THERE & BACK: portraits and stories along the way - B A C K

I T I N E R A R Y - Sarasota, FL > Wrightwood, CA

01/30 Flight:  Ontario, CA > Sarasota, FL

01/31-2/5 Sarasota, FL

02/06 Sarasota > South Venice, FL

02/07 South Venice

02/08 South Venice > Fort Meyers, FL

02/09-10 Fort Meyers

02/11 Fort Meyers > Sarasota

02/12-15 Sarasota 

02/16 Sarasota > Tallahassee, FL

02/17 Tallahassee, FL > Gonzales, LA

02/18 Gonzales > Baytown, TX

02/19 Baytown

02/20 Baytown > San Antonio, TX

02/21 San Antonio >Sanderson, TX

02/22 Sanderson > Big Bend National Park

02/23 Big Bend National Park

02/24 Big Bend National Park > Presidio, TX

Drive Ojinaga, Mex. > Chihuahua, Mex.

02/25-26 Chihuahua

02/27 Drive Chihuahua > Ojinaga/Presidio 

Presidio > Marfa, TX

02/28 Marfa > Las Cruces, NM

03/01 Las Cruces > Tucson, AZ

03/02 Tucson > Laveen, AZ

03/03 Laveen

03/04 Laveen > Palm Springs, CA

03/05 Palm Springs

03/06 Palm Springs > Wrightwood, CA

013122    Sarasota, FL

Yesterday I flew to Sarasota, Florida, where my motorcycle has been in storage since last November. Picked it up today. Had a great first day with Marco and Betsy, close family/friends for 50+ years. Nice to be back in Florida, though it is unseasonably cold. Supposed to warm up the next few days. Will spend a week here before riding to the Keys and back. Photographed first story tonight.

Chet Holmes Beach, Florida

“So you asked me about people wearing masks here in the ice cream store. The store is in a tourist town. People leave on Saturday, so they’re out of their rental at 10:00, and the new group is in by 2:00. So Saturday afternoon, 2:00 through all evening, a lot of people come in wearing masks because they came from up north, northern states. Sunday morning we see the same thing, maybe a few less of them. By Monday, Tuesday almost nobody’s wearing masks. Wednesday nobody for sure. By then they realize we’re a free state here and they can make their own choices. Masks aren’t mandatory and they come here to have a good time and enjoy themselves.”

020122 Sarasota

A day relaxing in paradise.

020222 Sarasota

And another day in paradise…

Howie Bradenton Beach, FL

“I bought my first Lloyd Loar mandolin, a December 10th, 1922, one serial number off David Grisman’s. It had the F4 style tuners. I bought it from Gus Lavene (arranger, composer, guitarist) for $50,000, and that was the beginning of my collecting maybe twelve Lloyd Loar mandolins. I just sold a 1929 [Fern] to Darryl Wolf, who wrote the book on Loars. I’ve had the pleasure of taking David Grisman out to dinner, with the whole band actually, in Atlanta in 1999, I think it was, yeah. I don’t have a Loar now. I sold one to buy a house. Sold another one to buy another house. Sometimes I didn’t have enough money to pay my rent, but I had a bunch of mandolins.”

Acoustic engineer, Lloyd Loar, was head of mandolin production at Gibson 1922-1924, at the very end of the long-running mandolin craze the company’s marketing department had successfully created. Loar was a classically-trained mandolinist who had been frustrated by the company’s top-of-the-line oval-hole F4 “artist” mandolins. They simply weren’t loud enough to be played as a solo instrument with a symphony orchestra. Early in his tenure at Gibson, Loar’s experiments led to the development of the company’s new F5 mandolin, featuring f-holes like a violin and a neck two frets longer. The result was a mandolin that retained excellent musical properties and with much increased acoustic projection, more than enough to solo with an orchestra. 

About 15 years later, Bill Monroe, known as the father of bluegrass music, purchased a used 1923 Gibson F5 mandolin for $250 that he saw in the window of a Miami barbershop. As Monroe became famous as an early radio star of the Grand Ole Opry, bluegrass mandolin players began searching for mandolins like his, one of the 300 or so signed by Lloyd Loar. And for good reason, for those mandolins are extremely sought after as some of the absolutely best sounding mandolins ever built. Today, they routinely sell for $175,000-$225,000. Interestingly, more than 200 of the Loar mandolins are still accounted for, some owned by famous musicians, most by collectors.

Howie is playing a 1979 Hutto mandolin. At the time it was common for builders to inlay the Gibson logo on the headstock.

020322 Sarasota

Beautiful warm day. Fun breakfast at Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe, a very popular restaurant on the north end of Anna Maria Island. A two-mile walk along the beach afterwards burned off maybe 20% of the morning’s weight gain!

Photographed two interesting artists: Emerson, a prodiguous painter who works seven days a week to produce enough output to meet the demand of the 14,000 stores that carry his work worldwide. Then Kelly, an amazingly talented sign painter, painting the gold-fillet logo on a yacht’s bright, royal blue transom.

Emerson Anna Maria Island, FL

“I was working in Cincinnati about 40-years ago for a sportswear company called Velva Sheen; I was the art director there. I saw in the newspaper that Ethel Kennedy was going to do a tennis tournament for the mentally retarded in New York City. I happened to see the Statue of Liberty in the paper, so I took it and put a tennis racket in the statue’s hand, and I sent it to Ethel Kennedy. I didn’t know her at the time.

“ I was in a meeting about a week later in that company and the secretary of the president came in and said. ‘Emerson has a phone call from Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy. And so, that was kind of shocking because 40-years ago the Kennedys, of course, were very popular. Anyway, Ethel asked if she could use my drawing as the logo for her tennis tournament. I said, ‘Yes, it’s fine.’ And so she used it, and the company I was working for donated a bunch of T-shirts for their charity. And I got to know… she invited me out there to the tournament for several years, and I got to be friends with her and some of her staff.

“That’s a neat story because you can draw something and send it to someone and they use it.”

Kelly Anna Maria Island, FL

“When I first started painting names on boats I was in Ft. Lauderdale, and I would get to my jobs in an inflatable boat. I had a 110-lb. dog at the time, and he came with me with all of my paints, so it was a full boat. One day I got to the job, I tied up. It took me an hour, you know, I lived way up this river. I tied up. I didn’t realize it at the time—I’d just started out—my paint ate through the plastic Dixie cups I’d placed on the top of the boat. Reaching for it I saw that the paint had run out all over, almost to the scupper. I freaked out. I used every rag possible. Got to the scupper, took my shirt off—luckily I had my bathing suit on—used that. That wasn’t enough. Took my shorts off, and I used that. Then I had to go back home because I didn’t have any more rags to finish the job. 

