, AZ

This morning in Santa Rosa, NM I [Bill] detached my bicycle from the back of the van and prepared to take my morning ride before we continued on our journey. As I did I greeted (or was greeted) by a gentleman who I learned was leading churches in two distantly separated cities, in association with Oral Roberts University. While we didn't get into a deep discussion, I did appreciate the way God orchestrates our lives. This becomes more clear as we continue our jounery, but that is for a later entry.

I should have taken pictures of my rides, as I have come to appreciate the country more having ridden about 10 miles at each night's stop. I have come to have a different appreciation for the green country that I cycle through each day here at home, and yet appreciate arid beauty of the country God has made in AZ.

As we continued our journey to the Grand Canyon, we made an unscheduled stop at the Petrified Forest National Park. We stopped at the visitor center and saw the 'mandatory' video about the 'millions of years' necessary to create the trees of stone. I appreciated the opportunity to discuss with the family about the differing theories about how it happened, and was impressed with Josiah's recognition that the video didn't get it right. He has been learning from the Johnathan Park CDs.

After getting an audio tour CD, some obligatory postcards and grabbing a bite to eat from the snack shop, we continued into the park. Unfortunately we didn't have the time available that we should had to check out the entire park. In fact I would recommend that one should really drive the park backwards, as the more rewarding specimens are located at the south end of the park, which we did not have the time to see.

This was our first experience with 'the Badlands'. Not having been to the Grand Canyon yet, we were impressed by desolation and the size of what we found.

How different our trip would have been without our own personal botanist. She was fascinated with plants at almost every stop we made.

Going through the pictures, I have come to realize just how much digital photography has changed our lives. While Sharri insists that we take 'people pictures', out budding artist has learned that to get good pictures, you take MANY pictures (can we say 220 just of the petrified forest stop). Sharri wants people for the memories, Rinnah the many for artistic inspiration (she takes after her daddy). I am a blessed man.

A Western Odyssey: Day 1

Our 2009 vacation odyssey began when I received an email from 'Vision Forum' advertising 'Generations Radio w/ Kevin Swanson'. This podcast in turn advertised 'Renewing the Family Camp'. On a whim I visited the website and forwarded a link to my wife, just as point of interest.

The next thing I know, my wife and daughters are planning an extended expedition into the western wilds of our nation.

Before long I find that we are packed and loaded in the 15- passenger van our family calls 'The Church Bus.' This is is the first year we allowed our daughters to drive, and drive they did. I don't recall either Sharri or my self ever getting behind the wheel on the first leg of our journey.

From Lamar, MO we drove to Santa Rosa, NM. I thought with all the hours I wasn't driving I would be able to finish two or three books by the time we returned beginning with D.A. Caron's "How Long, O Lord.". Between the rustic, arid scenery and the new G.A. Henty audio book "Under Drake's Flag" I read very little.

We stopped for dinner in Tucumcari, NM for dinner, we just as we were about to leave, a storm left a portion town without power. As we were filling up at a different part of town we saw a magnificent rainbow, such a reminder of God's Promises in Genesis 9. Our pictures really don't do it justice, as it was very brilliant, and nearly Complete, as a double rainbow.