“Always wear a bathing suit…”

020422 Sarasota

Fishing off the Anna Maria Island city pier this morning, followed by lunch at the Wicked Cantina Mexican restaurant.

Photographed Reina, who had been very kind to fit me into her schedule to reattach the cover to my motorcycle seat. I had removed it to add a gel pad—hopefully to reduce discomfort on long rides—but couldn’t get it back on. The staple gun I brought isn’t powerful enough.

Have decided to scrap plans to ride to Key West. Can’t find any place to stay (at least for under a few
hundred dollars a night). I’ve been warned repeatedly not to ride down the Keys without having secured someplace to stay, expecially this time of year with so many tourists visiting the state.

Reina Bradenton, FL

“You said, ‘I haven’t found anybody [to repair your motorcycle seat].’ You see, that’s where people get me… you know it’s like, ‘Why not? Why not? If  I can do it why not do it?’ You know what I mean? I mean I am an upholsterer… I’m not very experienced. I’m glad you came, you know, cause we meet people for a reason, right? God is in control, He is always even when we can’t understand it.

“I go to work everyday. I work for my Grandma, so I get to see my family all the time, which is great. I’m 24-years old. She raised me because my Mom was in and out of prison my whole life. She raised me and my two sisters. I was never in my Mom’s life because she was someone who really didn’t want to be a Mom. I went to school and graduated, but I really didn’t have any plans to go to college. I was working with my Aunt, helping her with alterations, but I didn’t know anything about sewing then cause I never really wanted to sew. I never wanted to be an upholsterer because I never really saw myself doing this. I mean, why?

“When the pandemic hit I began to realize what an opportunity I was going to have, since I’d be able to see my Grandma everyday, and I’d be learning a trade. When I was young she taught me how to sew, to make pillows, bags, stuff like that, you know. So, why not use the gift that my Grandma gave me? You know what I mean? 

“I’m a people pleaser. My Grandma says I need to change that about myself. I do need to do so because, you know, it’s not always good to be that way. I’m still learning to stand my ground. I love what I do, I love the people… you know, I’m glad you came. This is my new beginning.”

020522    Sarasota, FL

Slow day, cloudy and cool. Packed motorcycle getting ready for ride to South Venice tomorrow morning. Photographed Jackie at her bagel restaurant. A real patriot originally from New Jersey.

Jackie Holmes Beach, FL

“I’ve been here 26-years. I moved here to retire. My daughter decided we don’t have any bagels around the island. She said, ‘What are we going to do? Let’s open a place.’ So I’ve been here ever since. I just signed another lease. I’ll be 80, and I work 7-days a week. Paradise Bagels is kind of famous around here. It’s like home, where everybody knows your name. We’ve helped a lot of people.

“If people come in and want to talk politics we will. We’re very conservative, all patriots here. I don’t argue with people if they walk in and don’t like my patriot signs and my flags. If they come in and say, ‘I love your flags,’ then I will speak to them and then we discuss, but I don’t want to push it on anybody. I am not changing who I am. I’ve got the signs up, I’ve got the flags, and they’re going to stay that way, because I really believe that our county is in a lot of danger right now. I think we’re kind of circling the drain of socialism. 

“There are a lot of underlying things that have happened to this country… we didn’t know about critical race theory. Now the parents are up in arms. I don’t know why we didn’t know what was going on in the schools, except that professors, 91% are liberal. They really bend the minds of college students. And then they went down into high school and middle school to really teach critical race theory, which is so wrong on so many levels.

“Anyway, I’ve met a lot of people in here over the years, from all over the world, all over the country. It’s so exciting just to listen to them and meet them and get their story… like you. You know what I mean?”

020622    Sarasota > South Venice, FL

Easy 50-mile ride to South Venice to spend two nights with Jim and Jan, close music buddies from Colorado Springs, now spending winters in Florida. Caught up, played bluegrass together. 

020722     South Venice

Fun day visiting old Venice. Great lunch on beach and very cold walk out on the  jetty. “Want to go on a bike ride?” ”OK.” A 10-mile ride around the neighborhood! And I thought my butt was sore from the motorcycle...

Played some more music together—fun.

020822    South Venice > Fort Myers, FL

90-minute ride through traffic on Route 41 and not so much on I-75. Cloudy, damp, very cool high 50ºs to Don’s (though I’ve always called him Donnie, as he began working for me when he was only 14, about 40 years ago) car detailing shop. Spent the day learning a bit about wrapping cars and detailing. Don and his partner work on some very, very expensive cars.

Met Don’s wife, Amanda, a very pleasant lady perfectly suited for marriage to Don. So happy to see how happy and successful they are. Very fun dinner out with their friends, Ruben and Diana. Lots of photo-geek talk with Ruben, a very talented photographer.

Don Fort Myers, FL

“About 12 or 13-years old I started collecting Hot Wheels (toy cars) as a hobby. Really like the cars, really like the exotics. As I got older I got into automotive garages. Enjoyed that and decided to start a detailing business in Florida, and got into the exotic scene. So I started collecting [Hot Wheel] cars that we worked on, that I enjoyed as a person. I’m a Porsche-guy, so I have a big Porsche collection, and it’s a fun hobby to have those cars sitting in your man cave and have the very same cars come into your business and have a chance to actually work on them.”

020922 Fort Myers

Short ritde to Donavan and Holly’s house. Really wonderful to reconnect with them and their five kids still at home. Happened to arrive just as Father Hans, the priest from their Eastern Orthodox Church, who was performing a water blessing on the house. Impressive how the whole family chanted in response to the liturgy.

Fun family lunch at Chic-fil-A eaten at the local nature preserve. Hike afterwards through a beautiful, other-worldly, though creepy, slough of cypress trees in swamps.

Donavan and Holly, family, Father Hans Lehigh Acres, FL

“My wife and I and our five kids got fed up with what was going on where we lived during COVID, a lot of restrictions to church attendance and other things. So after some prayer and thoughtful consideration we wound up down here in Florida looking for a place to live. And we came during peak season when all the snowbirds come to golf and enjoy the sunshine. It was very difficult to find a place to rent long-term, yet alone buy a house. Everything was going in one day on the market. We lived in AirBnb’s week to week quite awhile; got in and out of some hotel rooms, which were not week to week. After several months of feeling some need for stability and deciding we wanted to end up in Florida, this house came on the market, and we went the next morning and looked at it and ended up buying it. 

“That was about a year ago. Right after we moved in we had our priest come over and do an Orthodox blessing of our house, where he walked around and sprinkled everything with holy water. Now that we’re coming up on a year here and we’ve just passed Holy Epiphany, which is the service of blessing with water on January 5th commemorating the baptism of Christ, we were able to have him over for a second time. It’s always a good time to sit and chat about things, both casually and very intensively, with Father Hans.”

Reflection in cypress slough.

021022    Fort Myers

Attended an Eastern Orthodox church service with Donavan, Holly, and family.Took Father Hans out to lunch after- wards where he shared his perspective on the healing of trauma (see story on page 27).

Relaxed during the afternoon and spent family time with kids in the evening. What an amazingly impressive  family that mindfully lives out their convictions, their entire lives finely attuned to their beliefs in God.

Father Hans Fort Myers, FL

“Sometimes people suffer afflictions, more than afflictions of the body that take a surgeon to fix. They are afflictions of the soul. We tend to think that these are afflictions of the mind, but they are really afflictions of the soul but related to the body. Take for example, somebody who has suffered trauma. The trauma actually is stored in the body not in the mind, but it hurts the soul. In order for the soul to heal the trauma in the body, where the memory of the trauma is stored, the body has to be healed first. And the way we do that is we actually pray into the body, into the cells, into the places where that trauma is stored. Because one is ultimately healed by the power of God’s Word. It’s in holy scripture and of course it’s that way—God spoke the world into existence. So it’s by speaking that the redemption, the healing comes back into wholeness, restored to what it was in the beginning in accord with God’s intention and design when He sent the Savior into the world. And it’s through prayer that this happens because prayer opens the channel of God’s grace, God’s power to make that healing and that redemption actualized in our life, in our everyday life until it becomes part of concrete human experience.”

Maximus Lehigh Acres, FL

I want a motorcycle because it will be fun. 

I want to have clothes so I can have a motorcycle. 

I’ll go really, really fast so no one can catch my motorcycle and get me.

021122    Fort Myers > Anna Maria Island, Sarasota

Said goodbye to Donavan, Holly, and kids and rode back to Anna Maria Island near Sarasota to spend a few more days with Marco and Betsy. Enjoyed the ride, beautiful day... the 75 day: I-75 North, 75 mph 75º, 75 mile drive.

Stopped for lunch in the very busy St. Armand’s Key circle. Photographed Danielle, who was eating at the same restaurant with her partner, Alex; both from the UK.

Uncharacteristically for me, took a long walk on the beach later in the afternoon, all the while thinking about my life living alone.

Dinner out at Harry’s Grill where I photoraphed Pam playing her sax.

Danielle St. Armand’s Key, FL

“So, ok Alex and I are both from the UK. We’ve come to the U.S. to buy a property. We ended up buying a house in Parrish, due to be built between eleven and thirteen months, a brand new house. We’re here just enjoying the Florida life.”

DANIELLE

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE CONSIDER SENDING ME A BETTER STORY TO PUBLISH. I BET YOU HAVE MORE INTERESTING THINGS TO SHARE. THANKS. RICK

Pamela Anna Maria Island, FL

“Well you know, the thing that most comes to mind for me is what we’ve done most recently. That is we did a recording session back in September and October with a man whose actually been a good friend of mine for many years. His name is Charlie Chalmers. He was the saxophone player behind Aretha Franklin, behind Al Green, and behind Wilson Pickett, Dusty Springfield, many others. He has nine songs in the Grammy Hall of Fame. We got back in touch with each other last year, you know the world was kind of slowed down, and we started talking about doing a recording together. 

“He lives in Branson, Missouri, and we went to his studio and recorded four songs, one of which was ‘Chain of Fools,’ which is a song that he has a Grammy for with Aretha Franklin. However, he didn’t record the horn parts; that song has no horn parts, but he has a Grammy for it. Charlie said, ‘I’ve listened to that song for 54-years hearin’ the holes for the horn parts.’ Jerry Wexler, the producer had said, “You know, we’re not going to use it as a single. We’re in a hurry, let’s just move on and not do the horn parts for the song.’

“Well as it turned out, the song was a huge hit; we all know it. Charlie said, ‘I would love to redo that song again, and let’s actually record my horn parts on it now.’ You can find it on Apple Music, or Spotify, Pamela K. Ward. Yeah, so that’s me and Charlie recording it in the way they would have done it in 1967. All of us recorded it one time. I did my vocal track in one shot. Charlie and I played our saxophone parts together, recorded literally with one microphone, and the whole nine yards. So we did it, like I said, the old fashioned way, no computers in the room. It was really cool!”

021322    Anna Maria Island

Rainy day of anticipation awaiting the Super Bowl game between the Bengals (from Cincinnati, home to my family for 18 years) and the Rams (from Los Angeles, to which Nancy and I moved 9 years ago). Photographed Jason, a really nice guy, while having haircut this morning. Surprised by visit from family members, Harry and Anne, who have been vacationing nearby.

Super Bowl party with friends from Cincinnati. Exciting game, particularly knowing that my son is there. VERY disappointing loss for the Bengals!

Jason Bradenton, FL

“I’m a kid of Belizian decent. I was born in Massachusetts, lived my whole life there. And I met a nice polish girl, married her, had a family and moved down here. Thanks to social media, I’d say about a year ago, a little over a year ago, I had a girl reach out to me saying she might be my sister… which I found, me being 44-years old at the time, ‘Well, that’s interesting.” And kind of did some questioning to my parents from when I grew up and found out that my dad, who I thought was my dad, is not my dad. He told me, ‘Yes, you have a father from Belize,’ and that kind of shook my world because my brother, who turns out to be my half-brother, and I were inseparable. It was like, ‘Hey, we have different parents.’ So both my parents were Belizian. So I’m going to Belize, for the first time in my life to meet half of my family and apparently hundreds of relatives, this summer in June for my 45th birthday.”

Jonathan Cortez, FL

“It’s been absolutely amazing. One of the fantastic things about today has been experiencing Super Bowl Sunday with Cincinnati, real Cincinnati people. Marco taught me about American football yesterday. I didn’t understand it because I’m from England, and I played rugby and stuff. It’s the fellowship I’ve enjoyed the most, I think. Everyone being together, sharing food and having a few drinks, meeting people like you. One of the things I’ve found about America, I’ve been here a few times, is that the people are really friendly, and they are always open to spending time with newcomers, and I’m a newcomer. So yeah, it’s been a great day, a great day.

“The Super Bowl is ace, brilliant. I mean it’s quite exciting, it’s very close at the moment. It’s half-time,  there’s going to be a big concert, it’s just brilliant. I have to say one of the highlights for me was the buffalo chicken dip. I’d never tasted it before. The secret to watching it is… it’s fascinating. Obviously in the UK we have rugby, it’s a contact sport. I didn’t realize how strategic the Super Bowl actually is. It’s not just lots of men smashing into each other. Actually it’s quite difficult to go ten yards in four downs. It really is.”

021422    Anna Maria Island, FL

Spent a couple of hours dealing with paperwork, faxing, shipping. Lunch celebrating Valentine’s Day at the Beach House... freezing cold in the wind and shade near the beach, but beautiful view of the gulf with a happy dolphin entertaining us.

Rode the motorcycle into Sarasota to visit the Classic Car Museum. Great collection and the chance to photograph a famous person. Got the photo (page 38), but no story.

The Donald Sarasota, FL Valentine’s Day

(When I visited the Classic Car Museum in Sarasota, I finally came across a famous person on this adventure, Though a lot of the people I’ve interviewed have initially had a difficult time thinking of a story to share, in this case no story whatsoever came forth. The Donald just had nothing to say, a bit unusual from what I’ve heard. I sensed, however, that he was quite happy to be removed from the non-deplorables of Mar-a-Lago. I tried everything I could think of to get him talking but finally just turned away and left in frustration. Afterall, I am a life-long Republican. Gave up, but couldn’t resist whispering one last question to him as I walked by, “Will you be my valentine?” No answer. Honestly, Donald!)

021522    Anna Maria Island > Tallahassee    Mileage: 310    Duration: 6:00 hrs

Began the long ride home. Thankfully, a very beautiful, warm day, though a bit windy at times. So much fun to stay with Neil and Marion in their home, and visit with Pete—all members of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America club who help fellow riders along the way. Shortly after arriving, Neil took me on a 70-mile ride through a maze of wonderful black-topped back roads and a network of Florida red clay dirt roads. I was amazed at the scenery, the likes of which I had never seen before during my many trips to Florida. Road past countless huge plantations and through some really, really nice suburban neighborhoods. So glad Neil got me off my butt, well... actually back on my butt on the motorcycle for the ride. Photographed three interesting stories at the area’s famous Bradley’s Country Store.

Great folks with whom I really hope to stay in touch.

Kaila Tallahassee, FL

“Honestly, a lot of good things that have happened in my life. No one’s perfect, and I’ve had my bad times, but most of my life’s been good. I had a good mother who raised me very well, made me very respectful, made me honor the elderly who are over you. She taught me how to learn from my mistakes pretty much. I made a lot of mistakes, you know, got to be hard head sometimes, just have to be. One time I got in trouble at school, and I was going up against my teacher. I wanted to be right, and I wanted her to be wrong. As I grew up I learned that as time grows there’s times in you life when you’re wrong. So that happened, a lot of stuff happened in that. You know, I had to apologize to my teacher. Then I had to sit down and really exam myself, my life. That’s my story.”

Kayne Tallahassee, FL

“So this is our smoked sausage. We’ve been making this same exact sausage since 1910. This building that you’re standing in was built in 1927, so the Bradley’s originally sold it out of their home. These are all natural casings so all of the sausage, hog head cheese, fresh sausage is all made here on site—the same recipe as it was in 1910. There’s no preservatives in it. We also make grits here on site, which you’ll find down that aisle on the bottom left, and the jars and jellies and the canes are all Bradley’s products as well. 

“I’ve been working here since I was 14 and came to butcher, process out back, and I’m still here, and I’m 50-years old now. This is a family business, now we’re lookin’ at going into the fourth generation of ownership by an actual Bradley. This is the second oldest business in Tallahassee, Florida, in Leon County. This is the oldest business in Tallahassee, Florida, in the same building that it started in. Yes sir.

Charles, Tee Tallahassee, FL

“I just like riding. So, basically I just get out and ride, and just ride in the countryside. I’m from here, Tallahassee. This is a 2019 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. Had it about not quite a year. Had a 2000 Honda Valkyrie before this one. Just a matter of enjoyin’ the open road, that’s it.”

021622    Tallahassee > Gonzales    Mileage: 440    Duration: 8:30 hrs

Very long ride today (record for me). Cold in the morning, warm in the afternoon, but VERY WINDY, especially crossing over many long bridges spanning the gulf and bayous. Kind of scary at times as I was blown across my lane almost into another several times. As I finally exited Florida and then crossed Alabama and Mississippi before entering Lousiana, I spent a lot of time thinking about what awaits me in California and the next phase of my life.

Had planned to stop 100-miles earlier today but decided to just keep riding so I can at least reach Houston tomorrow and an easy ride to San Antonio on Saturday and a rest day on Sunday.

021822 Gonzales > Baytown Mileage: 265 Duration: 6:30 hrs

Left hotel about 7:00. By 7:05 was miserable, a very damp, no sun, windy, 43° cold. Rode for an hour or so. Sat by fireplace at Cracker Barrel Restaurant for an hour or so. Rode for an hour or so. Sat by fireplace at another Cracker Barrel Restaurant for an hour or so. Rode for an hour and a half as it warmed up about 10°. Departed Louisiana about noon and crossed the international border into the country (sized) Texas. Will be in this immense country fir a few days!

Again had planned to camp. Forget it! Need a very long hot shower. Staying at Springhill Suites Marriott Hotel. Nicest room I’ve had for many years and extremely reasonable price. Will stay an extra day to rest and wait for coming warmer weather.

021922 Baytown, TX

Rest day. Feels good to relax, though did need to do some planning for the next few days. Thankfully, it seems like the weather will be good, becoming warmer each day.

Walked to lunch and did a photo/story on Hope. I was very moved by her story and sense that she is a unique strong person. Only hope she can overcome her struggles to fully realize what I am sure is vast potential.

Hope. Baytown, TX

“Well, I love music. My entire family is musical. That has always been very core in my heart. That’s what I want to pursue in my life. I grew up with a single mother. My biological father is from Saudi Arabia, he’s still over there. So kind of just me, my Mom and music.

“It’s something that is still difficult for me to talk about, but I’m schizoaffective and I have something called borderline personality disorder. And I’ve struggled a lot with (long pause)… living. But I have a lot of love for people, it’s important, it really is the most powerful force. There have been times, multiple times, when I was trying not to exist anymore, but I am so grateful there is love and that I have people in my life that have proven to me that it is real.

“I would call myself spiritual. I think religion puts you in boxes, and I mean each to his own, but I feel like it is a scapegoat in a way. I don’t know, I think we all want to feel safe. But I think it is really important for us to find that safety within ourselves. Like I was talking about love, I think it is so important to approach yourself with that same love that you think God above would approach you with. This is the first time in my life that I can say I am happy, and it’s taken lots and lots of time. I’ve spent lots of time with myself: all of the parts of my brain that I did not want to venture into, I ventured into. 

“This is my Tarot card, the dead card, and it’s my favorite card. I’ve always like leaned toward death, like I’m drawn to death. My favorite thing about this card is that it’s about an ending, but an ending always means a new beginning, and there’s always hope. All the endings I’ve had in my life, all of like the death cards that I’ve had in my life, they’ve always opened doors into something beautiful in my life. After a death there is always a new life. That’s why I wear that card.”

022022    Baytown > San Antonio    Mileage: 262    Duration: 5:00 hrs.

Much better weather, 60º - 73º and some sun, not too windy. What a difference! I-10, however, has become pretty boring. Mile after mile, hour after hour, scenery doesn’t change much. Road condition pretty rough in places. Traffic in Houston light on this Sunday, but amazingly heavy in San Antonio. Lots of signs, too.

I died and went to heaven today! NO, not on the highway. At lunch. At Joel’s Bar-B-Que. What a find! Fantastic bar-b-que beef sandwich with pickles and onions, a side of slaw, and of course... pecan pie. Ate with a really nice couple who had moved to Florida from California and are now moving back. Mick’s a guitar player and photographer, so poor Caitlin had to endure way too much geek talk. 

Afterwards filled up with gas and met, Charile, riding cross-country, too, but on a bicycle. Has quite a story, quite a sad story.

Out to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse, always voted a top choice among meatatarians, like me. The filet was perferct. Need the protein for the next two days riding down to the Rio Grande. Leaving the restaurant I was once again thankful for God’s second greatest gift to mankind... the COW!

Caitlin, Mick Flatonia, TX

Caitlin: “Any story, Mick.”

Mick: “So, I used to be a DJ in the 80s—college radio, commercial radio, and nightclubs. And I interviewed for college radio, I interviewed Warren Zevon one night. He way playing at the Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia that weekend. After I interviewed him he invited me to the show. While I interviewed him, I always had a guitar in my studio, he picked up the guitar and started playing Werewolves of London, his biggest hit. Showed me the chords. Taught me how to play it. I played it. Great song. I go to see him. Standing in front he’s doing a one-man show. He’s got an acoustic guitar on a stand. He’s got his keyboard and a synthesizer in front of him on a stand, and a saxophone on a stand. He’s doing a one-man show. I’m standing near the stage. Sees me when he takes a break and calls me back into the dressing area with him. He goes, ‘Do you remember how to play Werewolves of London? You gotta play it with me for the encore. Goes out, does the second half of the show. Encore comes up. Calls me over. He’s playing keyboard. Points to the guitar, and I start playing acoustic guitar to the Werewolves of London. The whole crowd is going insane because everybody knows the song, the whole crowd is singing the song. An amazing moment with an artist being so generous to allow somebody on stage with him to play.”

Charlie Flatonia, TX

“Well, this will be my third [bicycle] trip from Florida… we went to Las Vegas and then went back to Florida. Then the following year I went from Florida to Denver, and then from Denver I went to Las Vegas by train. And that’s when I found out, when I went down to the cart to get me another sandwich and cold drink, well they declined my card. It’s not a very happy story. Somebody stole my identity, yeah. So when I got off the train in Reno I was slapped in the face right on the street. I was broke, took everything that I had. Some fellow, I guess is was a fellow in Michigan he got me, got me good, or they did. Left me broke and strugglin’ on the streets, you know, sleepin’ on the concrete and lookin’ where I can for shelters. Right now I call my home Pensacola. Now I’m having to trek across the country to get back home to get it all taken care of. 

“I got a little flyer in the mail saying, ‘You owe $2,900 for the jackpot you hit.’ In Michigan, really. They want me to pay it back, taxes you know. It’s kind of strange, you know. They hit me good. I mean it happens, but in another way I expect to save it all up, just like an escrow account or something you can’t touch for a few years. When I get back and get it all taken care of I’ll get me a real nice motorcycle.”

022122    San Antonio > Sanderson    Mileage: 277    Duration: 4:45 hrs

Took my time getting started because it had unexpectedly rained in the night and the streets were still wet. Before leaving photographed Jody and Connie on their way back to Chimayó, New Mexico, home of the famous Catholic chapel, El Santuario de Chimayó. Once again, fun to interact wth new people and hear their story.

Got a bit lost leaving the hotel with its location surrounded by various Hwy 90 loop roads. Back wheel slid a few times before finally entering the highway, fine afterwards. Took 90 for a change of pace. Not a whole more interesting but at least not interstate. Much warmer weather and a lot less wind. Passed through a lot of small towns separated by miles and miles of desolate country. Passing through one town saw a sign: 

THIS IS GOD’S COUNTRY. DON’T DRIVE LIKE HELL!

I did my best, kind of.

Passed countless police cars and Border Patrol vehicles, and was stopped at a checkpoint, seemingly checking for drugs and illegal migrants. Pretty conservative country based on signs, bumper stickers, and people packing pistols holstered on hips. Camping for the night at the very minimalistic Canyons RV Park in Sanderson, Texas, only 120 miles from the entrance to Big Bend National Park, my destination for the next few days.

Set up tent on AstroTurf, can’t use stakes. Suddenly so windy I had to lay inside to keep it from blowing away. But temps way above normal, so nice and warm.

Connie, Jody San Antonio, TX

“This is nice the way we met here over breakfast, talking about motorcycles, and here we are in San Antonio, Texas. We’re from northern New Mexico, about 80-miles north of Santa Fe in Chimayó. That’s where we live. 

“Anyway, our motorcycling story is like when we’ve gone to South Dakota, Sturgis. Couple years we’ve done the trip, but the second time, boy we got caught in a storm. BAD. On the way back we were coming there in Wyoming and come into a bad weather storm. Cold, cold, even a little hail and all that stuff. So we thought, ‘We’ll get a room in Denver, somewhere in Colorado.’ It just so happened the airport was shut down as well. It was a bad one! It was a bad one, so we couldn’t find a room for nothing for miles. We’d stop and look at the Internet. We’d go to hotels and, ‘No, we’re booked. We’re booked.’ We couldn’t find anything. We’re dressed up in our leathers, and we’re cold. Horrible. Miserable. So finally we ended up going all the way to Colorado Springs. Finally found a room in Colorado Springs. By then it was already midnight. We got into the room, warmed up. 

“We’re still doing it. We haven’t given up.”

022222    Sanderson > Big Bend National Park    Mileage: 175    Duration: 3:25 hrs

This is dinosaur country apparently. Big jaws assured me it would be an easy 50-mile ride to breakfast in Marathon. Didn’t think to tell me it wouldn’t ber much. Funny weather on the way. A cool, though thankfully sunny and not windy, 49º when I left. 55º fifteen minutes later. 61º in another fifteen. Then dropped to 48º a minute later. Had gotten my hopes up. But hoping did eventually pay off—was 83º ninety minutes later as I pulled into my camp spot at Big Bend National Park, even warmer later.

Photographed a couple from Wisconsin concerned for the future of our country, and then another from Iowa (husband is president of a vintage motorcycle club). After setting up camp in my shade-barren spot, headed to the nearby camp store relax (as much as one can) sitting at a picnic table in the shade, working on this book.

Photographed a nice couple and their son who had joined me. Kindly offered me a bologna sandwich on Bimbo white bread. Got to talking, the best I could in Spanish. They’re from Chihuahua and insisted that I contact them when I’m there a few days from now. Recorded Rubén’s story in Spanish. Will need to translate it, hopefully with help from Fransisco.

Cool, windy night. Visited outside of tent by wildlife: something that made a deep purring sound; something sounding pretty large. Found large scat nearby in the morning.

Tara, Jacob Marathon, TX

“The other day on our way out here we come across a gas station in Navasota, Texas. A nice lady had pulled off from the gas pump with the gas pump still attached to her car, which you know… things happen. She stopped. She got out. She took it out of her car. She looked around, saw about 30 of us standin’ there lookin’ at her goin’, ‘Are you going to do the right thing?’ NO. She went and put it on the ground back by the pump and left. 

“Then my real disappointment rolls in, just a moment afterwards, a young guy probably 20-22 years old or so, and he proceeds to pick the gas handle up off the ground, stuff it into his car, put a credit card in, start it. The gas pump won’t work. Goes through the whole thing again, turns around and goes, ‘What the heck?’ And I was like, ‘It ain’t even connected to the gas pump, man.’”

Tim. Big Bend National Park (Panther Junction)

“This is a good GS story. Ok, many years ago, probably ’92, I had a R100GSPD bike. I took that bike on a tour to Paonia, Colorado, from Kansas. We were going down to the Flagstaff International BMW Rally. Left Paonia and was going to go backcountry in Moab, Utah. Solo. I was 31-years old; I was fearless. I went through Hurrah Pass. I stopped at a ranger station, there weren’t any cell phones in those days, and I borrowed their radio-telephone to leave a message for my wife on the voice machine where I was going and what I was getting ready to do. I talked to a ranger and said, ‘I’m going to take this route.’ And he goes, ‘Deep sand. Deep sand. You don’t want to to that way. So I said, ‘Which way would you go.‘ He said, ‘Cottonwood River.’ I head down to the Cottonwood River and I come to a fork the road. He didn’t tell me which fork to use so I picked the left fork. And when I picked that left fork in about every mile to two miles I would come to a water crossing. I’d stop the bike. I’d get off. I’d walk through it. If it looked good I’d ride through it. I’m about 10-miles in on this and one comes up, and I decided, ‘They’ve all been good, so I’ll just ride through this one. I came out there back side, dropped the GS into a quicksand hole exiting coming out and the bike was floating on the cylinders and the saddlebags. I got off the bike; I went thigh-deep. I crawled out of it. I took the saddlebags off, and it sunk further. So I stuck one of the saddlebags back on. I carried a block and tackle with me whenever I went on these back roads. So I pulled it out, had about a 500 ft. 2,000 lb. paracord. Found a rock and tied off. I would pull it up as tight as I could get it. I’d start the starter and hit it and it’d go about 6 inches. About two-hours later I had it out of the quicksand.

“I realized at that point that I was mortal.”

Rubén, Lourdes, Alejandro Big Bend National Park (Rio Grande Village)

“A story? Do you want a story about Pancho Villa? 

“We are from Chihuahua, Mexico, and I work in agriculture. I had the opportunity to study for a career, and now I am a retired teacher. I enjoyed serving my community, my state, and my nation. I am proud of everything I did and right now I am dedicated to my kids. All of my kids have already studied a career and they are professionals. I have traveled in Chihuahua, throughout Mexico, and Europe.”

022322 Big Bend National Park

Cold, very windy morning kept me zipped up mummy-like in my mummy bag. With only one day to explore the park I forced my self up, dressed warm and rode out of the Rio Grande Village, up to Panther Junction, and up 4,000+ ft. to Chiso Basin. Beautiful ride and interestingly became much warmer as I gained elevation. Hard to believe but it will probably be 90º in the Village later this afternoon when I return.

The geography of Big Bend is very similar to the Sierra Gigantis I lived among in Baja. Dry, dusty, wind ravaged, barren, rugged mountains surrounding by scrub desert. 

Photographed Aaron, a Neurologist from Boston, before enjoying a late, relaxing breakfast at the Chisos Lodge. Great view. Thankfully, there was cell service at the restaurant, and I was able to take care of some pain-in-the-butt problems as a result of being gone from home too much of late. Come to think of it, I’ve been experiencing lost of pain-in-the-butt, granted for very different reasons.

Strange weather again as rode the 39 miles back to the Village from Chisos Basin. Mentioned it to ranger, said very strange indeed. 71° as left 5,400 ft elevation at the Basin. 48° at 1,000 ft at campground. Colder lower??

Ranger confirmed that I had been visited last night by a mountain lion (purring, segmented scat full of hair), though estimate of the park’s population is only 20-30. Going to be another scary night, especially not able to see outside, at least not without unzipping the door and welcoming a guest inside. Understatement of the day: A tent offers a very false sense of security.

Aaron Big Bend National Park (Chisos Basin)

“I’ve made this cross country road trip from Boston to LA and back four times in four years. Yeah, yeah, I’m not fully retired, but I stepped back from a lot of big responsibility from my work (Neurologist) right around 2018. And, I’m traveling through the country.

“So, ok, I wonder how this will fit with the rest of the stories you’ve been getting? You don’t mind something that has to do a little with weed? How do you feel about weed? Um, anyway, let me think of a good story…

“So, I’ve been drawn to the American West for many years. When I was younger, about twenty, I came out to Colorado and got a job with a petroleum geophysical company, which as looking for shale oil. I was a kid and really didn’t know anything. They had me paired with this guy, this old timer, Jim, who’d been doing this kind of roughneckin’ work for many, many years, and he was with me, and he didn’t know what to make of me. You know, I was this kind of hippie kid from the east coast, Philadelphia, whatever. Exxon, whatever it was called back then, maybe Esso, had sublet a big piece of property because they thought it had good prospects for shale oil.

“Jim and I were out there doing this survey. He’s got the camera, I got the transit, the stick. He tells me, ‘Ok, what I want you to do is take a set line of that bluff way out there. Between me where I’m positioned with the camera walk as straight a line as you can and every hundred steps turn around and hold up the stick so I can take a reading.’ I’m walking along doing this, and he’s getting smaller and smaller on the horizon. And it occurred to me that he never told me how far to go. At some point I couldn’t really even see him anymore I was so far away. So I went back, and he goes, ‘Shoot man! I stopped taking readings off of you and hour and a half ago!’”

022422    Big Bend National Park > Presidio, TX > Ojinada Border Crossing > Chihuahua, Mexico

Was a cold night, in 20s. Thankfully, my sleeping bag was warm enough. Wish I could say the same for my riding outfit. Was 28° when I left the campground. Low 30s for next hour and a half, then 40s and finally low 50s as I reached Presidio, TX, where I stored my motorcycle for a few days. Walked across border into Mexico. No one asked to see my passport, nor was I given a visa. Waited awhile for Franscico. Realized that there was a 1-hour time difference, so I was early. Two hours later I discovered that he had some kind of a problem and was delayed. Will be another three-hours. So much for leaving early to get here in time and FREEZE in the early morning temps! Hadn’t been in Mexico for even five minutes when a young guy asked if he could use my phone. Got a taxi and asked to be taken to, ‘el mejor restaurante de la ciudad.’ Took me to Lobby’s for a great arrachera steak, baked potato, and a                                                                                                         salad for lunch. Hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday so hit the spot, the growing spot... even though I am eating very little. Go figure!

Guess if I was really concerned I could join Wiley and chase the                              Road Runner... guilt!

Speaking of guilt... When I had asked Francisco to pick me up and drive me to his home in Chihuahua I didn’t realize how far it was from Presidio. One of my very closest friends didn’t mind, and we had much to catch up on. Stopped at sunset for a brief rest at the stunningly beautiful Cañon de Peguis. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful to see Armida, Xavier, and Fernanda again. Had been 15 years. Xavier now a geodesic engineer; Fernanda a doctor. Nancy would be so proud; she loved these children. (Francisco and Armida had been students in one of her adult ESL classes in Colorado Springs.)

022522    Chihuahua 

Staying in humble lodgings here has been a reminder of how few things are really  required to live a full life. I am so glad to reunite with this dear family, so refreshed by their warm acceptance and enduring love. 

I have always known Francisco to be a skilled, hard worker, yet I am amazed to see the architectural and construction work he and his business partner, Donna, are accomplishing. Really first class modern design—inspiring. Photographed Donna as she prepared a delicious breakfast. A very impressive woman raising three precious children. I expect big things to come from their business, ARQLOCAL.

Nice family dinner at the Ware Restaurant.

Donna Chichuahua

“Studying archtecture is easy, but when you start to work it is more complicated. In the school they don’t teach the real life, don’t teach about how to buy materials, how to know good prices, how to get clients. The most difficult thing is to get clients and good prices for the materials so we can be competitive with other companies; not to charge too much, not to charge too little. The prices need to be better for the clients and for our business. You have to keep the clients happy, but also must find good prices for the materials. You need to have innovation in the company in products and services.

“Francisco and I want to make sure that what happened to us recently, when we were not paid by the client, doesn’t happen again. Doing the work, getting clients, and finding good employees is difficult. We like to find employees that are loyal, work hard, and are good teammates. Teamwork is important. Sometimes the employees have one idea and we have another, and we have to learn to work together.  

“I started our business when I got let go from architect job at a construction company. I was a supervisor there for seven years, and my my boss said he was no longer able to pay my high salary. I asked myself what’s next. So I started to promote my work on Facebook. I advertised my services as an architect, painter, designer. From that point I started to get clients. I’ve been independent for two years. Francisco started working with me about a year ago. Starting the business has been difficult, very difficult.

“For me, being a single mom with three kids and leaving the kids at home and still having to worry about work is very difficult. But when I see my kids smile I forget about everything.”

Fernanda, Armida

“Well, when I got off high school I started to the public university of Chihuahua. When I started off my career then my teachers were really mean. I remember, well the one thing that made me very upset was when one of my teachers… when you start off in the university they ask you for a blood test. Every time I get a blood test they poke through my blood vessel and I get a lot of blood under my skin inside my elbow. So the teacher asked, ‘Why does that happen to you?’ I said, ‘Because they poke through me and I bleed.’ And he said, ‘No, it didn’t happen like that. It’s because you are fat.’ He told me that in front of seventy people in the classroom. I was really upset. I stayed the whole semester, but it was really hard. The teachers continued to be really mean. I was at a point where I was really desperate. I decided if being a doctor meant this then I didn’t want to be a doctor. I thought maybe I should join my brother and study engineering.

“One day my mother said, ‘No, Fernanda, you always wanted to be a doctor. I want you to become what you always wanted to be.’ She suggested I attend a private medical school here, but I said, ‘No, no, I don’t want to do that. It will be really difficult for everybody because it costs a lot of money. So, I thought, ‘No, no, no. Yes. Ok let’s go. I don’t know!‘ But I just went because if I didn’t go my mom would tell me all my life, ‘I told you to go…’ So I went there and the people were so nice, and I fell in love with the school from the first moment.”

022622   Chihuahua

House busy early, Javier leaving for work and Armida taking Fernanda to her 24-         hour shft at the hospital. Francisco (pastor) and I took a long walk during which I          sought his relationship advice.

Went to lunch with Armida, Javier, Armida’s mother and sister, Irma, and Irma’s daughter, Sofie, at a very upscale restuarant.

Photographed Francisco and recorded his story about friendship, ours in particular.

Carryout dinner from famous Elotes Corn Restaurant. Hoped to be joined by Fernanda on a break from hospital, but she was called in to assist with an appendectomy.

022723    Chihuahua > Ojinaga > Presidio > Van Horn Mileage Presidio > Van Horn: 135  Duration: 3 hrs

Long drive back to the border with Francisco, Armida, and a weary Fernanda, who had just finished her 24 hr rotation at the hospital. Said goodbye wondering when I may see this wonderful family again.

Uneventful, though tiring, walk across the border, through customs, and a 1/4 mile or so to where my motorcycle was stored. Seemed to take forever to ride just 135 miles to Van Horn, Texas, where I spent the night at the historic El Capitan hotel. Very nicely remodeled, quaint, and really excellent restaurant. No photos/stories—just too tired.

022822    Van Horn > Deming, NM     Mileage: 225    Duration: 4:30

Got up slowly, no rush, waiting for temperature to climb past 60º. Must have been very tired because didn’t think I’d ever get to Deming. Very boring ride, thought about a lot of things that made me angry. Nasty traffic through El Paso. Not my favorite ride of this adventure. One bright spot: f i n a l l y getting OUT OF Texas. Stayed at typically mediocre roadside hotel, pigged out on pizza. Decided I better address my balding rear tire. Ordered a new one to be mounted in Phoenix. Again no photos/stories. Glad this day is over.

030122    Deming > Oro Valley, AZ    Mileage:  220   Duration: 5:00

Slow start again. Easy, little more interesting ride. Very beautiful about 60 miles east of Tucson through heavily bouldered Texas Canyon—reminded me of the boulder fields in Catavina, Baja.

Fun staying with friend, Ellen’s, mother… great chance to talk about Ellen behind her back. Photographed Nikki at dinner.

Nikki Oro Valley, Arizona

“ I don’t know how to tell you this story. 

“Ok, my spiritual journey, it’s my journey of all the wonderful, advanced spiritual people that woke me up. It’s about waking up, ‘cause actually we’re in a waking dream state as we live in this world. We think it’s a reality. That’s why it’s so funny to watch these people. To me it’s not a reality to watch what they’re doing and saying on television. They think it’s a reality, and they are very busy having an opinion about it. But you can’t have an opinion about your dreams. So it’s all a dream, and I know that, I just know it to be true. That’s my story.”

030222    Oro Valley > Phoenix    Mileage: 120    Duration: 2:45

Interviewed Nikki and her friend, Patty, before riding off towards Phoenix to visit Fred and Karen. First half of the ride was very pleasant, happily riding along a two-lane blacktop, the Pinal Pioneerr Highway. Second half of the ride was very heavily trafficked, dangerous.

Great to reunite with Fred and Karen, and to see their visiting granddaugher Ahmina. Fred and I removed the back wheel of the motorcycle and took it to the BMW dealer in Chandler to have a new tire mounted. While there photographed and interviewed Scott, the sales manager of Indian Motorcycles—a little Biker 101.

Patty Oro Valley, Arizona

“Hi there, I’m Patty. I’m going to tell you a story about a little girl who grew up on
a farm. And she grew up with eight siblings and a mother because daddy passed away.
I want to share with you the importance of family, of a mother who really… she gave every ounce of herself to all of us children. As an older lady I look back on my childhood, and
I am so grateful to have such a wonderful mother and siblings who care. It’s a foundation. When we have that foundation as children, it’s the foundation to take us through life because we can rely on the strength of the decency and honesty that we were taught and pass that on.

“I personally am a bully-buster, I call myself because if I see anybody being bullied I bust it. I call them out on it. Mom always taught us to be kind and understanding, to care about more than just ourselves, and to give back. So I like to go out and bust up those bullies.

“I am grateful, so grateful for all I have, for all I came through, and that is kind of my story.”

Scott Chandler, Arizona

“I’m the Indian sales manager of the Indian dealership in Chandler. I’m a biker. I’m going to tell you a story a lot of people don’t know or understand. Most of my life I lived and breathed Harley-Davidsons. This is the story of the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy (motorcycle model) and how it came to be. 

“Well, in the mid-80s everybody knew about the Fat Boy because Swartzeneggewr brought it to life in ‘Terminator’ as he walked out of a bar naked after beating up people and took off on that Fat Boy.

“What happened in the mid-80s was that Japan was flooding the market with motorcycles so bad that Harley-Davidson couldn’t compete on its own soil because our government was giving such tax breaks and tariffs. This is factual. Harley-Davidson lawyers petitioned the government, and they shut it down. And as soon as they shut it down, they presented the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.

“You can google the unofficial story of the Fat Boy: So, when was the last time the U.S. had conflict with Japan. It was WWII when they bombed us in Pearl Harbor. How did we respond? We responded with a plane called the Enola Gay, which had two atomic bombs. Those bombs had names. This is fact. The names: Fat Man, Little Boy. Take a name from each bomb, hmmm. OK if you look at that iconic front wheel of a Fat Boy, that solid front rim, it’s an identical replica of the front wheel of the Enola Gay. The very first Harley Fat Boy that hit the floor was only available in one color—the exact same gunmetal gray color as the Enola Gay. If you go online and look at the Enola Gay there’s six holes/rings on its side. If you look at a picture of the Harley side by side there are six rings that you can see on the Fat Boy. So, that’s my story from Chandler, Arizona. A little Biker 101.”

030322    Phoenix

Restful day, mostly spent with Fred volunteering at the Christian bookstore on the ASU campus. Huge student body. Two interesting photos/stories.

Late in the afternoon, put the motorcyle back wheel with its new tire back on. Getting ready for long ride to Palm Springs tomorrow.

Mikel Tempe, Arizona

“I was born in an army environment, Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. My dad was a chaplain in the army for 39 years; I was raised on the Bible and the military, too. We moved to Amarillo, and one day after a couple of years of the junior ROTC, I was walking out the pre-inductive center, and the Gideon’s were passing out the New Testaments. The one who talked to me was somebody who could relate to me. We talked a little bit, and he said, ‘I have learned from my experience that God does not have grandchildren. You have to make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior and God your father.’ And then he reminded me of the Gospel. I knelt down there at the table and gave my heart to the Lord right there. My brother walked in, and he wanted to know what was going on. I told him what I had just done, and he did the same thing. Then he turned around and led my sister to the Lord. My dad baptized us at a Gideon function. 

“Shortly after this happened I looked at a sign at a church that said, ‘Study the book of Acts [of the Apostles],’ from the New Testament, so I started studying Acts. I got stuck in the second chapter (Acts 2:6).* I got invited to a Bible study about two weeks after leaving basic training. There were nine Portugese in there. They understood English to a point, but they were having a hard time with the Gospel message. I had read that second chapter of Acts, and the person leading the study read the same chapter. My hands just went straight up to the air. I said, ‘Thank you Lord for my salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ The next thing you know I was speaking Portuguese, and all nine of them were kneeling down. They wanted to know where I had learned that. I said, ‘I don’t know!’ They said, ‘Well we heard the Gospel; we believe this now.’ “

* ... the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

Ty Tempe, Arizona

“To make a long story short, I grew up in church. I started going to church in my college town, and I learned some pretty interesting theological things there, some of which I found out weren’t quite right, but you know people had their hearts in the right place. I found out that one of my friends had converted to this religion called Hebrew Israelism. They pretty much believe that descendants of the transatlantic slave trade that those are God’s chosen people and are the true Jews. They kind of proselytize standing on street corners yelling at people, a lot of time at white people telling them that they’re evil and that they are the real jews and are going to rule over white people in the Kingdom, that Jesus is going to come back and destroy people… all kinds of crazy things.

“My friend got wrapped up in this cult, and we would have debates almost daily, and because of that there were areas where my faith was challenged. Even though that person had a lot of things wrong, it also highlighted some of the things that I had wrong. It kind of forced me to get into apologetics, so I began researching YouTube videos and books and stuff specifically on that topic, and I ran across this apologist, his name is Vocal Malone. So anyway, I purchased his book, and we met at some conferences, and so he’s like, ‘You know you should start your own YouTube channel, and you know, just talk about books that you’ve read on theology.’ I’m just like, ‘Yeah, I could never do that.’ Anyway I started making Instagram videos and little YouTube videos. And I’ve gained a small following: on YouTube I have about 5,000 subscribers. My highest YouTube video views is 50 or 60,000. You know, that’s OK for a Christian apologetics channel. You know, that’s pretty cool. So it’s actually become my hobby, my passion a little bit, and now I’m trying to get enrolled in seminary, something that I never would have thought of before.”